I do something similar with essential oils. It's a great, inexpensive trick that makes my whole kitchen and living room smell great.

I would work on getting rid of the source of the smell instead of working on covering it up.

@@B.D.F. The smells I'm covering, as you call it, are natural ones from cooking things like broccoli or fish. I enjoy those smells during cooking and eating, but I don't know anyone who wants their kitchen to smell like either one for several hours.

@@EarthIncompatible lingering smells can be rough. It can make an enjoyable meal, a bummer, if all you can remember is the smell afterwards

YES! I've been doing the lemon trick for 20 years now. I also add real 🍋 lemon to my sponges 🧽 while cleaning the microwave. 👍🏻 ✅

Great idea with that Bundt pan! What do use to cover it to keep down the chili splatter?

@@richarde1355 I have a plastic cover that sits over it, but you could probably just use a plate or a towel.

I use a small shot glass sized cup in the center for meat loafs and such. Filling it with water seems to work well for a steaming action and to keep the glass from being overheated

Is the corningware glass cover microwave and oven safe?

​@@truthwins1443, Absolutely, but I usually put wax paper under the lid because the lid is very loose. Thar's just me, don't know if good or bad idea.

Can you do that technique with frozen fish??

Sorry for the dictation. “Listener” should have been “engineer”.

Oh good, I was surprised listening to electronics was a profession. 😂

Thanks for the science as it makes everything more logical.

I have a top of the line breville and it uses inverter technology....the magnetron does NOT cycle with power settings. It actually ramps down the power. Maybe address this feature in some devices

@@jslezak57 Hmm, not sure I understand what you're getting at

@@jslezak57 sorry, what does that have to do with the cookware she’s discussing?

Agreed. I’d add that while stainless is a great material is great & modern looking, for those of us with somewhat impaired vision white is easier to maintain. Keeping that gray interior clean is a bit more difficult than a white one.

Could you recommend any brands &/or models you find better to use please? We are looking to find one that’s better for my husband who is vision impaired.

I whole-heartedly agree! My mother is vision-impaired and it is a source of great frustration to her to try to microwave something for herself. It’s one of those things that most people don’t realize, but it REALLY affects a person’s independence. Just this one upgrade that you suggest would make such a huge difference!

Appliance manufacturers have a LONG way to go when it comes to universal design.

Doesn't surprise me, this is one of the highest quality/best designed glass tupperware dishes ever made. However at 2-4 times more expensive than Oxo's borosilicate containers, it really doesn't make sense unless you are rich and are buying it to try and flex on your guests. They are trying really hard to make Anyday seem like it is more than it is with their recipes but realistically its not any different from a normal borosilicate container, the main differentiator being that you can't really microwave the oxo container's lid because it doesn't have a vent hole, and plastic can warp in the microwave so its best to avoid microwaving plastic lids that get paired with your expensive glass tupperware. However if you just rest the lid on top without the latches closed, it should be fine and able to steam or lightly pressure cook just like the anyday does. I expect to see the price of anyday container go down in the next 10 years as competitors step their game up. I can definitely see frosted outside becoming a new normal. I don't know if the stainless steel will be copied by competitors but I could definitely see glass lids with silicone ventholes becoming a new normal.

Mayo, tajin, and cotija cheese

but I noticed with inverter the power ramp-up time is really long, from the moment you press start it would take 10 seconds to reach maximum power. If you have to open the door frequently to stir the contents this increases cooking time significantly.

Thanks for the correction. I am concerned with the number of misleading information on microwave tech out there. I always insist on inverters as the control of power / heat is excellent. Non inverters just have a On / Off on the magnetron - the fact of lowering the power to 50% means the magnetron is turned on less often during the cooking cycle between intervals and achieves the same effect as cooking with 'less power' - in actual fact, the food is still being zapped at MAX power whenever the magnetron comes on, even on a lower setting. Run a power meter to see the power consumption yourself.

I have the Breville 3 in 1 combi oven and it has inverter technology in the microwave part. I've been really impressed with it.

I am on my third Panasonic inverter from the Genius series. I've not had greatest luck on longevity; however, I like this technology so much, and I used it so much, that I just suck it up.

Most of the frozen foods I've seen that list a wattage are just telling you what they used--which I appreciate. That lets me know that since my microwave is 1250W I need to cook it for a shorter time than they recommend. For yours, you'd likely need to cook it a little longer than the time they suggest.

I use the silicone potholders. They have a vent hole if you need it, seal tight if you want that, prevent splatters, and are easy to clean

@@Mamba151 It never occurred to me to use the silicone pot holders I have this way! Thank you!

Genius!

Lesabear: that’s a good idea. I use those microwave covers but they are too short for some things. I’ll have to scout out the right size cake carrier.

I just use wax paper. Cheap and no need to clean the cover. Just toss it in the garbage bin.

My parents had one of the first microwaves that included the stove vent and light, bought it through my uncle who was an executive at GE. Even with his discount it was over $700! That sucker was installed in 1980 and just died in 2020. My brother said he could’ve kept it running but couldn’t find the parts.😮

@@leapintothewild I had an Amana Radarange which was one of the early consumer machines. I just loved it.

@@nancyeaton731 Wow, what a great brand Amanda was!

@@leapintothewild eBay is your friend!

@@Pt0wN973b0iI Sure. Parts for a 43 year old microwave. And you think ebay is some sort of secret? duh

Yes, lowering the power produces more evenly-cooked food.

Who's got time for that power level voodoo? I like my enchiladas boiling lava hot on the outside, still frozen solid on the inside.

They ended up not recommending the Panasonic model they tested. At 1200 watts, it was a bit too powerful so its ideal performance would mean having to frequently select a lower power mode. It showed fingerprints and it didn't have any "quick" or "one-touch" buttons meaning you had to hit "Start" to get it going. ATK's bottom line was that there were better models out there, but it still seems like an odd reason for not recommending it rather than recommending it with reservations.

@@sandrah7512 Well, I do use the lower power settings often, because it is powerful at full power (though that can be useful; I can nuke cauliflower into submission in 6 minutes, to make faux mashed potatoes ;-). And it's true that there aren't any "convenience" features, but those are generally useless to me because I don't generally buy convenience foods that go with those features. Also, I'm old enough to have owned an Amana Radarange, which just had start and stop buttons and 2 dials for time.

@@darrylrichman I think you misunderstand what I meant by ATK's quibble on the lack of "quick" or "one-touch" buttons. I meant the typically "1", "2" or "3" on the keypad that times your food for those minute intervals without having to hit "start". Note that even Lisa mentioned the uselessness of "Kid's Meals" and "Snack" buttons. I also have an 1100-watt Panasonic with very basic function buttons - the fanciest is "Popcorn" - I frequently power it down and I do have to hit "start" to get it nuking.

Maybe try using a silicone envelope instead of plastic. It's probably safer.

I do the same thing, but "en papillote" - wrapped in parchment paper. It seems to work better than plastic.

You can also use nori sheets to steam things. It's not super perfect as it's permeable and has a flavor, but for fish it's a good compliment

I was JUST getting ready to make banana bread and between their two recipes I was going to use the easier “classic” version. After reading this, I think now I’ll give that “ultimate” 6-banana version a go, instead 👌.

I've gotten lots of great comments about how good this banana bread is, but when I explain how I make it, most people are put off. But it really isn't that much extra work: put the bananas in the microwave, get other stuff ready, put the bananas in the strainer, get other stuff ready... By the time the bananas have been strained, everything else is ready, so I reduce the liquid, mix the batter, and put it in the pan. Reducing the liquid isn't that hard, and it's the most significant extra work in the recipe.

That’s now my go-to recipe if I need to bring something to a gathering. My *mom* asked me for the recipe, and she’s the designated baked goods person for our extended family. It’s that good.

Which ATK cookbook is this recipe found in, or is it only on their all-inclusive website subscription? I used to do the yearly access then had to restructure my budget after a job change, but I have many of their cookbooks and still have a digital CI magazine sub. Thanks!

I didn't get the recipe from a book. I got it from ATK's website, which now requires a paid subscription for the recipe. But a quick search found other copies of it on the web.

Thanks for this. How many eggs is this for?

@@nancycy9039 2-3

My brother did this on the first day of employment. With a raw egg. Earned his rep. Bless his heart.

It doesn't matter if it's peeled...any hard boiled egg that's reheated in the microwave will explode. It's happened to me and anyone that didn't believe me after warning them.

"How to Cook That" did a video about eggs exploding in the microwave. She's a food scientist, so she explains the science behind why they explode.

There was a guy(kid actually) that invented a way of encoding microwave cooking instructions for a specific food & an input for the microwave. A card slot if you will. It was all very ad hoc since he did the engineering at home. I thought that was going to be the big innovation discussed for the breville. It was a news segment, probably pre dates KZfaq.

Yes please! I'm renting a place with a microwave like this and was kind of mad because the owner said it was a microwave and oven. It is not

Which make and model do you have? I'm in the market for one.

Hi there…what is the brand and model you have? It sounds quite useful.

@@friedakroynik8901 Hi there, it's a Tower KOC9C0TBKT Dual Wave Combination Oven with Microwave/Grill/Convection Oven Functions, Self-Clean, 900W, 28 Litre, Black. Here's a copy of the review I gave it: - Arrives in a large, nicely branded cardboard box, so well protected for transport. Inside the large combi oven is packed with the large glass turntable & metal grilling stand packed separately so they don't get damaged. The extra large glass plate [12.79"/325mm] allows larger plates/containers/foodstuffs. The combination microwave oven itself measures 15.78" x 20.19" x 12.24"/40.1cm x 51.3cm x 31.1cm, so may take up a little more space on your worktop than your old microwave. It has an internal volume of 28l with the average for home microwaves being 23½l. So plenty space for cooking joints of meat or whole chickens. The 900w output for the microwave is at the higher end for home machines so things will cook/reheat quicker. The grill puts out 1250W, & the convection oven 1250W. The oven will heat up to 220°C/428°F which is nice as many smaller appliances only get up to 200°C/ 392°F. The interior of the oven is a "honeycomb" metal design to distribute the heat 15% more evenly. When using the oven you have to take care as the exterior of the oven will get very hot. So don't store things on top of the oven & be careful of things adjacent to it. [I have a stand mixer with a plastic dust cover that I have to move away when using the oven function]. There is a digital timer on the oven, unfortunately it only goes up to 60 minutes. Obviously some roasts may take longer but I just use this as an opportunity to check on how its doing. There is also a cool down function & repetitively beeping "done" alarm that goes off, but you can learn to live with them. The controls are easy enough to master once you've read through the instructions & the more you use the 10 power levels / 5 auto-cook menus the easier it is. [1: Roast Pork, 2: Roast Beef, 3: Roast Chicken, 4: Baked Fish, 5: Fresh Vegetables]. There are also Defrost, Steam Clean & Keep Warm functions. One thing I think is missing is a mini guide/cookbook so as to enable you to better understand how to use all the functions together. Yes there are the 5 Auto Cook menus but if I want to try something new or slightly odd a deeper understanding of how to combine the functions would be good, say making "breakfast egg & bacon cupcakes" or baking filled pastries using an convection & microwave setting? One thing I found a little disconcerting was when using the grill or convection you get some alarming clangs & creaks as the elements heat up. I know things expand but it sounds alarming. Also from time to time the turntable makes more noise than expected, like its slipping a belt of gear somewhere. But as I said its very intermittent. On the whole I'm loving it. Living alone I don't want to heat up the large oven for one person, yet its large enough that I can cook a whole large chicken in there. Its also easy to clean [as I found out after the exploding potato incident! 🥔😆 which was totally my fault]. I'm quite sure I'm not using it to its full potential but will do so as I learn more about the machine. I've tracked down some combination microwave cook books to help me fully realise what it can all do. So far everything I have cooked has come out tasting great, nicely cooked & in a fraction of the time that it would usually take. I also like the look of it, black "whitegoods" are a good thing in my mind, look great. At the moment its selling for £123.99 which is very competitive when you compare it with other machines of similar size & function, so I've no worries about giving an honest thumbs up recommendation for this Tower Combi-Microwave. 👍🏻

I haven't had an issue with the handle, it is silicone, so it cools pretty quickly and the steam is released mostly in the microwave. You need a potholder or something to take it out so usually, I will use that to open the lid in the case of something like rice where you want to open it quickly to fluff it up. But I think that is pretty much the case with anything that you'd use in the microwave that got very hot.

The freezer to oven (microwave or conventional) is a good reason to use borosilicate glass as it's better for wide ranging temperatures (the video mentioned "shock", but it's really thermal shock). If you want to geek out --> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borosilicate_glass

I've had a set of Anyday (medium and small dishes) for several months now. I just ordered the 2 larger ones. I use them almost every day. (I've always hated throwing dishes together for makeshift microwave cookware.) I absolutely love them. I have had no problem going from fridge to microwave. Or, using the handle after cooking. Although the bowl itself can be hot, I haven't noticed the silicone handle being hot after removing from the microwave.

I find that some parts are mush and some parts are too hard :-(

Ah, _Microwave Gourmet_! I used to watch for sales on slightly shopworn mushrooms, parsley, and shallots so I could make an industrial-sized batch of Kafka's duxelles. A few years after _Microwave Gourmet_, Kafka wrote _Microwave Gourmet Light_, which updated some recipes and replaced othets. Julie Sahni's _Moghul Microwave_, which dates back to about the same time as Kafka's second book, is still very good for Indian cuisine.

The whole thing is an infomercial for two products.

Does the rim get super hot?

@Blue Moon Not that I've noticed. Just like any pot, be careful when it's hot. I ended up getting a large thin silicone trivet pad to place the Anyday on. It makes it easier to take it out of the microwave.

I have their microwave with convection oven and air fryer capabilities……granted it’s just me in my household but I have never had to turn on my oven and no longer need to lug out the basket shape air fryer. I love my Breville microwave.

@@blulinx My brother had their smart oven, which I have say really did everything smartly that a countertop electric oven could do. I was impressed.

I have those too, but I don't remember the brand. They're a total game changer. They're also nice for storing food in the fridge.

I was also wondering this!

I never remember to put the butter out or decide last-minute to bake something, and I learned to heat a ceramic mug in the microwave then turn it over on top of the butter. Ready to use in a couple of minutes! Mine doesn’t have a special button like you describe, but sometimes I fiddle with 20% or something too.

Yes I got a new Kitchenaid that has the melt soften and LOVE IT!

@@joycej9415 Is there anything KitchenAid can’t do? 😁 My cuisinart processor is 15 and still going strong, but it’s the last non-KA appliance in the house and I might have to do it just for the heck of it. Lol

@Marijka Walker I love my Cuisinart food processor too!

Unless you live in a hot climate, you can leave butter out until you use it up. Butter is a natural fat and more stable than ultra-processed, poisonous veggie oils, which go rancid very quickly.

same (except number 2, I gave up on sourdough before it became trendy lol)

You may want to retire that steamer bowl to being a decoration, it's not good to cook in plastic at all, especially older pieces. The plastic degrades and sheds microplastics and plasticiziers with heat, time, light, and wear from friction.

Yes, this is a great book.

Not true for inverters.

The problem with the Corning ware type is the mass of the lid and bowl. Cooking takes longer.

the sustainability aspect of a tight sealing, reusable cover is attractive

Quality products, better technology and or brands which do not support ATK revenue stream are always ignored by ATK.

@@mmesmer6447 What’s your source for this claim?

There was a great cookbook written many many many years ago called microwave gourmet by Barbara Kafka. It was a great resource for learning how to actually cook in the microwave.