Do you use your microwave?

[sempi2]

We are on our 3rd year with our Safari. When we first bought Sempi2, I bought a microwave. I measured a cabinet where one might fit. Found one that fits perfectly. To date we have used it twice. One time to make a baked potato (which we could have put on the BBQ and/or oven). Second time was to warm up some leftover pasta. I am rethinking the need for a microwave, as I might be able to use the space for other things we use more often.

[thecatsandi]

No,
I had it removed and a Gas oven/cooktop installed. I had a factory Microwave in stalled which meant only a cooktop.

[MrUKToad]

Baked potatoes have become our first night staple so yes, we do use the microwave. It took Mrs T a few weeks to work out its funny little ways ("you do the microwave, darling, I'll handle the greasy old hitch" - works every time) but it sure beats trying to light a camp fire and cooking for an hour after a long trip.

As an aside, I can recommend Heinz Baked Beans imported from England as a very good compliment to said Baked Potatoes. I haven't quite worked out how or why they differ from their North American brothers, but they do; answers on a postcard, please....

[Aage]

I often re-heat my coffee in ours.

[moosetags]

We use Lucy' microwave all the time. We even built a cabinet for it. If we could dump the stove top and oven, we could get Lucy a second microwave.

Brian

[sempi2]

Originally Posted by moosetags

We use Lucy' microwave all the time. We even built a cabinet for it. If we could dump the stove top and oven, we could get Lucy a second microwave.

Brian

Brian, what do you use the microwave for? I find that even at home we only use ours to warm up leftovers, make popcorn and warm water for my cup-o-soup. Also steam veggies, but for the most part it is not used very much.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, we are very fortunate that our model of Safari came with all three: Stove top, Oven, and Micro-wave. We seldom use our oven, but I would never have it removed. We pre-cook some of our food at home because it is easier to do and we re-heat them in our micro-wave. For example; we never plan to cook bacon in our trailer and have the bacon smell soaked into our mouse fur interior, not to mention grease splatter. [yes, even Turkey bacon has grease splatter] Since there is only two of us, not counting Dusty the dog, a piece of steak and few veggies on a dinner plate makes a good and simple meal that can be heated in our micro-wave oven. Rarely, but sometimes I even micro-wave ice cream. [too hard to scoop]

[richinny]

as mentioned, microwave cooking has its own techniques and quirks. once you ruin a few meals and learn how to not make leather from beef, it gets better :-) i've rarely used and electric cook top but those have their own quirks that are different than gas.

i've done well enough with the microwave to avoid mastering convection/microwave cooking ;-)

my usual style is to batch cook and put individual portions together to reheat in the microwave. this also reduces the amount of dished i need to clean at each meal. the microwave also generated less moisture and heat. i even use a toaster oven in combination with the rest. we can never have too many tools!

if only i could find and easier way to make lasagna in the trailer. *sigh*

[cruiser54]

In the Cruiser in 1954 a microwave built-in comes above the fridge. For 35 years I need this at my home. Ideally dog food is to be made in it (from the deep cooler directly in the mikro). Meanwhile, there are also many prefabricated food to shop for only 1 person. I live on it to 3/4, 1/4 in the Restaurant's..... I cannot cook!
Werner

[ROBERT CROSS]

Summer time with corn-on-the-cob, quick and easy in the MW.
Big pot of campfire chilly re-heated on the fly, home made cinnamon buns warmed up, cup-o-water quickly warmed for tea, frozen meat defrosted for the grill, popcorn, oatmeal for a quick breakfast on a cool morning before fish'n, Mother-in-laws pot of potato soup, Sister-in-laws whatever that was.....

I guess we do use it more than I thought we would.

[Kosm1o]

Our 05 Safari came with a combination microwave/convection oven. We use both and are getting more comfortable with the convection thing. It is a pain, however as this oven is beneath the stove top and you have to almost get on the knees to work things. Seems like a better approach would be to put the thing at eye level and use the space below the stove for storage.

[CanoeStream]

Opposite of Michelle's experience, we've stayed with the stovetop & convection microwave underneath. About the only thing we microwave is Susie's rice-filled 'beanbags' -- usually for late night restless legs. We use the convection all the time, although the small turntable limits this to dinner for two or potluck side dishes. It's also great for reheating good bread. We manage fine without the convection microwave when boondocking -- though we've been known to fire up the genset if the mealplan calls for it.

[dlb435]

Ours came with the convection/microwave oven. We've used it for everything from warming things up to cooking a steak dinner. We found this to be much more useful than the gas oven in our old trailer.
So, yes, we do use the microwave.

[Ahab]

Originally Posted by dlb435

Ours came with the convection/microwave oven. We've used it for everything from warming things up to cooking a steak dinner. We found this to be much more useful than the gas oven in our old trailer.
So, yes, we do use the microwave.

Yup, same here. But then we use a convection oven at home too.

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by sempi2

Brian, what do you use the microwave for? I find that even at home we only use ours to warm up leftovers, make popcorn and warm water for my cup-o-soup. Also steam veggies, but for the most part it is not used very much.

At home we use our microwaves (we have two) for everything. We steam vegetables, heat just about everything, cook microwave diners, make pasta, etc. We rarely use the stove burners, and as far as our life goes, they are about useless. Our cook top has a gas grill that we use pretty often.

Our home cooking lifestyle is just about the same as the way we live in Lucy.

Brian

[Goal15]

We have used ours mainly for warming up the frozen leftovers brought from home... so far spaghetti, lasagna and enchiladas. works great. Breakfast eggs are scrambled on the cooktop. Oven is for pan storage at this point.

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by moosetags

We use Lucy' microwave all the time. We even built a cabinet for it. If we could dump the stove top and oven, we could get Lucy a second microwave.

Brian

Wow!

We seldom use ours---then only to melt butter, reheat leftovers or steam vegetables.

We have gotten better and better at simple, one-dish meals when we are traveling, supplemented by salad or fresh veggies/fruit, so as to minimize preparation and leave no leftovers.

We have occasionally nuked potatoes in there and made popcorn when we are plugged in to electricity.

Our primary use for the microwave is storage for moisture-sensitive items like open packages of crackers.

If we could get rid of one item in the RV, it would be the microwave.


Maggie

[Gringo]

They're great for baked potatos. And you can make a heck of a meal out of a baked potato, with all the fixings, shredded cheese, butter, canned chili..

Another great veggie dish in a microwave is acorn squash, Cut one in two, scoop the seeds out of the middle with a spoon, put half in a bowl with the opening up. Sprinkle brown sugar or honey on the top and put a few pats of butter on it. Nuke that for about 8 minutes, until you can easily slide a fork into it. don't break the skin or the melted butter will run out. eat it with the spoon, scooping out the squash and dipping it in the pool of butter.

It's as good as dessert. No kidding. Cheap. Clean, healthy, easy clean up.

[sempi2]

if only i could find and easier way to make lasagna in the trailer. *sigh*[/QUOTE]

That one was easy for me. I batch cook the spagetti sauce then make several smaller pans of lasagna and freeze. I also make my garlic bread and freeze. Before a trip just load into the freezer or cooler. Since I freeze the lasagna in aluminum pans (easy clean up) I use the oven to heat through.

[Jammer]

I tend to stock the trailer with a selection of frozen ingredients since our meal plans are so often subject to change. The microwave is then useful for thawing meat, juice concentrate, and the like. We also use it to make instant oatmeal and to bring butter that has been in the fridge to room temperature, and to heat milk for hot chocolate.