My lovely boyfriend, Wesley, agreed to be my guinea pig while I tried making my favorite foods in the microwave. This is a new concept for both of us because we’re lucky enough to have a full kitchen and a grill.
That being said, I am aware of the struggle of cooking in a dorm as I had the unfortunate experience of living in the Southsides. You can’t hide that toaster oven in the bathtub forever, my friends. You’re going to have to learn to use that magic oven, the microwave!
Now that I have finished this cooking excursion, I’m surprised to report that the microwave is an underutilized and ingenious tool. Let me be clear, I didn’t believe in microwaves until now; a lifetime of burnt popcorn and stale fries turned me away. But if you want something more than soggy pizza leftovers from your microwave, these recipes will knock your metaphorical socks off.
Many of the microwave recipes you’ll find on Pinterest are made in a mug. While I don’t quite know the reason for this, I think it’s super cute, and I went with it. One thing I noticed is the wider the mug, the more time the meal may need in the microwave. Don’t be afraid to slide an undercooked omelet back in for an additional minute or two; just keep an eye on it! Like the packaging of every microwaveable-anything says: “microwave times may vary.”
1. Microwaved Mug Omelet.
You’ll need:
2 eggs
1 tbsp of water
Herbs – we like basil, pepper, salt, and garlic powder
Toppings – we used cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, diced onions, and diced green bell peppers. If you’re more of a mushroom person, chop up some mushrooms! Whatever flips your omelet, honey.
“How did you cook the bacon without a stovetop?” you ask. Good question; let me enlighten you. Take a microwavable plate and a microwavable bowl, place the bowl upside down on the plate, and lay your raw bacon across the bowl. Then place your strange bacon-makin’ contraption in the microwave for two minutes per strip (or until they’re cooked to your liking). The grease will roll down the side of the bowl, leaving crispy bacon at the top. You could always just buy bacon bits in a pinch.
Now that you’ve got your toppings, you’re ready to make a Mug Omelet. First, coat the inside of your mug with nonstick spray (avoid spraying the outside, or you’re guaranteed to make a mess). Crack two eggs, add the water, and whip them up to your scrambled satisfaction. Season your eggs with your herbs, add your toppings, and give it a stir unless you want a stratified omelet. Pop that sucker in the microwave for 1-2 minutes and enjoy your breakfast!
As you can see, Wesley did!
You can find the original recipe here.
2. Microwaved Mug Pizza
You’ll need:
4 tbsp of all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp of baking powder
1/16 tsp of baking soda
1/8 tsp of salt
3 tbsp of milk
1 tbsp of olive oil
1 tbsp of marinara sauce – we used spaghetti sauce because that’s all I had
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Toppings – we like mini pepperoni (or regular pepperoni, it’s cheaper), diced onions, and diced green bell peppers
Herbs – we like salt and basil
Spray your mug with nonstick cooking spray, for the love of pizza! Mix your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the mug. Add the milk and olive oil, and then stir. Your crust should be a little lumpy. Sparingly, and I say this because I ruined my crust; sparingly add some marinara or spaghetti sauce. You should still be able to see the dough through the marinara. If you use too much, your dough won’t cook.
Add the mozzarella cheese and your toppings. Get creative with it! It’s a pizza, after all. Try mushrooms, pineapple, sausage, or anchovies if you’re feeling brave. The world is your oyster/microwave pizzeria. Then microwave it for 1½ minutes.
Again, Wesley was a happy man. He actually made himself another!
You can find the original recipe here.
My next try was coffee cake in a mug, and it was kind of a disaster. I just couldn’t get the dough to cook through. I even tried to leave my second mug in the microwave for twice the time but to no avail. The streusel topping was yummy but the cake was disappointing. I was later informed that coffee cake is supposed to be mushy. Why would you want to eat mushy cake? In the words of Wesley, “It was okay but I wouldn’t want another.”
Finally, we tried a recipe that wasn’t in a mug. Microwaved Spinach Dip!
If you’re lazy like me, you’ll choose dried herbs over mincing a garlic clove. It might compromise the quality of the dip but it’s still delicious.
You’ll need:
2 cups of chopped spinach
6 tbsp of cream cheese
2 tbsp of sour cream
2 tbsp of parmesan cheese
2 tbsp of milk
2 tsp of corn starch
1½ cups of shredded mozzarella
Herbs: we like garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper
*and chips to dip, of course!
Mix them all together in a bowl and microwave it for five minutes. My spinach dip was a little thick but it was still delicious!
Wesley agreed.
You can find the original recipe here
Thumbnail courtesy of PicJumbo