Microwaves and Crock pots modern woman helping hands

Microwaves and Crock pots have their place!

Being a modern woman and a child of the 90’s in America, I had a microwave growing up. It is OK for reheating things, but I really noticed how useful it was when I was working in the kitchens of restaurants. Some of that I can take advantage of in my own little kitchen.

I grew up in a large-ish family and my mom knew how to cook for  an army. Things my mother would make on the stove for 30 minutes before microwaves were done in 3 minutes, and when you make so much food, it really helps.

One of my favorite time savers is partially cooking any hard veggies! Potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash suspended in water can get soft in just 3 minutes. Why would you do this you ask? If you ever tried to make a potato hash without having cooked potato before hand, what you end up with are raw uncooked potatoes in the middle, or burned outsides. I have had it, and it is not good.

This happens because the potatoes are to dense, and they will cook great on the outside but that level of heat never gets to the middle. So instead of waiting for a pot of water to boil, I chop them up, put them in the a Pyrex jug, and fill with enough water just to cover them. Then in 3 minutes, I have half cooked potatoes ready to be finished on the stove top. They come out crispy on the outside and silky smooth on the inside, just perfect! What a weapon to have in our arsenal!

Also I make mug cakes! Most of the time I don’t have cake laying around for trifles, but then I want to take a trifle to a party. In just a  minute I can make a mug cake in the microwave. I can even use one mug for each layer of cake, and mix and match what kinds of cake I want in the trifle. Works like a charm!

Crock pots!

I can’t really remember my mother ever using a crock pot to feed the troops, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. I know I wanted one when I was looking at my wedding registry, but I had no idea for what I was going to use it for. So without that knowledge, it has taken me a while to learn what I like and don’t like to do with it. Also, I wasn’t sure which one I wanted. Whenever it comes to what device I want to have, I turn to America’s test kitchen. This is what I found:

I love it for broth. All the bone broth, all the time. Soups and stews galore! So tasty. Since I was in the restaurant industry before I became a mother, I know the long intense process that goes into making a great stock or broth. A massive natural gas tilt skillet, up to 100 lb. of ground beef, and enough veggies to make 38 gallons of soup at once.

I felt like that was the way it had to be done, and it guided me down the river to flavor town. But now, in my non-industrial kitchen with 2 kids literally running circles around my stove, how could I still get those great favors? I don’t have time to boil a pot all day… Or at least that’s what I thought.

I get great results in my crock pot. I can put in far fewer ingredients (leftover chicken bones and bits, that ham bone from the roast, or any veggies I can eat or can fast enough). I can just let it go for 24 hours, and get all the lovely gelatin and deliciousness I want! I can make plenty of chicken soup to fight off colds all winter long. I suggest you get this model, it has worked the best for me so far. Start making awesome food!

Crock pot is also great for anything that needs to be broken down. My husband loves to make this recipe I found by Sorted Food. It was the first thing to change my mind on using a crock pot:

I am still playing around with my crock pot, so hopefully I will have some other good ideas to share on with you. So until then keep your chin up and find away to make your day a Victory!