Kitchen

[mysterylady]

On 2/11/2014 Dungannon said:

We didn't always have a lot of leftovers as they often became my father's lunch the next day. Still, I do prefer heating in the oven if I have several things. It's easier to stick it all in the oven and take it out at once. To me it stays hotter, probably psychological.

I use a microwave for myself (I'm the only one here most of the time). When my daughter is home she prefers stovetop or oven - she also feels they get warmer - or stay warmer, since we like our food pretty warm.

When all my kids were young, the funniest thing would happen. I'd put leftovers in the refrigerator but they would disappear. Then I found my youngest (son) would get home from school and snack on them. I always wondered why he started gaining weight - I would make dinner when I returned from work and he ate again.

[viva923]

when I was growing up we had no left overs, my dad was a steak-potato man. that is what we would have very basic dinners. meat/potatoes/can veg's for dinner.

if there was anything left over, my mom would toss it. when I got married and there was any left overs, we put them in Rubbermaid type dishes and stored them till the next night or day after that.

[willdob3]

I rarely use my microwave anymore. I hope to eventually eliminate it completely.

The food I eat and have as leftovers reheats fine on the stove. I don't eat starchy foods that tend to mush up. Vegetables are always fresh. I only cook enough for one meal.

I don't recall bad leftovers from my childhood. Maybe I just liked mushy food? I don't think we had tons of leftovers but some.

[BeckiWV]

Love my microwave, I use it all the time.

But, I also use my crockpot and big oven a lot as well, especially during this cold weather. Sometimes I use them more than the stove top.

In the summer, I love cooking meals on the grill outside.

I don't recall our family having a lot of leftovers when I was growing up. We usually ate it all up. My mother usually made everything fresh every day. When she did keep leftovers, she usually put them in plastic bowls with lids.

[DeeJoyce]

My first microwave was the shiny new Amana Radar Range somewhere back in the 70's. There was a free class with purchase that taught how to use it. They made chocolate cherry cake, cauliflower, fudge, and chicken and rice. I made Shake N Bake pork chops, oatmeal, scrambled eggs. Not usually with as good a result as same thing made by traditional method. So now I mostly use a microwave for steaming vegetables and the occasional reheat. I like pizza leftovers heated up in the regular over to stay crisp and evenly heated.

Anyone else remember the Radar Range?

[Mominohio]

On 2/12/2014 DeeJoyce said:

My first microwave was the shiny new Amana Radar Range somewhere back in the 70's. There was a free class with purchase that taught how to use it. They made chocolate cherry cake, cauliflower, fudge, and chicken and rice. I made Shake N Bake pork chops, oatmeal, scrambled eggs. Not usually with as good a result as same thing made by traditional method. So now I mostly use a microwave for steaming vegetables and the occasional reheat. I like pizza leftovers heated up in the regular over to stay crisp and evenly heated.

Anyone else remember the Radar Range?

OMG! I had one, and as I remember it was purchased in about 1981. It finally died about two years ago, and you have no idea how bummed I am. I hate new microwaves. The Amana worked so well for me. I actually mourned the loss of it!

[Snowpuppy]

On 2/13/2014 mominohio said:

On 2/12/2014 DeeJoyce said:

My first microwave was the shiny new Amana Radar Range somewhere back in the 70's. There was a free class with purchase that taught how to use it. They made chocolate cherry cake, cauliflower, fudge, and chicken and rice. I made Shake N Bake pork chops, oatmeal, scrambled eggs. Not usually with as good a result as same thing made by traditional method. So now I mostly use a microwave for steaming vegetables and the occasional reheat. I like pizza leftovers heated up in the regular over to stay crisp and evenly heated.

Anyone else remember the Radar Range?

OMG! I had one, and as I remember it was purchased in about 1981. It finally died about two years ago, and you have no idea how bummed I am. I hate new microwaves. The Amana worked so well for me. I actually mourned the loss of it!

OMG! That's what the DBF bought! I think it was coppertone with dials instead of push buttons.

He sooooooo wanted to impress me! Didn't work.

[Nicecupoftea]

We had an Amana Radar Range. It was huge. It came with a cookbook, which I studied but never did well with. I once tried to cook a pork roast in it and it was awful!

[gloriajean]

I seldom use mine. Leftovers I prefer to heat up on the stove - - even all over! I would not miss mine if I didn't have it over the stove. But I also have the combo, convection oven with it. That was a good investment.

[Deadeye Daisy]

Got our first microwave in 1973. Prior to that, never had to worry about reheating plan-overs. Never had any. 4 children under 13 (3 sons with hollow legs), their endless friends and intermittent fosters and strays took care of the problem.

Having been raised in the food service world, the art of reheating was something you learned at a very early age. On the rare occasion when something had to be reheated at home, we just did as the restaurants did (and still do). Wet lettuce leaves under and over the food with a cover on the pan STILL is the best method for meats to keep it rare. Collapsable steamer basket for veggies, pasta and the like. Casseroles in the oven in a water bath and covered.

I fell in love with my Radar Range, and learned to cook real food. One of the first things I learned how to do was to make popcorn with the regular popcorn and a paper bag. Still make it that way. Loved BK Heuerman's Hull-less popcorn. Used to order direct from him to get the bags of popcorn.

Even now, I still love my microwave. Current one is a microwave/convection oven. I never use to to boil water - I use a tea kettle. I make cooked puddings all the time. I use the glass bowl from my KA mixer (lets me make a a triple recipe of tapioca or chocolate pudding. I have been making my version of microwave beer can chicken since the '70s. Fish cooked in parchment. Vegetables the same.

Since getting my first microwave, it's the only way I cook cob corn unless I want Mexican grilled corn. I used to cook the kid's oatmeal in the microwave - never bought the instant oatmeal, but could easily cook enough regular oats or Ralston in a 2 quart Pyrex measuring cup.

For myself, I've always liked steel cut oats, and long ago started making those in a crock pot. (Zoji rice cooker is also great for cereal).