Easy Kitchen Hacks You Can Do With Your Microwave

It's for way more than just reheating leftovers!

By: The Kitchen

Episode: Fresh and Fast Feast

The microwave is the go-to appliance for reheating food or popping popcorn, but the Kitchen hosts take it up and notch and share some out-of-the-box shortcuts for these easy snacks. First up, Katie makes crispy fried shallots in just ten minutes using the microwave. Crispy shallots are perfect to eat sprinkled over casseroles, creamy mac and cheese, or even on a burger. Bonus: You can also use the leftover shallot-infused oil to make mayonnaise or a flavor packed vinaigrette!

What You Need:

3 shallots, thinly sliced
1 cup canola oil
Medium microwave-safe bowl
Slotted spoon

Add the shallots and oil to a medium bowl and microwave for 5 minutes to start, then stir. Microwave for another 5 to 6 minutes in 1- to 2-minute intervals until the shallots are crispy and browned. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to soak up excess oil. Let them cool a bit, and they're ready to eat!

Next, Alex Guarnaschelli shares a bit of "microwave magic" from one of our viewers. It's an easy hack for making homemade Parmesan frico chips. She spreads shredded Parm on parchment paper, directly on the microwave glass dish, then zaps them until the cheese melts, 15 to 25 seconds. The cheese crisps firm up as they cool. These fun frico chips are great for salads, soups or even as a snack with a nice glass of red wine.

If it feels like your avocados are never soft and ripe when you need them to be, Jeff Mauro has a microwave trick that will make all of your avocado troubles disappear. One might call it magic!

What You Need:

1 avocado
Paring knife
Microwave-safe plate

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Place it in the microwave face-down on a plate. Microwave the avocado for 30 seconds. Your avocado will be warm, so if you aren't a fan of warm avocado, you can place it in the refrigerator to cool down. When you are ready to eat it, scoop out the softened flesh. This hack isn't great if you want to slice the avocado, but it's just the thing if you're in a pinch and plan to eat it mashed up in guacamole or over toast.

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