Ingredients

• PANCAKES:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• TOPPINGS:
• 1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons seedless strawberry jam
• Maple syrup

Ingredients

• 1 package (15-1/4 ounces) vanilla cake mix
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 30 cake pop sticks
• 2 cups white candy coating disks
• Sprinkles, for topping

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• Maple syrup, berries, whipped cream, for topping

Ingredients

• 2 cups Rice Chex
• 2 cups Lucky Charms cereal
• 1-1/2 cups miniature pretzels
• 1/2 cup green milk chocolate M&M's
• 1/2 cup Lucky Charms marshmallows
• 12 ounces white chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon green sanding sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon gold sanding sugar

Grapes

My aunt used to microwave grapes because she had sensitive teeth, but there are dire warnings against this practice all over the internet. Any food with a high water content carries a certain amount of danger in the microwave, since water can quickly come to a boil and scald bare skin—but grapes take it to a whole other level. The heated fruit creates sparks from the excitation of molecules caused by the microwaves. The structure and small size of grapes also create the conditions for molten plasma to form, which, on top of being a dangerous substance in itself, can also ruin your microwave. If you don’t want cold grapes, try them at room temp before wreaking havoc in the kitchen.

Fish

Fish can technically be cooked in the microwave, but you have to take special care. Don’t just plop a fillet on a plate and hope for the best.

Oddly, an easy tutorial for the best method can be found from Stephen King’s social media, where he posted these instructions a few years ago: “Dinner: Get a nice salmon filet at the supermarket, not too big. Put some olive oil and lemon juice on it. Wrap it in damp paper towels. Nuke it in the microwave for 3 minutes or so. Eat it.”

Having followed his instructions, I can attest that the damp paper towels, combined with the olive oil, ensured the cook was just fine—the fish stayed tender from the steamy heat rather than becoming tough and dry.

Chicken Wings or Ribs

Bone-in meat has a distinct advantage over its more easy-to-eat counterparts, and that’s the fact that the bone itself retains heat well. (That’s why chicken wings are such a common takeout and delivery offering.) That advantage also makes them tough to microwave, because the bone will cause microwave heat to distribute unevenly.

If you’re able, slice the protein off the bone and microwave on medium so you don’t dry it out. You still need to make sure the internal temperature is in a safe range, because harmful bacteria can form in any cold spots; use a meat thermometer once it’s out of the microwave.

Kale

Kale can “arc,” or spark, in the microwave. NPR dives into into the physics of this phenomenon, but suffice it to say that kale’s unique structure, and its ability to retain iron from the soil in which it’s grown, can turn it into something like a lightning rod inside your microwave. That, by extension, can cause a power surge in the rest of your home. This can also happen with carrots, peppers and green beans, depending on their iron content and how they’re sliced and arranged in the microwave.

Fried Food

The only foolproof way to enjoy the satisfying, crispy crunch of fried chicken or french fries is to eat them within an hour of their exit from the fryer. If you’ve got leftovers to contend with, use the slower, outward-in heat of the stove, oven or air fryer instead of the microwave. Even the best microwaves can’t keep the fried exterior crispy. Most chefs don’t recommend even attempting to recapture the magic of first-day fried food. Luckily, fried chicken tastes just as good cold.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has a helpful FAQ all about microwave cooking, detailing how to cook certain foods, how to ensure food safety at different wattages and which items don’t belong in a microwave oven.

The post 5 Foods You Should Never Microwave appeared first on Taste Recipes.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons popcorn kernels

Ingredients

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup honey
• 4 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• TOPPING:
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 teaspoons almond extract
• Chopped almonds

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons butter
• 7-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup baking cocoa
• 15 tablespoons butter, softened
• 7 tablespoons 2% milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup Andes creme de menthe baking chips

Ingredients

• 5 cups frozen broccoli florets
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped candied cherries
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Ingredients

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon 2% milk
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2-1/2 teaspoons baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients

• 2 medium apples, thinly sliced
• 8 slices multigrain bread, toasted
• 3 tablespoons honey mustard
• 8 ounces thinly sliced cooked turkey breast
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
• 8 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese

Ingredients

• 10 whole graham crackers, broken into quarters, divided
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 14 squares)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

Ingredients

• 3 cups miniature pretzels, coarsely chopped
• 1 package (10 ounces) miniature marshmallows
• 3 cups Rice Krispies
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup, divided
• 10 tablespoons butter, divided
• 3/4 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound center-cut bacon strips, chopped
• 1 cup sliced leeks (white portion only)
• 1 cup cubed peeled sweet potato
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 can (14 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
• 1 medium apple, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup sweet white wine or unsweetened apple juice
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 pork tenderloin (1 pound)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Ingredients

• 3 ounces uncooked whole wheat linguine
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1-1/2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
• 1 tablespoon chopped unsalted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1-1/2 cups crisp rice cereal
• 1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Ingredients

• 16 cups popped popcorn
• 3 cups Frosted Cheerios
• 1 package (10 ounces) fat-free pretzel sticks
• 2 cups milk chocolate M&M's (about 12 ounces)
• 1-1/2 cups pecan halves
• 1 package (8 ounces) milk chocolate English toffee bits or brickle toffee bits
• 2 packages (10 to 12 ounces each) white baking chips
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Ingredients

• 1 small yellow summer squash, thinly sliced
• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1 medium tomato, sliced
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup fat-free milk
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 teaspoons butter
• 1 package (10 to 12 ounces) white baking chips
• 1 can (16 ounces) or 2 cups vanilla frosting
• 1 teaspoon cherry or almond extract
• 4 drops red liquid food coloring

Ingredients

• 2 medium firm apples, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 package (17.30 ounces) frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter or ghee or coconut oil
• 3 tablespoons almond flour
• 2 teaspoons coconut flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt, optional
• 1 large egg

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons 2% milk
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking cocoa
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons semisweet chocolate chips

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons instant yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• GARLIC TOPPING:
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon popcorn salt or flaky sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Ingredients

• 1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 5 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• CHEESCAKE FILLING:
• 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• TOPPING:
• 1-1/2 cups pecan halves
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Ingredients

• 14 whole graham crackers
• 1 package (11 ounces) Kraft caramel bits
• 2 tablespoons 2% milk
• 2/3 cup coarsely crushed pretzel sticks
• 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup honey-roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

Ingredients

• 1 package (8.8 ounces) Biscoff cookies, crushed
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• CHEESCAKE FILLING:
• 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup Biscoff creamy cookie spread
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• TOPPING:
• 1/2 cup Biscoff creamy cookie spread
• Additional crushed Biscoff cookies, optional

Ingredients

• Dough for single-crust pie
• 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 10 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• Optional: toppings of your choice, such as butter, maple syrup, chopped pecans and ground cinnamon