Perfect Microwave Baked Potatoes Recipe

Technically, these aren’t “baked” but they’re steamed.At any rate, I’ve always had a problem with baked potatoes. First, I don’t like cooking in foil. I didn’t used to mind it, but now I’m paranoid about aluminum and Alzheimer’s. That’s how I used to keep my potatoes moist, though, was by wrapping them in foil. Now my potatoes are dry and I have to add too many toppings like sour cream (fattening) to make it taste good.

Then, there’s the whole thing of using the oven for an hour just for a couple of potatoes. I don’t like wasting the electricity. It goes against my frugal nature and even the hippie in me isn’t happy with it. So, the microwave would be great for this, except I’ve had limited success with even this. Usually the potato comes out with patches of raw potato surrounded by overcooked bits.

My SO makes broccoli in the microwave with a little bit of water and a cover of saran wrap and it comes out great. I thought I would try this with a potato and I got great results. Perfectly soft, evenly cooked and very moist. So here’s what you do:

1. Wash 2 potatoes and poke holes in them with a fork (poke each about 5-6 times all around).
2. Put them in a glass pyrex dish or other microwave-safe bowl
3. Add a little bit of water, about 1/4 cup
4. Cover with a lid or plate slightly ajar or use plastic wrap
5. Microwave 5 minutes on high and then (watch out for escaping steam) turn the potatoes over
6. Microwave 5 minutes more and allow potatoes to rest for 2-3 minutes before serving

Note: Your microwave wattage may vary. Mine’s a small microwave, so a larger one might only need 3 minutes per side. Do watch out for escaping steam when you go to turn or serve these babies. I used this as an exercise to educate my son about the dangers of steam. I don’t think he realized how hot it can be or that it can really burn you.

Also, I’m still a bit paranoid about using plastic wrap in the microwave, but I’m not sure there’s any sound science behind it. I frequently use a microwave-safe glass plate when I cover bowls anyway, often because I’m heating a bun or roll on top of it, so that can certainly be done if you don’t want to take a plastics risk.

Alfredo Sauce Recipe

I remember when I was a kid and about the fanciest sauce I’d ever had on pasta was Kraft macaroni and cheese powder mixed with butter and milk. Butter if I was lucky. My mom probably used margarine most of the time. The first time I had alfredo sauce I was in my teens and I couldn’t believe the luxurious feel of it in my mouth. Talk about food porn!

Alfredo sauce really isn’t all that difficult to make, though. This recipe takes about 15 minutes and makes enough to cover a giant box of bowtie pasta.

• 1/2 cup butter (generally that’s a whole stick, 1/4 pound or 8 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2-3 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 pint heavy cream
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Use a saucepan to melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the garlic and saute until golden brown, being careful not to burn. If your burner thinks medium is medium high then turn it down a tad. You want gentle heat for this recipe.
3. Add the cream cheese and whisk until it’s melted. This stage doesn’t look very appetizing, by the way.
4. Add the cream slowly, whisking as you go. Keep whisking until it comes to a gentle simmer. You don’t want to boil this or the cream gets all separated and weird looking.
5. Once it’s simmering, keep coming back to whisk often. Lower the heat if it’s bubbling too much. Keep simmering for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is as thick as you’d like it.
6. Add parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese is melted.
7. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to your liking.
8. Pour over hot, drained noodles or serve in a dish for dipping breadsticks, etc.

Note: If you’re using a nonstick pan, use a plastic or silicone covered whisk so you don’t ruin your pan. This recipe takes a lot of whisking.

Spicy Baked Tilapia Recipe

Costco has these big bags of tilapia that are inexpensive, so I bought some. I’ve never done much with fish, living so far inland for most of my life. My significant other grew up next to an ocean, so he thinks all the fish we get around here is crap anyway. But he’ll happily eat tilapia, I’ve found.

As I was searching for recipes, I kept coming across the use of mayonnaise in baked fish and I was kind of grossed out by it even though I really dig mayo. It just seemed like so much. But if I put my “Alton Brown” hat on for a moment, I can see that the mayo is really just a delivery system for the spices and flavor. In its firm state, it suspends everything over the fish until it bakes down and becomes oil, which adds a nice browning (along with the butter) effect. At any rate, the mayo makes it awesome. Give it a try.

• 6-7 tilapia fillets
• lemon or lime juice
• 4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce (like Texas Pete or Frank’s Red Hot. If using Tabasco, only use a smidge.)
• 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Butter a glass baking pan.
3. Place fillets in dish without overlapping.
4. Drip lemon or lime juice over fillets. If using fresh, I will use the juice of an entire fruit. If using concentrate, I just put a little squirt over each fillet.
5. Bake the fish about 15 minutes or until it’s starting to get flaky.
6. While it’s baking, put the butter, mayo, cheese, onions, hot sauce and seasonings in a bowl and mix well.
7. When the fish are just flaky, take them out and spread the mayo mix on each fillet.
8. Bake about 10 minutes more or until the tops start to take on a golden brown look.

Note: If you want to switch it up a bit, use lime juice on the fish, substitute finely chopped jalapenos for the onions and add a handful of chopped cilantro to the mayo mix. Serve with yellow or spanish rice or use in fish tacos. Yum!

I have also used vegenaise (see picture below) with success — it’s egg-free.