Experimentation = Lessons Learned (and how to poach an egg in the microwave)

In my newly found oven/stove free state I have been learning many a new lesson and experimenting profusely.

Pom likes eggs. We fry them on my electric griddle but she likes them poached and boiled as well so this morning she said, "Mommy, do you think we could boil an egg in the microwave?" I, having never actually used a microwave for much more than popcorn and coffee, said "I have no idea, let's try it!"

LESSON ONE:
DO NOT ever try to boil an egg, in shell, in the microwave. They explode. They make a big mess. They make an icky smell. Well, I thought so. Pom and Diva swear it wasn't as bad as I think it was.

So we cleaned up the mess and tried for poaching instead.

LESSON TWO:
You CAN poach eggs successfully in the microwave. Just crack two eggs into a microwave safe bowl with 1/3 (ish) cup of water and microwave for a minute or so. Check it after one minute, if it isn't done enough put it back for another minute and so on. Poms were perfect after 2 minutes.

I have also been experimenting, for dinner, in the crock pot. I thought "Lasagna noodles cook fabulously in the sauce in the oven, why can't I cook spaghetti noodles in the sauce in the crock pot?"

LESSON THREE:
Ew. It does NOT work the same way. The noodles were a very odd (read: ew) texture. Pom, Diva and the Mechanic swear to me that the taste outweighed the texture and they were tolerable. I disagree. I could not stomach it. The taste was good, don't get me wrong. But the texture. OH the texture. * shudder *

At least some of my experiments are turning out all right! Really good in fact!
TOMORROW: Lesson four and it's recipe....YUM.

Best Burgers EVER!!

Today's yumminess comes from both my pregnant brain (and stomach) and my dear friend. It started with her take on burgers and advanced from there.

Lately all I think about is food and with the lack of stove/oven, I have had to get a little creative. I will update you on some of my musings as I try them.

Triple B Onion Cheese Burger

• 2 lbs quality ground sirloin
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix
• 3 TBSP minced, cooked bacon
• 1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
• 1 TBSP garlic salt
• 3 TBSP fresh cracked pepper
• 2 TBSP dehydrated onions
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 lb mushrooms, sliced
• 2 TBS butter
• salt and pepper
• 8 slices cheddar cheese
• 8 slices mozzarella cheese
• 16 slices cooked bacon
• lettuce
• Homemade Onion Rings
• Bleu cheese dressing

1. OKAY. Mix together the first 7 ingredients. Form into 8 patties.
2. While the grill is heating up, melt the butter in a saute pan over med heat (I use the extra 'burner' on my grill). Add onions, saute for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, then add mushrooms and a little salt and pepper.
3. Continue to cook the onions and mushrooms while grilling the burger patties. Only flip once! When the patties are almost done to your liking, put one piece of cheddar and one piece of mozzarella on each.
4. Let the cheese melt then build the burger.
5. Put lettuce on the bottom half of the GF bun. Then add blue cheese dressing, the patty, grilled onions and mushrooms, two slices bacon and a couple onion rings. Put some dressing on the top half of the bun and stick it on top.

Make sure you have PLENTY of napkins! BEST BURGERS EVER!!!
(PS the pictures are coming. I have to find the box that the camera cable is in)

UPDATE!!!

We are officially back online after the move. I am so excited but there is so much still to do! So as a little update:

• We bought a new house
• It has no appliances
• School is on hold
• We are having a baby

Wait. What? That's the response I usually get. This has been quite the adventure. I guess I shouldn't be surprised though. I have yet to give birth without moving a few months beforehand.

Posts will be all about cooking (gluten free of course) with no stove and only a itty bitty mini fridge for awhile it seems.

So far we have done alright. Modern conveniences such as a microwave, electric griddle and crock pot are lifesavers!!

I will be back to posting recipes and such very soon!