Shortcuts
By Amber
@AmbiePam (86009)
United States
January 22, 2024 2:02pm CST
I guess if you just have a microwave this pasta cooker will come in handy, but I was still surprised to see this shortcut for cooking pasta. It’s not that time consuming anyway to boil pasta properly on a stove, is it? Like I said though, maybe a stove is not in the cards; especially in a college dorm room.
What kind of shortcuts have you seen lately?
20 people like this
17 responses
@Juliaacv (48649)
• Canada
22 Jan
I tried doing spaghetti in our microwave years ago as a newlywed.
It was messy, or maybe it was the cook. 
My favorite shortcut is to parboil the potatoes that I intend on using for roasting or baking.
It really cuts down on the time that they need after a bit of boiling.
I have an air fryer oven, and love love love it.
The food is done in great quality, juicy, healthy and in good time.
Today we will have burgers done in it and fries, as mine is an oven I can do a tray full of things on 1 side as well as the other. The fries will come out nice and crisp and the burgers will not be greasy.
My favorite shortcut is to parboil the potatoes that I intend on using for roasting or baking.
It really cuts down on the time that they need after a bit of boiling.
I have an air fryer oven, and love love love it.
The food is done in great quality, juicy, healthy and in good time.
Today we will have burgers done in it and fries, as mine is an oven I can do a tray full of things on 1 side as well as the other. The fries will come out nice and crisp and the burgers will not be greasy.5 people like this
@kaylachan (58995)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Jan
I've seen people use the microwave for everything. I'll use it a lot if I'm feeling lazy.
4 people like this
@kaylachan (58995)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Jan
@thebos Yeah, it can be that, too.
3 people like this
@snowy22315 (171267)
• United States
22 Jan
Kind of a similar principle to a rice cooker I guess...except I think you plug those in directly like a crockpot.
3 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (96490)
• Marion, Ohio
22 Jan
If that's all you have room for it would be good
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (80185)
• United States
22 Jan
I have that pasta cooker and it works like a charm. I haven't boiled water in a pot for pasta in ages. It probably didnt cost me more than $10
3 people like this
@AmbiePam (86009)
• United States
22 Jan
@Marilynda1225 I’ll remember that, thank you.
3 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (80185)
• United States
22 Jan
@AmbiePam I think you'll love it. I cook my pasta for about 18 minutes for spaghetti and 20 for pasta like rigatoni, penne, etc
3 people like this
@AmbiePam (86009)
• United States
24 Jan
@LadyDuck Oh…Marilyn has one, and says she loves hers, but honestly, if I tried to use one, mine would undoubtedly turn out exactly as you describe. I don’t have problems just using the regular stove, but mine has been really hit and miss with how hot things are getting. Since I got this free, I thought if my stove finally gives up I could use it. Hopefully, I won’t have to try it out because I don’t want to end up with messed up pasta. I hate wasting food, and money.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (460461)
• Switzerland
24 Jan
@AmbiePam Pasta MUST be cooked in a lot of boiling water and it's not only because of the taste. If you cook pasta in little water, it sticks, cooks unevenly, and turns out unpleasant. It would remember to me the way the nuns cooked the pasta, overcooked and disgusting.
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29279)
• United Kingdom
22 Jan
@AmbiePam Me neither, I found this one in a charity shop and thought I'd give it a try, it's been great. I also have a one-egg version 
Unfortunately another time I saw another one which looked very similar in size and shape (that one just looked like a big egg) but not quite the same, but when I used that one the results were not the same at all! Twice the eggs exploded, one time it blew the door of the microwave oven open and blasted bits of baked egg all over the kitchen!! I had to get rid of that. I don't know what the key difference was as it was very similar, the main difference seemed to be that the little tray inside that holds the eggs was plastic, and in this one it's metal.
Unfortunately another time I saw another one which looked very similar in size and shape (that one just looked like a big egg) but not quite the same, but when I used that one the results were not the same at all! Twice the eggs exploded, one time it blew the door of the microwave oven open and blasted bits of baked egg all over the kitchen!! I had to get rid of that. I don't know what the key difference was as it was very similar, the main difference seemed to be that the little tray inside that holds the eggs was plastic, and in this one it's metal.1 person likes this
@Hannihar (129685)
• Israel
23 Jan
@AmbiePam
That is an interesting idea. I am not sure I have seen any shortcuts. When I have made sphagetti I have done it on the stove. I do not use my stove now and not sure I still have it but I do use an electric two burner ceramics thing. I do not use gas and only use electric and water. I do not have a microwave. I have a toaster oven and do not use it for that.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (158699)
• United States
23 Jan
Haven't seen any shortcuts lately. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@mildredtabitha (16087)
• Nairobi, Kenya
23 Jan
I have only seen this one you have posted here. I always just boil pasta. It doesn't take long to cook.
1 person likes this
@mildredtabitha (16087)
• Nairobi, Kenya
23 Jan
@AmbiePam Yes it does help but it is only limited to pasta.
1 person likes this
@MommyOfEli2013 (82330)
• Rupert, Idaho
22 Jan
I cook macaroni all the time in the microwave for mac and cheese lol. For me it is because my back starts hurting so quickly I don't want to stand for a long time cooking pasta.
2 people like this
@allknowing (130292)
• India
23 Jan
Students and shortcuts are perfectly matched (lol)
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (74146)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Jan
I have an egg cooker and a rice cooker. Usually, I could not figure out how to get hard-boiled eggs right and the cooker does it perfectly. I would put on rice and forget about it and it would burn now the cooker makes perfect rice, Both appliances are small and when not in use I put them away, I do not like microwaves.
1 person likes this
