Return of the microwave

It's been four and a half months since we pulled the microwave out of the kitchen. I loved the extra counter space and leftovers taste so much better when they aren't "zapped". Winter is upon us now and my household is missing the convenience of warming soup, chili, and (a favorite after school snack) frozen burritos in the microwave rather than stove top.

So, the microwave is back. I'd like to think it taught my kids some patience but they were arguing over who got to use the microwave first to heat up their after school snack yesterday. Sigh. At least they appreciate a 90 second cook time for a burrito rather then 15 minutes on the stove or even longer in the oven.

Admittedly, I used the microwave yesterday to bake a potato, defrost ground turkey for dinner, and re-heat a cup of tea. I'm honestly surprised we went that long without it, or that my family didn't put up a big fuss sooner.

The jury is out as far as it being harmful to our food, other than killing off some of the nutrients that it contains.  I think it can make a difference based on the container it's being 'nuked' in (like a styrofoam take out container).

I told the kids they do need to clean up any messes left behind or it will be taken away. Any luck, I wont ever have to open the microwave to any surprises.