Presentations over video conferencing apps like Zoom and Google Meet work best when you share your entire screen but anyone with a 4K display knows the lag doing that can create. Also, if you only have one screen, this leaves you without any space for your notes. You can work around this by only sharing a portion of you screen, sure, but that gets finicky if you accidentally move a window.

Deskpad (which I found via Lou Plumber) is a free Mac app that makes a virtual second monitor that lives in a window. The idea is that you move your presentation software to that display and share it, then use the rest of your actual display so you can see your notes and the stream's chat.

Using the application is simple: Just install and open it—you'll see a window showing you a full Mac desktop. This is a simulated display—you can even configure it in System Preferences.

Credit: Justin Pot

You can adjust the resolution of the display here—set it lower if your presentations tend to lag. You can also click the "Arrange" button to decide which side of the screen you need to move your mouse to in order to enter the virtual display. This is a little confusing, granted, but you need to pretend that the DeskPad window is another monitor on your desk. Play around with it and you'll get the feel for it.

Now you can get ready to give your presentation. Put your presentation software in the virtual, DeskPad display and set it to full screen. Then, when sharing your screen in Zoom or similar software, choose the DeskPad display.

Credit: Justin Pot

Zoom will share the entire virtual display as though it's a real one. Now you can organize your screen just the way you like it. With the presentation in full screen in the DeskPad window you can have your notes and anything else in separate windows alongside it. It's a bit of a hack, sure, but it works.

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With the change in seasons bringing more time indoors, November is the month to prepare your home for colder weather. Keeping your house warm, cozy, and safe for the winter is easier if you get ahead of potential problems by performing some simple checks and chores right now.

Here are all the home maintenance tasks you should do in November.

Check your vents and crawlspace for critters

When the weather gets colder, wild animals might be looking for a good place to shelter for the winter. If you have uncovered vents or crawlspace accesses, these can prove to be an inviting spot for creatures. To keep them out, make sure you have vent covers in place, and that crawl spaces or any other exterior nooks and crannies are sealed up or covered with a sturdy metal mesh. This method will help defend against squirrels, raccoons, rats, mice, birds, and bats.

Check your fire and carbon monoxide alarms

If you have non-wired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, you should change the batteries once per year to make sure that they are working well, and now is a great time to do so. If you've already changed batteries (maybe when setting your clocks back?), go ahead and test your hazard detection system to ensure that it will alert you if there’s smoke or dangerous carbon monoxide levels in the house. Since people spend more time indoors during the colder months of the year, there may be an elevated risk of fire from the use of heaters, candles, and cooking, and keeping windows closed and sealed can increase the risk of carbon monoxide collecting inside. Giving your detectors a once-over can help reduce risk from these seasonal concerns.

Install weatherproofing

If you live in an older home, or if you have some windows or doors that aren’t well insulated, November is a good time to weatherproof problem areas. Begin by inspecting the weatherstripping around doors and windows. Check for leaks, broken, or worn stripping. If you find any gaps, you can use replacement weather stripping to seal up any openings. If you have bigger leaks around windows or doors, or older windows that let in too much air, you can also use a weatherization kit to temporarily seal off your leaky openings with heat-shrinking plastic wrap. This basic weatherproofing will keep you warmer and help save you money on utility bills.

Gather winter weather supplies

If you live in an area that can get a lot of snow and ice in winter, it's time to stock up on ice melt, shovels, and roof rakes. Take a look at your snow removal tools and make sure they’re in good shape before it’s time to use them. Replacing equipment before a storm can save you a headache during a winter weather event. Now is also a good time to stash your ice scraper, snow brush, and snow chains in your car's trunk. If you live in an area that gets heavy snowfall and ice, you should also leave a scraper and de-icer in your garage or utility room so you can get to it if your vehicle is frozen over.

Clean ovens and other crumb-catching appliances

Kitchen fires can be caused by toasters and ovens that have deposits of crumbs and other food particles in them. When the appliance heats up, leftover food will heat up as well, and if it gets hot enough, your appliance can catch fire. Since people tend to stay home and use their ovens more during colder month—not to mention entertaining more during the holiday season—ovens and toasters can get more of a workout at this time of year. Checking that your appliances are hazard-free in November can save you from a disaster down the road.

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You're likely here for one of two reasons and perhaps both: You saw someone talking about "junebug" cleaning on social media and/or you are tired of not being able to focus on cleaning, so you Googled in desperation. I'm in both camps with you. Even though I know I'm supposed to create a steady cleaning schedule and only tidy up in 15-minute bursts to stave off burnout, I still find myself wondering at times where I should even start and what I should even do. I have a million thoughts running around my head and none of them leave a lot of space for peacefully, actively plotting out how and what to clean. That's where the junebug method really shines.

What is the "junebug" cleaning method?

Though it's popular on modern social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels, the earliest mention of the trend came around on Tumblr, where a user explained that to clean up despite their ADHD, they imagined they were like a junebug: "Have you ever seen a junebug get to grips with a window screen? It’s remarkably persistent, but not very focused. All that matters is location."

So, you act like a junebug. That's it. Unlike an insect trying to get through a window screen, though, you're cleaning. You pick one area you could or need to clean, like the kitchen. Then, focus on one spot, like the sink or a countertop. Like a junebug, you just keep coming back to that spot, no matter what else distracts you in the process. So, if the sink is your designated junebugging site, you might wash the dishes in it, then get distracted as you notice the backsplash needs to be wiped down. After you wipe down the backsplash, remind yourself that you're supposed to be at the sink; go back to it to scour it or giving the faucet some attention. From there, with your sponge in hand, you might wander away to clean the countertops—but always go back to that starting point when you finish whatever you wandered away to do.

The idea here is that you're using your own distractibility to your advantage. One task at the starting point might remind you of something else you need to do, but once you finish it up, go back to the starting point for more inspiration and motivation. Eventually, you'll make your way all around, like a junebug, but keep returning to where you started—also like a junebug.

Who should try junebugging to clean?

Junebugging is a useful technique for anyone who is having a hard time focusing, gets distracted easily, or just wants to shake up their routine. On TikTok and other platforms, it's proven especially popular for people with ADHD. In fact, the Tumblr user who first coined it did so as a result of their own ADHD. Now, mental health pros point to it as a great option for neurodivergent people.

Obviously, you don't need to have ADHD to try this out. The beauty of this technique is it works for anyone, as long as you go into it understanding why you're doing it and give yourself some grace. Just tackle whatever distracts you, calls your attention, or seem pertinent in the moment. You may not finish every task, but it's better than doing nothing and returning over and over to the same spot acts like a reset, allowing you to surround yourself in familiarity and reorient a bit, pointing your attention to something else.

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I’ve always had trouble with daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning routines because they are based on an arbitrary standard instead of my real life. When a friend told me about the Tody app months ago, I thought it would be more of the same. Instead, after some upfront work of choosing the zones and tasks that matter to me (and setting low expectations), I found that I have been able to change my attitude about housekeeping. 

Traditional cleaning routines often set us up for failure by ignoring the realities of our individual needs and energy levels. According to the daily and weekly cleaning tasks recommended by Good Housekeeping, I should spend a minimum of five hours a week on chores. For some, that is probably no problem. For me, it is insurmountable. Despite my initial skepticism, using the Tody app allowed me to create a realistic, low-pressure system for housekeeping that reduced my stress and made housework more approachable.

The pitfalls of traditional cleaning routines

My personal roadblocks to keeping a perfectly tidy house include having two small children, a handful of chronic illnesses, a career, and a fiery bitterness about the patriarchal standards that trained me to believe my value depends on how clean my baseboards are. 

As I was the only one in the household with my self-worth tied to housekeeping, I was often the only person motivated to take action. When my body and mind had no energy left for action, I isolated myself in zones of the home that I felt I could control easily, like my office or bed. When I was introduced to the Tody app by a friend, though, I found that it emphasizes flexibility and allows users to build their own “zones” and task schedules, so finally, only my own expectations mattered. 

My favorite features of the app

• Customization. Before you use the Tody app, it pays to take your time setting up what rooms and chores you care about and how frequently they should be repeated. The app makes it pretty easy with preset rooms and tasks that you can activate or ignore. You can also choose what level of effort to assign to each task based on your feelings and abilities. Add only the rooms and tasks that are relevant to your household, and add custom tasks as needed.

• Priorities. After you initially set up your household needs in Tody, the app prioritizes your task list. That means doing the top few tasks scores you big points and help you feel accomplished.

• Gamify it. Choose whether you want to compete with Dusty, the resident boss, and choose your difficulty level. (I always have it set to easy because I need the confidence boost.) 

• Check your attitude. You can also choose from three “attitudes”: relaxed, average, or proactive. I have stuck with the relaxed setting so I never see so many tasks I get paralyzed by overwhelm. The relaxed setting also means tasks are due to be repeated less frequently.

• Focus time. Use the focus timer to challenge yourself to complete certain tasks in one session

• Take a break. You can pause tasks that you know you won’t get to because of life, illness, vacation, or whatever else. Undoable tasks don’t have to sit at the top of your list, mocking you.

As I used Tody for weeks and then months, tasks became more about maintenance than perfection, lowering the pressure to meet external standards. I may have a list of outstanding tasks, but the top one is the most overdue and will be the most rewarding to complete.

It also helped me better judge what tasks to delegate or ask for help from my husband and children. If sweeping the porch and sidewalk is 30 days overdue (see authentic screen grab above) because temps have only just dropped below the 90s, getting everyone out in the yard to help will feel like a big win for me and the family.

Tody also helped me realize I needed more help. It made it easier to communicate to my husband and children when I was falling behind. 

One thing Tody did not—and could not—do is make it possible for one middle-aged woman to perfectly care for a 3,000-square-foot house inhabited by four people and two cats. My husband and kids do their share, and I mark their tasks off in my app. 

Results and benefits of using Tody

• Lower stress: Instead of feeling nagged by an endless list that I was always falling further behind on, the app helped me feel in control.

• A tidier home: It took time and adjustments, but now there is a noticeable difference in how clean and maintained my home feels.

• Focused approach: With clear direction on which tasks are most essential, I no longer feel the urge to “hide” from chores.

• Decoupling my self-esteem from chores. Tody is not personally calling me out for falling behind on my task list. And it's not just my list—it belongs to my whole family, and I no longer feel like a failure who is 100% responsible for our domestic needs. 

Tody worked because it allowed me to adapt a cleaning routine that suits our life and lowered the mental load of maintaining our home.

The free version of Tody (what I use) is ad-free, and has all the functionality I’ve described above. Starting at $9.99/year, you can use the premium version to sync with multiple people, set up other households, and further customize the look of your app.

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Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

Much of Thanksgiving cooking is tradition: traditional dishes made in the traditional style served on the traditional tablecloth your family has used since before you were born. Allow me to challenge tradition with a modern upgrade to cooking part (or all) of your feast. Not only will you end up with excellent results, but you’ll save time and effort, and thus stress less. Instead of roasting everything in the oven, put some faith in your air fryer.

Why the air fryer rules on Thanksgiving

I feel lucky to live in a time when the convection oven was made compact and cute for home use. Thanks to the high velocity winds and petite stature, you can count on fast roasting with no preheating necessary. Not only that, but the air fryer is fully capable of cooking a variety of items, which frees up your oven for other dishes. While you're unlikely to fit larger items in your air fryer, like a 22-pound turkey or 13 by 9-inch casserole dish, you can certainly cook a variety of smaller sized items. (That includes main dishes.) Below are some Thanksgiving classics you can make in the air fryer.

Which air fryer is suited for the job?

Any air fryer can speed up cooking; your only limitation might be size. For large roasts, you might want to consider a bigger oven like the Cuisinart below. If you plan on making multiple different items at once, consider something with two baskets and two separate, independent cooking zones, like the Ninja.

• Cuisinart Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven

• Ninja DoubleStack XL Air Fryer

Turkey breast and other roasts

Although I wouldn’t recommend air-frying a whole turkey, you absolutely can roast part of a turkey. Many stores sell solo turkey breasts, and a small one of those can fit into an air fryer. It’s not a bad idea to measure the interior of your air fryer (accounting for at least two inches of buffer space from where the fan is) to know your limitations.

The air fryer can roast other main-dish meats too, like a juicy pork tenderloin, broiler chicken, boneless leg of lamb, porchetta, ham roast, or a show-stopping beef Wellington. Make sure to brine or marinate your meat the night before. Depending on the roast, you may achieve more even browning by flipping the roast for the last third of the cooking time.

I recommend keeping a reliable thermometer on hand so you can easily check for doneness, as the timing will vary depending on the animal you’re roasting and its size. I like the Thermapen One for this job, and the ThermoWorks website often has holiday sales, so keep an eye out. 

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, No. 1 Recommended Instant-Read Thermometer - Cayenne Pepper Red

$115.00 at Amazon

$115.00 at Amazon

Small casseroles

Small casseroles that can fit into baking dishes around six to nine inches across will do just fine in an air fryer. Naturally, it depends on the size of the air fryer, but once again, measure it to find out. 

To air fry a given casserole, you can use the recommended oven directions, just reduce the temperature by 25°F and check on the casserole about halfway through the instructed cooking time to assess how much longer it needs to go for. Toaster-oven-style air fryers are ideal for this because the door hinges open for easier removal, but you can still use a basket-style air fryer. Just be careful lowering casserole dishes in, and especially careful when taking them out.

Where the air fryer really shines for casseroles is achieving crispy or melty toppings, and for reheating. My friends often contribute small casseroles to our Friendsgiving meal, and this year I’ll be using my air fryer to reheat. It’ll keep my oven more available and reduce the bake time significantly.

Roasted veggies

I think the best side dishes consist of flavorful, hearty winter vegetables. Many of my favorites happen to be dense root veggies, squashes, or stalky crucifers which can take hours to cook in the conventional oven. The air fryer will absolutely save you with all of your vegetable sides. Since they’re so important, I’ve put my favorites in a separate post here.

Crescent rolls and other tube breads

Little else is more traditional than cracking open a can of instant bread for Thanksgiving. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or biscuits have an honorary seat at many tables, and if your oven is loaded to the gills with a turkey and two 13 by 9-inch casserole dishes, these little cuties might get scorched. Better to give them a space to themselves in your mini convection oven.

If you have a toaster-oven-style air fryer, perfect; you can use the flat baking tray. Most basket-style air fryers come with a little grate that fits into the bottom. The rolls can sit on that, but you’ll get a textured bottom. Personally, I think the air circulation is better like this, but if that lumpy bottom bothers you, you can get air fryer basket liners like these to make a straight surface, or cut a piece of parchment to fit on the grate, and that’ll smooth things out. Simply put the rolled dough or biscuits into the air fryer (with an inch of space between neighbors) and air fry for five to seven minutes at 325°F. They’re done once puffed and well browned. Do check the bottoms before you pull them out; depending on the air fryer, they might need to be flipped and cooked for a few minutes longer.

Garlic bread

Rest assured, if you’re not interested in compressed tube bread for the big feast, you can make garlic bread instead. I like to use garlic confit to make a mellow garlicky mash, and you can make this recipe days ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for when you’re ready to use it. 

Split a long loaf, like Italian bread or a baguette, and spread a thick layer of salted butter and garlic confit into the center. Place the bread into the air fryer upside down and cook it for about three minutes at 325°F. Flip the bread and brush on more of the garlic and butter mixture; cook it for another three minutes. Take it out and slice the loaf into smaller serving sizes.

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Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

Cooking an epic Thanksgiving meal requires a lot of moving parts and planning. You can’t do it all yourself, but it’s also annoying to have others fumbling around in your cooking zone. Since cloning yourself isn’t an option (yet), you should consider leaning on your slow cooker—the queen of hands-off, set-it-and-forget-it appliances. Delegating the right things to this machine can be your ticket to a less stressful Turkey Day.

What is a slow cooker?

If you’re unfamiliar with this clever contraption, a slow cooker consists of two parts: the heating element and housing, and the inner ceramic container. There’s a lid, and maybe yours came with some plastic spatulas, but those two parts are the major players. The ceramic container sits inside the greater appliance housing, which is mostly lightweight aluminum, and the heating element is inside the base. You use the control panel to choose the cook time—usually in increments of two hours—and temperature—usually along the lines of low, high, and "keep warm." It’s also worth mentioning that a dependable slow cooker can easily be under $80 and last you a decade or more.

Slow cookers ready to undertake the honor of Thanksgiving cooking:

• For the traveling guest: Crock-Pot 6-quart Cook & Carry

• For smaller portions: Crock-Pot 4-quart

• For large households and dinners: Crock-Pot 8-quart

Why a slow cooker can help

Let’s begin with cleanup because that’s the dark side—but reality, nonetheless—of every Thanksgiving. The slow cooker’s simple build is clutch for cleaning. Unless you experience some sort of horrible overflow, everything is contained in the ceramic vessel. Once it’s empty and cool, you can easily wash it with soapy water. The ceramic is smooth and should wipe down like any dish or bowl. The rest of the slow cooker remains clean and ready for the next batch. 

Besides cleanup, there’s ease. This is the original appliance that lets you dump stuff in and magically unveil a scrumptious dish six hours later. Slow cookers come in a variety of sizes, so this can be the sort of thing that keeps your two-person stuffing warm, or cooks 18 servings of gooey mac and cheese. It’s hands-off cooking that frees up stovetop burners and leaves oven space available for other dishes. The results are reliable every time, but I recommend practicing a recipe once or twice before Thanksgiving so you can really feel comfortable. 

The cherry on top is that a slow cooker is good-looking enough to be service-worthy, if you so choose. You can scoop straight from the slow cooker, or take the ceramic container out of the slow cooker housing (it’s extremely hot, so use mitts or pot holders) and put it on a trivet on the table. 

What can you make in your slow cooker for Thanksgiving?

Once you get the wheels spinning, you’ll realize there’s a lot you can cook in the slow cooker. You might even start to think you need more than one slow cooker—and that’s OK, too. Use the slow cooker to take care of anything that will fare well with humidity and long cooking times. Vegetables that need to break down, or dishes that should be soft or creamy work best in the slow cooker. Here’s a list of popular Thanksgiving sides to start things off: 

• Mashed potatoes

• Stuffing

• Whole sweet potatoes

• Collards and ham hocks

• Creamy mac and cheese

• Corn pudding

• Corn bread 

• Easy cranberry sauce

• Gravy

• Green bean casserole (if you’re into that)

• Or gently heat frozen peas or corn with butter

What you probably shouldn’t put in the slow cooker

You shouldn't use a slow cooker for any side dishes that should be crispy on the outside or edges—like roasted vegetables, rolls, or the turkey—or vegetables that should maintain a bit of crunch—Brussels sprouts, green beans, or broccoli. Any greens that’ll get sulfur-y or break down too much under long cooking times should stay out of the slow cooker. As you can see, I put green bean casserole on the “yes” list and plain green beans on the “no” list. Thanksgiving is a time to eat comfort food, so if green beans that are reduced to a pudding-like consistency with crunchy onions on top is your safe place, by all means. I’m on Team Crunch, so I blanch, or even faux blanch. 

Really tough leafy greens like collard greens, mustard greens, and kale are good candidates for slow cooking. True, they’ll dull in color, but they also become more digestible after slow cooking, and will certainly be easier on the teeth. 

Some recipes will develop lovely crisp edges in the slow cooker, but anything that you’d like to put a crispy top on before serving, like mac and cheese or sausage stuffing, can be spooned into an oven-safe dish and either popped under the broiler, or lightly blow-torched. 

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Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

The microwave has been subject to harsh criticism when it comes to cooking, but this reliable appliance is actually a great partner when you’re preparing for a large dinner party, like Thanksgiving. I don’t have to tell you that it’s great at reheating fridge-cold dishes, but you can actually cook a few things in there as well. Nope, it’s not inferior-tasting, and it’s not dangerous to cook that way. Your microwave can actually help you Thanksgiving better.

Your microwave is safe, actually

If your first reaction to this article is, “microwaved food is bad for you,” this post probably isn’t for you. But I know one that is. If you’d like to read about why microwaves are just fine for cooking, Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor is busting microwave myths right here. I think my favorite quote from the article is, “Actually, since microwave cooking happens so quickly, it is considered to be one of the best methods for preserving the nutrients in food.” Now then, back to lovingly nuking food for our families.

Your microwave gives you breathing room

The main trouble in the Thanksgiving Foods Venn diagram of “quantity” and “long cooking times” is the giant overlapping center. Since every dish has multiple servings and that extra volume requires both longer prepping and cooking times, you can easily run out of cooking surfaces and time, and you have no margin for error. I’m not saying you should microwave everything. Hardly that. What you need is something to speed up part of your menu so you can cook the other stuff—non-microwavables like turkey—in the oven. 

It’s not the soulless cooking appliance it’s been made out to be—you can microwave with love. And what shows love more than not stress-snapping at your mother-in-law?

Cook ahead, reheat, and crisp

This is basically the “Keep calm and carry on” of dinner party cooking—just cook ahead and reheat. Now, I wouldn’t tell you to microwave for Thanksgiving if it would result in bad-tasting food, but there is a right way to do this. After all, cheating at Thanksgiving implies that you’re trying to pass off the food as freshly made that day. Let’s make it taste that way.

The trick is to make one or two dishes the day before. Before dinner time, reheat them in the microwave. The best candidates are foods that have plenty of included moisture. That might be the mashed potatoes, certain fresh vegetables for steaming, well-hydrated stuffing, and some casseroles. 

Make sure the item is in a microwave-safe serving dish. Add a teaspoon or two of water to the dish; sprinkle with your fingertips or spritz it around. Cover the dish with a slightly ventilated lid or wrap and microwave it in bursts of 30 seconds or a minute, depending on the dish. Check on it, stir the edges inward if you can, and evaluate if it needs more time. If it’s a casserole or stuffing and you want it to have a crisp top, take it out of the microwave and pop it under the broiler in the oven for two or three minutes just before serving.

Oddly, mac and cheese isn’t my favorite for reheating in the microwave. In my experience, it gets very dry after spending a night in the fridge and reheating it makes the mac noticeably greasy.

Microwave from scratch

Beyond reheating, you can use the microwave as an actual cooking appliance. Here are a few Thanksgiving sides and desserts that can be whipped up in a fraction of the time in the microwave, compared to classic preparations.

Make the roux for soups and sauces

A roux is the flour-and-butter base that makes gravy thick and silky. It can also lend flavor if you brown the roux with a little extra cooking time. Doing this in the microwave can cut down on your stovetop cooking time by around 50%. Add the fat and flour to a microwave-safe measuring cup and microwave it for an initial four to six minutes, then whisk and continue heating with one-minute blasts until you’ve achieved your desired color, from blonde to chocolatey brown. Go here for more details on the method. Use this roux for gravy or soup cooking on the stove—or keep it going in the microwave as follows.

Complete gravy

Once you have a roux, you’re more than halfway to gravy. Pour in a cup or so of warm turkey stock (or milk for béchamel sauce, or another broth or liquid you’re using to make sauce) into the measuring cup. Whisk it in well and heat it for another 30 seconds in the microwave. It will start to thicken. Keep heating and adding liquid to reach your desired consistency, and heat the gravy in intervals of 30 seconds to one minute until you have your desired gravy consistency. Stir in seasonings, cooked meat bits, and herbs as you normally would. 

Steam veggies

I generally do this with sides of peas and corn (mashed potatoes’ two best friends). If you’re steaming other veggies, make sure they’re all cut about the same size, then put them into a bowl or serving dish with a splash of water. Stir in salt and seasonings, but err on the light side; you can add more if necessary after tasting. Cover the dish with an off-set lid to vent it, and microwave. The amount of time depends on what you’re cooking and how long, but I’d start with about a minute for two cups of vegetables. Take it out and stir, cover the dish and go for another round if needed. The veggies are done when cooked to your liking. I like to add a pat of salted butter and stir it in while they’re still hot.

Curds and custards for dessert 

The microwave is the last place anyone expected to make something soft and often rather finicky, but the joke is on all of us for stirring custard over a hot stove top for 15 minutes. It turns out, if you microwave the ingredients for citrus curds and some custards in one-minute increments (whisking in between heating sessions), you’ll arrive at the target temperature in around five to seven minutes and have a silky, cooked emulsion ready for the nearest tart shell. You’re unlikely to overcook it if you’re pausing every minute, but I suggest stopping while the mixture is slightly looser than you want because it’ll thicken and set as it cools. If you’re at all concerned about stray coagulated egg bits, as a fail-safe, pour the finished custard through a sieve.

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