Though many of us only use the microwave oven for heating up a cup of coffee or popping popcorn, there are a lot of other cooking tasks it can handle well. Read on for ways to make your microwave really earn its counter space.

Do baking prep and side dishes faster
Consider making your microwave oven a prep cook in your kitchen. It can skillfully handle simple heating tasks. You can soften and melt butter or chocolate for your favorite baking recipes; whip up a quick applesauce with chopped apples, cinnamon and sugar; and steam any kind of vegetable with a bit of water and a covered dish. Using your microwave for these kitchen tasks will cut the time and effort of all your baking and cooking efforts considerably.

Fun with potatoes
There are few starches as versatile as the potato, but they can take a while to cook. Did you know you can make baked potatoes quickly and easily in your microwave oven? Coat a whole potato with olive oil, prick the skin with a fork, and cook from 10-14 minutes, or until an inserted knife comes out clean. You can stop there, or carefully scoop the potato flesh out of its jacket; mix with butter, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, chopped green onion, and sour cream; and put the mixture back into the potato skin. Microwave for another minute or two, and you have a fast and delicious version of twice-baked potatoes.

You can also make potato chips in a microwave oven by slicing a potato into paper thin pieces, coating the slices in oil in a plastic bag, and then cooking the slices on a dinner plate coated with oil or cooking spray for three or four minutes until brown and crisp. Sprinkle with salt and eat!

There are so many great microwave recipes to choose from. Start building your own microwave recipe file now!

Party food
The next time you have guests over, how about turning to your microwave oven for a taco salad dip, one with sun-dried tomatoes and asiago cheese — a hot hors d’oeuvre that can be ready in minutes. And we don’t just mean nachos, which are delicious and easy. Consider brie and baby tomatoes, or bacon and horseradish stuffed mushrooms. There is truly no end to the snacks and tasty bites that can be whipped up in a jiffy via the microwave.

General tips
There are a number of tried-and-true cooking tips to keep in mind when using your microwave oven:

• Underestimate cooking time the first time you use a recipe. (You can add cooking time, but you can’t “uncook” food that you have left in for too long.)
• Add salt after the food is cooked so that it doesn’t toughen.
• Use a paper towel draped over a dish or bowl to hold in moisture.
• Cut food into small pieces for quick, even cooking.
• Use a round or oval dish for best heat distribution.
• Prick tomatoes, apples, eggs and potatoes to keep them from popping.
• Stir foods at intervals during cooking time to distribute heat.
• Avoid heating food for very long in plastic (including wrap), unless it is specifically labeled “microwave safe.” (Microwave-safe glass and ceramics are best.)

Ready to do more with your microwave oven than warm up your cup of coffee? This little appliance is one that nearly every kitchen has and that so many of us underutilize. Make the microwave work for you and be a happier, less-stressed and better-fed cook!