Microwave recipes

Broccoli spears with a homemade Swiss cheese sauce made in the microwave. A quick two-serving vegetable side dish with a creamy, melty cheese topping in 30 minutes.

A quick smoked turkey bagel sandwich layered with cheddar cheese and green pepper, wrapped in wax paper and warmed in the microwave. Lunch-ready in under 10 minutes.

Banana walnut Bundt cake with whole wheat flour and a bright orange glaze, made in the microwave. A tropical holiday showstopper that comes together in under 35 minutes.

Tex-Mex spiced chicken tossed with fresh mango, crunchy jicama, and bell peppers in a zesty lime dressing. Served in crispy microwaved tortilla bowls over shredded Bibb lettuce.

Melty cheese dip with green chilies, fresh tomato, and a kick of hot sauce, ready in under 5 minutes using the microwave. Grab your chips and dig in.

Microwave roasted chicken stuffed with fresh parsley and rubbed with olive oil, lemon juice, thyme, and tarragon. A quick whole chicken dinner that cooks in about 30 minutes.

Layered Mexican tortilla casserole with kidney beans, corn, cottage cheese, and cheddar made entirely in the microwave. A low-fat vegetarian enchilada-style bake ready in 30 minutes.

Microwave grouper with bell pepper and onion topped with a tangy horseradish-Catalina sauce with hot sauce and lemon. A fast, flaky fish dinner ready in 15 minutes.

Orange rice cooked in the microwave with orange juice, fresh orange zest, and orange sections folded in before serving. A fragrant, citrusy side dish ready in 30 minutes.

Turmeric oyster crackers are a microwave snack mix flavored with garlic, dill, and chicken bouillon. A golden, savory twist on seasoned crackers for parties, salads, and soup toppers.

Baked Idaho potatoes topped with a creamy broccoli, mushroom, turkey ham, and Dijon mustard sauce made with yogurt instead of cream. A lighter loaded potato that's microwave-quick.

Chicken in fermented black bean sauce made entirely in the microwave with garlic, ginger, sherry, sesame oil, and chili paste. A Chinese takeout favorite ready in 30 minutes.

Chocolate mud frosting made by melting chocolate chips with milk in the microwave, then blending with corn syrup and vanilla. A glossy, fudgy four-ingredient frosting with no butter or powdered sugar.

Fabulous lemon meringue pie offers both stovetop and microwave methods for the cornstarch-thickened lemon curd. Topped with cream-of-tartar-stabilized French meringue in a deep-dish baked shell.

Skinny chili: leaner microwave chili with ground beef, tomatoes, red pepper, and a classic cumin-oregano-chili-powder spice base. Fast weeknight chili ready in about 20 minutes, no stovetop required.

Homemade Cajun chicken nuggets coated in onion soup mix, breadcrumbs, chili powder, cumin, and thyme. Pan-fried or microwaved. Makes about 5 dozen bite-sized pieces for a crowd.