I love my microwave, and can't imagine not having this appliance in my kitchen to cook, defrost and reheat meals. I use it every single day for everything from cooking a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, reheating a bowl of homemade soup for lunch to cooking dinner or baking brownies. In this day and age, anything that saves time is a real lifesaver for the homemaker on the go. When it comes to the microwave, many people don't realize its potential for creating delicious meals and only use it for reheating.  Here are 15 tips that will help you to take advantage of your microwave when looking for new ways to save time and energy!

1) When you use the microwave to cook, select foods that cook well with moist heat, such as chicken, fruit, vegetables, fish, ground meat, sauces, and soups.

2) Generally you'll want to use the high power setting (100%) when preparing soups, drinks, fruits, vegetables, fish, ground meat, and poultry.  

3) You'll use the medium-high power setting (70%) when defrosting foods or simmering dishes like stew.

4) Keep in mind that pieces of food that are the same size and shape will cook more evenly than a mixture of small and large cuts.

5) You can often reduce the amount of liquid used when typically preparing soups, vegetables, fruits, and main courses as the microwave only requires about 1/3 of the usual amount since less liquid evaporates.

6) A good rule of thumb is to choose a microwave-safe container that is slightly larger than the dish required for cooking your meal conventionally. Round dishes cook foods more evenly than square or rectangle ones.

7) Use a medium power setting (50%) when baking items, such as breads, cakes and muffins. This power setting is also suggested when preparing cuts of meat that are less tender.

8) To add a crusty appearance to your baked goods, spray the pans with a little bit of Watkins cooking spray and sprinkle with crumbs, ground nuts or Watkins cinnamon, sprinkle some on top as well.

9) To avoid low fat cheeses and other toppings from becoming tough or soggy, make sure to add them near the end of cooking.

10) Don't coat meat with flour or crumbs if you plan on adding liquid when cooking, as the coatings will only become soggy.

11) Cooking in the microwave eliminates the need for grease and fat to keep food from sticking to cooking pans. You can drain extra fat from meats by placing foods in between two paper towels while cooking.

12) When preparing rice, use quick-cooking varieties instead of long-grain. Or precook rice and pasta before adding it to the dish.

13) To steam your vegetables simply slice or dice your veggies as desired and place in a microwavable container with one to two tablespoons of water. Cover loosely with a vented lid or plastic wrap and cook on high until they are the desired tenderness.

14) To prevent cooking splatters and mess always cover foods with a vented lid, plastic wrap, wax paper or paper towel when reheating or cooking.

15) To easily clean your microwave, place a microwave safe bowl or mug half full of water inside and heat water to boiling. Leave oven door closed for 5 minutes then simply wipe clean with a damp cloth. Spray with a little Watkins All-purpose cleaner if needed to remove grease or food build up.

While the microwave is great for warming up snacks and meals these tips should help you get more out of this handy appliance.