1. Peel garlic

Instead of spending all that time picking the papery skin off cloves of garlic, you can pop them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. The skin will slide right off, leaving you with perfect, meal-ready garlic.

2. Cook corn on the cob

Instead of boiling the cobs in a pot (which requires shucking them) or roasting them on a grill, you can also microwave corn on the cob. It might not be as festive as barbecuing it, but it’s good in a pinch. Microwave it with the husks on and the cobs will be tender and juicy. The husks will slide off when you take them out.

3. Steam vegetables

By pouring about an inch of water into a bowl with some vegetables, covering them with a plate, and microwaving, you can get beautifully steamed vegetables. Depending on the vegetable, cooking times will vary, so this one might take some experimentation.

4. Make potato chips

Slice a potato into rounds with a thickness of about an eighth of an inch, and then lay them out in a single layer on a plate. Microwave them in three minute intervals, decreasing the power level and flipping them each time. Cook until crispy, and you’ll have a crunchy, tasty snack without the grease.

5. Crisp your bacon

Speaking of grease, you can also make bacon even when you don’t have time to break out the frying pan. Start by putting a bowl upside down on a plate. Lay your bacon across the bowl, and cover with a paper towel. Microwave at about a minute per slice. The grease will drip down the bowl, leaving you with crispy bacon instead of a soggy mess.

6. Make caramel sauce

7. Toast nuts

They won’t have the same golden finish you’d get if you did this in the oven, but if you’re pressed for time or are only looking to toast a handful of nuts, a microwave will give you a similar flavor for a fraction of the time. Just spread them out into a single layer and zap for four to eight minutes, pausing every now and again to shake them up.

8. Dry herbs

Have flavorful herbs year round by drying them! Wash and dry your fresh herbs and remove the leaves from the stems. Lay them out flat in a single layer on a paper towel on a plate and then microwave on high for 30 seconds. Repeat until the leaves are crunchy and dry. Stored in an air-tight container, they’ll keep for about a year.

9. Scramble some eggs

Okay, microwave eggs are not the same as eggs cooked up in a skillet. We know. But if you’re in a hurry and still want breakfast, this could be the perfect solution. Mix eggs up in a coffee mug with whatever you normally like eggs with (cheese, spices, whatever) and nuke for a minute and a half. At the halfway point, pause the cooking to stir it, which will give it the scrambled consistency.

10. Make edible parmesan cheese bowls

11. Foam milk

You can do this on the stovetop, but the risk of scalding the milk and making a mess is greater that way. Even in a microwave, the process is a bit involved. If you’re feeling up to it, fill a tight-sealing jar about halfway with milk and shake so the milk froths up. Remove the lid and microwave for 30 seconds, and watch the foam rise. Spoon it onto your coffee.

12. Make dulce de leche

Usually this sweet treat takes about four hours of careful cooking, but not with a microwave. Heat up a can of condensed milk in a microwave-safe bowl, stopping about every two minutes to whisk it. After about 10 minutes, the milk will look like it’s curdled. Take it out and whisk until it smoothes out. Let it cool a bit before eating, because it will be extremely hot.

13. Get more juice out of lemons and limes

If you need lemon or lime juice, try microwaving the fruits for 10 to 20 seconds, or until the skin is warm to the touch. The heat will make the membranes inside weaker, meaning you can get more juice out of them.

14. Bonus! You can clean your microwave with your microwave!