I use my microwave for reheating coffee, for melting chocolate (and making "2 minute chocolate cake"), for defrosting, especially stocks, soups and stews, and for starting the cooking for dishes like potato dauphinoise if I'm in a hurry.

I use my microwave for reheating leftover, boiling milk, melting butter and chocolate, heating up baked beans or soup, and for making porridge.

Also, when I'm making jams, I sterilize a clean wet dish cloth in it, to wipe down the outside.

Oh and I forgot the kids use it to make popcorn, and melt cheese in toasted sandwhiches.

Last edited by BritFinn (Tue 11 Sep 12 2:50pm)

Hi Mumza, I have had my microwave about 26 years now, it was very expensive compared to todays prices - but holds a lot more than the modern ones, even though it is a very basic model. I usualy use it for heating a can of beans or melting butter and chocolate, softening butter and thawing food from the freezer.
Karen

Mine is used for -
re-heating just about everything,
melting food and other things ie the girls' hot leg wax,
hot chocolate/other drinks,
defrosting everything,
cooking veggies all types,
it has a grillling element so grilling and browning,
and an oven element for baking sweet and savoury,
keeping food warm on the low setting,
and for setting textile dyes.
Different containers of course.

The main oven is huge and very power hungry so a microwave that contains heating and grilling elements is very handy for the times when there is only a small amount to cook.   For the microwave.

My microwave is mostly used for heating the rice filled bags I use to keep my feet warm: so needed that when my last microwave broke I went straight out to replace it!

I have a gas stove that is easier and more economical for me, so I haven't put the effort into learning how to cook in my microwave that I would otherwise have. So reheating food is the main thing culinary thing I do in it. And very grateful I am for that! But I am doing more and more as I work out things.

I often make polenta in it, as it takes just a few minutes.
I steam veggies, although I am still learning how to adjust the timing according to the amount and density of the veggies (a few dreadful overcooking mistakes). 
I love being able to prick an eggplant (or two) all over and then microwave it a few minutes, to quickly make bharta, or dips. 
Similarly, a butternut pumpkin cooks well in it.
And I have just discovered how well corn chips heat up in it. Haven't tried nachos yet.
I loved making microwave mug cakes thanks to the trick of adding some frozen raspberries to the mixture, which stopped the cake from over cooking into rubber. And was delicious. Good tip!

Just this week my daughter gave me the instructions for cooking popcorn in it. What a winner! Put 1/3 - 1/2 a cup of popcorn kernels with 1/4 tsp oil and a sprinkle with salt. Mix well so the kernels are coated. Put them in a brown paper bag big enough to hold the popped corn. Close by folding over a couple of times. Place in microwave so the corn is spread out and cook on high for 3 minutes.