Microwave meals

In a medium bowl, mix together beef, egg, breadcrumbs, soup mix, mustard, and 1 tablespoon of the BBQ sauce. Shape meat mixture into a loaf and place in a lightly greased, microwave-safe casserole dish or loaf pan. Cover dish with a microwave-safe lid or plate and microwave on high 9 to 12 minutes, until the center reaches 160 F. Keep covered and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine water, milk, and a ½ teaspoon of the garlic salt. Stir in potato flakes until just moistened and top with butter. Cover bowl with a microwave-safe plate and microwave 3½ minutes on high. Carefully remove from microwave and fluff potatoes with fork while mixing in the melted butter. Cover and set aside. Place broccoli stem-side down into a microwave-safe mixing bowl with 2 inches of water in the bottom. Microwave on high 6 to 8 minutes, until the thickest part is easily pierced with a fork. With tongs, transfer broccoli to a serving bowl and cut into pieces with a knife and fork.

Glaze meatloaf with remaining 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce; cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Slice meatloaf. Sprinkle mashed potatoes and broccoli with remaining ½ teaspoon garlic salt; serve hot.

*Any milk you have on hand will do, including sweetened and vanilla-flavored milk alternatives. **Rustic, crusty, and sturdy breads will retain more texture than soft, squishy breads in the microwave.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and sweetener with a fork. Add bread cubes and toss with fork to thoroughly coat. If there’s excess egg mixture at the bottom, add a few more bread cubes until fully soaked up. Split between two microwave-safe mugs or bowls. Microwave 45 seconds, stir, then cook in 15-second increments until bread is no longer shiny. Protect hands with a towel to remove from microwave. Let cool slightly before topping with powdered sugar, fruit, and/or a drizzle of maple syrup (optional).

*Omelets are versatile, with countless cheese, meat, vegetable, herb, and seasoning combinations to choose from. Omelets shown have Parmesan pesto, goat cheese and spinach, and cheddar and salsa.

In a small bowl, thoroughly whisk together eggs, water, salt, and pepper. Add mix-ins, whisking once more. Coat a 2-cup microwave-safe mug or bowl with cooking spray (the eggs will puff up to almost 3 times their size). Pour in egg mixture. Lightly cover with a microwave-safe plate or lid (don’t seal; steam should escape) and microwave on high, checking doneness in 30-second increments, until eggs are fully opaque. Use a towel or oven mitt — the dish will be hot! Let cool slightly before eating.

*Diced grilled chicken shown, or use rotisserie, baked, or canned chicken.

Pierce exterior skin of squash with fork 6 to 10 times. With a sharp knife, cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and ribbing. Place one half hollow side down in a microwave-safe dish with lid (such as CorningWare) along with 2 tablespoons of water. Cook 8 to 12 minutes, until fork easily pierces all the way through the flesh. Set aside to cool and repeat process with the second squash half.

Spread chicken pieces onto a microwave-safe plate and microwave until warmed through but not piping hot. (Time will depend on size of pieces and if chicken is frozen.) Meanwhile, scrape the inside of the spaghetti squash with a fork to create “noodles,” transferring the strings to two microwave-safe bowls. Split the Alfredo sauce and warmed chicken between the bowls; toss with fork to coat, then top with mozzarella and Parmesan. Microwave each bowl until cheese has melted and dish is hot throughout. Garnish with parsley (optional). Makes two meals or four side-dish servings.