Microwave ovens are in over 90% of American homes--but too often relegated to the role of re-heater, defroster, and popcorn maker. No more. Victoria Wise and Susanna Hoffman, authors of The Well-Filled Tortilla, spent three years exploring the possibilities of the microwave, and they've created a collection of 350 innovative, flavorful, at times whimsical recipes that take full advantage of the box and what it does best. And what the microwave does best, as the authors have discovered, is pretty terrific. Perfectly cooked fish. Creamy no-stir risottos. Luscious sauces for pasta. Crunchy pickles and relishes in a twinkling. Soup with an unexpected depth of flavor. Hasty puddings. And all without much of the time, mess, fuss, and demanding attention of conventional cooking. Then, marry these virtues with the sensibilities of two truly imaginative chefs, and the box really does become magic: Cuba Seafood Soup with Black Beans, Sweet Potato and Yam, Burmese Curried Chicken, Fish Fillets Brazilian, Tahini Spice Cake with Orange Glaze, Double Chocolate Pudding.