So maybe I’m late to the party (as this trick is all over the Interwebs), but I just discovered the coolest thing you can do with a microwave oven:  POTATO CHIPS! Yes, the microwave oven can turn out delicious, low-fat, crunchy potato chips in a few minutes….and it’s easy-peasy to vary the chips’ flavorings, allowing for unlimited flights of chip-related fancy.

Here’s how:

• Get out your mandoline (or cheapo plastic Japanese V-slicer, which is what I have) and slice a waxy potato or two as thinly as possible.  I used fresh, red-skinned boiling potatoes.
• Oil (or nonstick spray) a microwave safe plate or dish (I used my grooved microwave bacon dish).
• Place a single layer of potato slices on the oiled dish and spritz with oil; sprinkle with kosher salt & cracked pepper or Tony’s or some other delicious powdered seasoning (I used Penzey’s jerk seasoning blend).
• Microwave at full power for 2-3 minutes, until the potato slices brown & crisp.  Remove & allow to cool; chips will continue to crisp as they cool.

Try not to eat them all at once!  Granted, the need to microwave the chips in a single layer limits production to a handful at a time, but a custom-flavored chip has great potential as a garnish, quick snack, or cooking trick sure to amaze the elementary-school set (or the easily entertained, like me).

I sliced way too many potatoes in my excitement over instant potato chips from my very own microwave, so my better half made a delicious potato gratin out of the leftovers.  I rank my discovery of microwave potato chips right up there with my discovery of microwave crispy fried shallots (slice shallots thinly, toss with oil, and nuke ’em until brown & crisp; use to garnish Vietnamese dishes).