Easy Summer Meals

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Pauline46

Assistant Cook
Joined
Apr 8, 2007
Messages
31
I was wondering if we could use this thread to share some of our summer favourites? I am always looking for something fast and easy. :rolleyes:
Does anyone have any good recipes they can share? :chef:
 
Couscous and taboule are life-savers for me. I buy Near Eastern brand most of the tiime. You pour boiling water (or stock in the case of couscous) over them in the morning, then refridgerate. Add lots of veggies, feta cheese, herbs .... well, whatever, and you have a nice, cooling supper.

I also believe in grilling extra meat & veggies when we fire up the grill. Refridgerate and you have great tasting meals for salads or on a bowl of pasta or rice.
 
A favorite with us in hot weather is a cold plate consisting of whatever you like that is cold. Ours is usually leftover roast turkey, roast beef, baked ham, etc with potato salad, cole slaw, raw vegetables and good crackers - maybe cheese and fruit for dessert - lots of iced tea. It can be varied enough that you can use it at least a couple of times a week if the weather stays hot.
 
Miss Pauline..

I don't know where you are, but if you have access to homegrown tomatoes then nothing can beat a good 'mator' sammich with plenty of Hellman's (Best Foods) mayo. A glass of cold sweet tea and you are good to go...And thats just for starters......

Enjoy!
 
My favorites are chicken salad with walnuts and grapes served on croissants.

I also like a thai noodle salad that is made with lots of fresh veggies (carrots, cucumbers, bean sprouts) and dressed with some peanut butter, brown sugar, chili flakes, lime juice. Toss in some fresh cilantro, green onions, chopped peanuts and crunchy noodles and it's done.

Fish grilled on my george foreman (I have a charcoal grill outside which I don't always want to fire up) is great in summer.

Grilled Corn on the Cob - Not with the husk but without the husk and charred is also my favorite. You can serve it spicy with a lime and chili rub or with just plain.

Watermelon - Lots of it is a nice accompainement to any meal. I normally make a watermelon juice with just seedless watermelon, little bit of sugar and some water. Chill and serve in tall glasses.
 
There are two killer salads that I make here in the summer (but admitidly i make it all year round).
there is "Chicken greek-a-teek-a with parsely feta pesto" (a rachel ray one)
and "grilled zucchini and tortillini salad" (from license to grill)
both are stunning and delish!!
 
Pauline,
There are tons of recipes for tomatoe tarts, but I enjoy this one and it's easy. If you're in a hurry or just don't feel like fussing, use a 9-inch store bought pie crust.Mix about 1/4c. flour, 1/3c.-packed brown sugar,1/2-tea. cinnamon-set aside.
Slice3-4 tomatoes (about a lb. worth),about 1/8 inch thick, in rounds, and place the slices on the bottom of the pie pan overlapping. Sprinkle with all but 2 Tab. of the sugar/flour mix.Put on the rest of the slices and finish off with the sugar/flour mix.Dot with small pinches of butter 2-3 tab. or so in all.Bake at 425 35-45 min..serves 4 here but 6 anyplace else:LOL: We have this with a nice baby greens salad and cold drink many times in the hot summers.

kadesma
 
Take some cooked and still hot angel hair pasta and toss with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt/pepper, grape tomatoes, and left-over grilled chicken.

Panzanella salad is a favorite too with a piece of grilled "whatever".

Uncle Bob meant to say a fresh tomato sandwich with DUKE'S mayonnaise :LOL: :chef: Seriously, a tomato sandwich is what summer is all about! I'll make some sourdough bread. Take your tomatoes and stack them - but in between the stacks take a couple rings onion. Once you are ready to eat remove the onion (only if you want to but I like the "hint" of onion on a fresh tomato sandwich) and make sandwich from there. No matter what kind of mayo you use sprinkle those tomatoes with cracked black pepper and gray salt. YUMMMMMY!

A cucumber sandwich is good the same way - also a tomato AND cucumber sandwich is delish!

Make a tomato sandwich with a slice of Havarti and grill.

YES - and tomato pie (different from a tomato tart that kadesma mentioned though)!!!! Make a salad to go with it.
 
Last edited:
I'm a big fan of salad, pasta salad and fruit salads during the summer.

Insalada caprese pasta salad - add fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, olive oil, s&p to cooked, drained pasta of choice. Watermelon, feta cheese, nicoise olives, & balsamic. Tomato, cucumber, red onion salad - add cooked cooled pasta, oil & vinegar. Antipasta pasta salad - black olives, chunks of mozzarella, or fresh grated parmesan, slices of salami, sun-dried tomatoes, Italian dressing - mixed with biow tie pasta.

When it's too hot to turn on the oven, pick up a rotisserie chicken, remove the skin and shred in bite-sized pieces and make chicken salad - add ins - sliced avocados, strawberries, mixed greens, grapes, walnuts - or a grilled chicken salad. Chinese chicken salad, nicoise pasta salad, panzanella -- add grilled asparagus, cukes, tomatoes, red onions, kalamatas, capers, red wine vinegar & olive oil, S&P.

Cold soups - cucumber, peach, gazpacho

Seafood salads - cooked bay shrimp &/or crab meat, sliced hard boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, lemon wedges on mixed greens with Thousand Island dressing.

Anything on the grill - Shish kebob - chicken, beef, shrimp - thread with veggies of choice - i.e. mushrooms, onions, etc & serve w rice. Ribs come out fall-off-the bone good in a CP, if you don't have a grill & it's too hot to cook.

A picnic meal I like - rotisserie chicken, tomato pie (posted on this site) cold macaroni or potato salad, coleslaw, a green salad & Sangria. Well, that's for starters :LOL: I'm sure I'll think of some more later.
 
I assume those of you who are talking about summer tomatoes must live in places much more tropical than where I live, because mine aren't even a foot high, much less producing. Actually, I have spent much of my life in places a lot more tropical, and growing tomatoes was difficult, and the results didn't taste near as good as the ones I grow here. But there is well over a month before the garden bears fruit.
 
I ditto everything Mish said, well except for the cold soups which I can't seem to appreciate. I just love all the fresh fruits and veggies, all the variations of salads and outdoor grilling. This time of year is the best IMO!
 
Claire said:
I assume those of you who are talking about summer tomatoes must live in places much more tropical than where I live, because mine aren't even a foot high, much less producing. Actually, I have spent much of my life in places a lot more tropical, and growing tomatoes was difficult, and the results didn't taste near as good as the ones I grow here. But there is well over a month before the garden bears fruit.
That's true Claire, it takes warm sun and tender care to get those sweet juicy summer tomatoes. That is why I posted the recipe I did. I use romas and the brown sugar helps bring out that sweetness. There is nothing like a big juicy sweet summer tomatoe..Mine are fairly good size, but we are needing the evenings to stay warm to help them ripen. Til then I just dream of a tomatoe pie:)

kadesma
 
Another thing I like to do is make a gazpacho using my meat grinder attachment for my KA Mixer. Cucumbers, red peppers, tomatoes, red onion or spring onion, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, red wine vinegar, etc.
 
kitchenelf said:
Another thing I like to do is make a gazpacho using my meat grinder attachment for my KA Mixer. Cucumbers, red peppers, tomatoes, red onion or spring onion, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, red wine vinegar, etc.

Another Gazpacho lover :chef:

Here's a cool video. ;)

Sclipo: how-to make original Gazpacho in 5 min

Caution - That's one loud blender :LOL:

This Crispy Skin Salmon on Warm Potato Mushroom Salad looks delish:

Sclipo: How to Cook a Crispy Skin Salmon on Warm Potato Mushroom Salad

Just for fun - Broc soup w cheddar croutons:

Sclipo: How to Cook a Broccoli Soup with Cheddar Croutons
 
Last edited:
Personally, I try to cook outdoors as much as possible during the summer, as it helps keep the house cooler, and is usually a very "quick" cook.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom