Food for a hot day

[flukx]

With record-setting temperatures here in Berlin, as well as the much rumored scorching weather in parts of the US, I am wondering what are favorite meals for a hot day. Gazpacho or a cold pasta salad rank up there for me, but what do others make?

 

[JCook]

When its really hot outside my husband and I are never really that hungry for a big meal. So I will make a big salad with chicken or shrimp on it or just plain. We even sometimes just have a bowl of ice cream for dinner.

 

[JoAnn L.]

As hot as it is here in Iowa, I still cook the same as I do year round. I have done that all of our married life, (and its been a long one). My husband is not one for salads, so its your meat and potatoes. I even make my homemade soups all summer. There it was in the high 80's yesterday and I am in the kitchen making blonde brownies.

 

[Constance]

A cold meat salad tastes good in hot weather.
I grind ham or balogna, hard-boiled eggs, and cheese together in a bowl, then stir in mayo, a little mustard, and sweet pickle relish to taste. It's great for a sandwich or on crackers.
I also make a lot of chicken salad and tuna salad. I don't grind the chicken, as it seems to taste better when chopped by hand. Combine the chicken or tuna with mayo and the pickle relish. Mustard is optional. One delicious way to serve these is to lay a lettuce leaf on a plate, core a tomato and cut in quarters most of the way down, and spoon in the salad. Serve with crackers or toast.

Fruit and cheese also make a nice hot weather meal. Sliced apples or pears, grapes, fresh pineapple, melon wedges, figs, assorted cheeses of your choice, and perhaps some proscuitto, ham or salami slices will make a lovely plate.

 

[auntieshelly]

We have had an unusual heatwave that has broken all previous records! I have been living on cool lettuce salads with lots of tomatoes and avocado, Waldorf salad, lots of fruit, and you are correct, pasta salad is at the top of my list,too. I boil the pasta early in the morning when it is still cool, make the salad and add different ingredients each time I serve it -- sometimes cooked chicken, shrimp, tuna, or chunks of ham, cheese, etc., and lots of veggies. I also make zucchini soup (lots of them in the garden) and freeze it -- delicious served cold with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese! And ... good old sandwiches are always good for those hot evenings with coleslaw. Just keep thinking COOL!!!!!

 

[Run_Out]

We like cold fruit, salads and of course anything on the grill. The grill goes year round....

later

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Myself, I love cold leftovers on a hot day. If it can be eaten cold, it probably has been eaten cold in my house. I love cold spaghettie with sauce and meat, even better with meatballs. Put it all between two slices of whole wheat bread and I'm good to go. Of course any cold sandwich is good, i.e. bologna, salami, liverwurst, split brats, cold hot dogs, tomato with any of the above, or all by themselves, etc. I love cold leftover chicken, pizza, baked beans, sea-breeze salad, fruit salads, jello salads, cold fruit, gaspacho, even cold chicken noodle soup is good on a hot day.

I'm not a picky eater. I'll munch on a cold pork chop if it's sitting in the fridge. I love cheese, but it needs to be at room temp to be really good, and that's independant of the weather.

A cold fruit smoothie is at the top of my list, as is cantaloupe. And who can resist a cold slice of pie, any kind. But make it key lime and you have something special indeed. I could go on. But I think you get the picture. Yep, it's true. I'm a true omnivore.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[kats]

I like cold soups (potato and leek is my favorite) and fun salads. I made once a salad with tomato, bread, garlic and basil, but lost the recipe... Anyone knows how to make something like that?

 

[Gossie]

Well, I was just about to make a new topic when I saw this one. Thanks!!

I try to avoid anything with milk products in it, same thing with the mayo, unless I'm going to keep it well chilled. So if it's a picnic, it stays in the ice chest till served, doesn't sit out on a table.

I sure hope this heat wave dissapates before the reunion picnic on Saturday.

 

[thumpershere2]

Like JoAnn I cook pretty much the same things year round but don't do as many pasta salads in the winter or soups in the summer, just a few. I do alot of meat and potatoes and hot dishes. If it's really humid like it has been I cook inside with the air on. I do just one big meal aday and then we usually just have a very light lunch like a sandwich. If it's really hot and humid and have to be outside, don't feel much like eating until late evening.

 

[urmaniac13]

Watermelon and ice cream, of course...

 

[kimbaby]

chilled fruits, cold salad's...

 

[Claire]

I definitely cook different in summer than winter. I take advantage of the better fresh produce. This heat wave really has me going. My kitchen is NOT air conditioned, so I do a lot of micro-waving and cooking when I get up in the morning. Tonight it will be a salad nicoise, yesterday a freind made gazpacho. I actually bought a couple of pork butts to make New Mexico Green chili, but decided to freeze them rather than add to the heat. Tomorrow it is supposed to be cooler, and then Thursday a freind from Hawaii is arriving and will cook ahi. I'm to provide rice and a veggie.

Aloha oe!

 

[ChefJune]

Watermelon is the BEST for pulling the humidity out of your body. and when it's icy cold, so much the better. I love it!

I also eat lost of salads in the heat, but tho my kitchen is not airconditioned, the ac from the rest of the house keeps it cool, and the downdraft ventilation moves the heat from the stove out quickly, so I can use the oven without too much discomfort. Tonight I'm making the Eggplant Salad I planned to make Saturday but was too over heated to think about! It's so refreshing, we often eat it as a main dish, but it's really awesome with some grilled meat or fish..

 

[rickell]

grill

anything on the grill, don't want to heat up the house.

oh the watermelon is so good right now.