ISO Summer Recipes

[B'sgirl]

I guess I have been making too many soups, chiles, and other hot foods because when the weather got warm I didn't feel like making or eating anything I had on my weekly meal lists. I need some ideas of things to make this summer that don't heat up your house a ton and don't heat up your body too much (like soup does).

[jkath]

On hot days, grilling is always a nice way to keep the kitchen cool!
Here's one of my standby recipes - I've posted it before, but I think it's been a couple of years:


jkath's Summer Salad

3-4 cooked chicken breasts, cubed
1 bag red seedless grapes, each cut into halves (if you're that eager)
1 bag frozen peas, thawed
1 large bag (I use Ready-Pak) fresh spinach
4 stalks celery, chopped
1 small bag pasta, cooked, drained & cooled*
2 jars artichoke hearts, drained & rinsed
2+ large english cucumbers, peeled & cubed
3+ green onions, sliced
(*I use whatever I have on hand - tri color spirals are cute, or anything with a good shape)

Mix all ingredients together in LARGE bowl. Keep for up to 4 days after making. (Day 2 is always better!) Add dressing to each individual bowl of salad.

Dressing:
½ c. sugar
½ c. apple cider vinegar
3/4 c. canola oil
pepper to taste

Boil sugar and vinegar in microwave till boiling. (2 minutes on high will usually do it). Add oil and pepper; mix well. Refrigerate till cold in bottle. Shake extremely well before every use.

[babetoo]

during the heat wave this week end i made a pasta salad with flash cooked chicken , what ever u like in it. just for fun i made with wide noodles, really liked it. oil and vinegar dressing,

it was great and lasted two days.

last night sauteed shrimp with garlic. with what is left over will cook some chow mein noodles, add shrimp, onions , what ever sounds good to me at the moment. have pork ribs thawing. tomorrow will put in crock pot. none of these heat up the kitchen very much.

when it is hot i rarely cook complicated dishes.

babe

[*amy*]

Another pasta salad fan. I do some of this & an antipasti pasta salad with Vodka Citrus dressing:

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums...62&postcount=1

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums...0&postcount=12

Layered in a clear pretty bowl or trifle dish.

Fish, shrimp, salad, salad, salad, fruit salad, tortelini salad, granita, yogurt, berries.

Slice up bananas & strawberries, add in blueberries, sprinkle w a little sugar (optional) & top w sour cream.

I make an eggplant (peanut) salad, and toss it with cooked spaghetti. Serve warm or at room temp.

Anything on skewers - like shish kebab, chicken yakitori, chicken or beef satay over rice.

Gazpacho, panzanella salad.

It's pretty toasty almost year 'round, so there are probably a bizillion meals I'm forgetting about. I have an indoor grill.. so that comes in pretty handy all year.

[Katie E]

"B," one of the tools I use when it's hot is my electric skillet. Sometimes I even take it outside onto the porch to use it.

Last June, I cooked all of our meals in the crock-pot. Everything from pulled port to spaghetti sauce and in between.

[kitchenelf]

Take some fresh basil, fresh garlic, kosher salt, and toss in a food processor adding oil in as you go to make a very liquidy concoction. Let sit in fridge for a bit (sometimes you have to run under cold water if it solidifies) and use as a dressing on some cold pasta and toss in some fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and water-packed mozzarella. You could also add some shrimp, or chicken, or flank steak slices for a whole meal. This "dressing" is also good drizzled on some bread and grilled or drizzled on some bread for a panini with baby lettuces, tomatoes, red peppers, grilled mushrooms, and mozzarella again.

[Finmar001]

Why not start with a barbecue sauce. Then barbecue all, chicken, meat, sausages and
burgers.
All can be served with a nice fresh salad.