I grilled steaks for dinner and served them with sliced avocados and tomatoes for dinner today. What do you like to make/cook when it is too hot to use the oven? Let the sharing of ideas begin!
I like cooking in the toaster over, frying pan or microwave. Otherwise, we go out somewhere that has air-conditioning, since our home has none and its hot and humid if we have no breeze,
I’ve been too lazy to cook lately (we just went through a heat wave). Roast chicken from the supermarket stretches into at least two meals, like a chicken salad. For a simple, not too sweet Chinese chicken salad, dress shredded chicken and lettuce of your choice with a drizzle of sesame seed oil, a light dash of salt and chopped scallions.
Another good idea for a salad that won’t wilt is diced avocados (on the firm side) with diced Persian cucumbers (less of the seeds in the middle). Lightly salt, sprinkle sumac, then a squeeze of lemon.
Open tomato sandwiches are another simple, satisfying supper. Rub a slice of good bread with garlic then toast. Slather with good mayo, and top with a generous slice of heirloom tomato, topped with a very light sprinkle of good artisanal salt.
I guess I use salt liberally, but using good salt truly does make a difference.
Variation on the chicken salad - I make a big bowl of healthy cole slaw type veggies - red cabbage, nappa cabbage or bok choy, carrots, red, green, yellow peppers, etc. Stir fry a diced chicken breast or two to place on top of the veggie mix. There are several brands of quite good Thai peanut salad dressing that works well with this, or standard cole slaw dressing or an oil and vinegar - homemade or purchased. The veggies remain mixed and covered in my refrigerator for a couple days - it lasts longer and is better than the bagged varieties available at my store. We add the dressings to individual servings to personal taste.
Salmon poached on the stove and then chilled. Serve with minced dill and Greek or Lebanese yoghurt.
Melon coolers. Half Lemonade and half pureed watermelon. (and a bit of vodka for my drinking friends)
I love gazpacho, all different variations. We do a lot of grilling and salads; this weekend I made cold peanut sesame noodles mixed with veggies and rotisserie chicken and cooked ground beef for homemade taco bowls (brown rice, salsa, avocado, etc.)
Hummus wraps with a slice of Havarti or Provolone, tons of veggies and sprouts with your favorite dressing.
two of our favorite hot weather meals don’t involve recipes at all.
we have a great Middle Eastern deli/store that carries a huge variety of cheeses from around the world, in addition to all the usual yummy Middle Eastern things.
meal A is the French/European approach: Several different cheeses, a crusty baguette, fruit. Sometimes add some hard salami.
Meal B is the Mediterranean/Middle Eastern approach: Baba Ghanoush and/or hummus, feta cheese, tzatziki, Kalamata olives. Pita bread and raw veggies for dipping in the spreads.
if I can get decent tomatoes, I sometimes add a Caprese salad with balsamic reduction drizzled on top to either of these meals.
Sometimes when I am in that wonderful store I can’t help myself from buying other things from their wide variety, so the meal is a bit of a hybrid of A and B.
The only cooking involved is revving up the toaster to toast the pita. On one or two occasions I have made my own hummus or baba ghanoush.
I am making myself hungry just writing this!
Sorbet- picked fresh strawberries from the garden, froze them, then into the food processor with a bit of simple syrup, generous squeeze of lemon juice and enough water to turn it into a slush. So refreshing
Anything that can be grilled and that includes potatoes & veggies. I rarely use my stove and never my oven when it’s hot. I also make a lot of big salads w/whatever greens/veggies I have in the frig. I usually add a can of tuna and hard boiled eggs.
Interesting to hear how everyone’s coping with heat by eating very simple dishes or nibbling on fruits and cheese!
My favorite summer salad is this:
http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/2927733-Nordstrom-Lime-and-Chicken-Cilantro-Salad
Crab meat from a can with mayonnaise on open face avocado.
I like to grill extra steaks and make steak salad the nect day, with grapefruit & avocado. Sometimes I marinate the steak and make it spicy. ( I got the idea from the PCC deli)
I actually like a 60’s lunch staple, stuffed tomatoes, with tuna salad.
I hardly put any mayo in it, and use vinegar, fresh italian parsley and celery.( and fancy tuna)
I want to learn how to make a pizza on the grill, the grocery store has all kinds of interesting pans for the bbq.
Lobster salad with diced cucumbers and tarragon. Sounds extravagant , but I usually buy either a cull or a pre-cooked and chilled lobster from the fish department in my grocery store. One lobster can yield enough meat for 3-4 sandwiches ( We like them on a croissant )
Also, we live in NJ and are the verge of having awesome tomatoes and corn. I love sliced tomato with goat cheese crumbles and slivers of fresh basil, drizzled in olive oil.
I made a salad yesterday from chunks of Italian sausage (I chunked one up and cooked it in the frying pan to render the fat), tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, vinaigrette, and croutons (toasted in the sausage fat in the pan after taking out the sausage. It took about five minutes and it was really good.
I’m hungry from reading all of these posts
Costco.
My husband I snack at Comte cheese from Costco.
Chilled cucumber avocado soup. You make it all in your blender!
3 long English cucumbers, peeled. 16 oz of plain Greek yogurt (I use 2% Fage, and put it all in although the container is 17+ ounces), 1 avocado, 6 scallions (I use 1/2 a small onion if I have no scallions), juice and zest of 3 limes, 2 - 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar or rice wine vinegar, 1 cup chicken broth (or veg substitute), salt and pepper. Blend for at least one minute and chill for at least one hour to let the flavors meld. The recipe says to garnish with chives but I don’t usually have them around. I also sometimes throw in a few basil leaves before blending.
ETA - I usually get the 3 pack of English cukes from Costco.
@greenwitch finely chopped mint or coriander/cilantro leaves for garnish would be nice too.