Could you share your favorite COLD summer food recipes w/ me?

[Katiebug_1976]

Long story short: we had a wonderful mini vacation weekend for nephews wedding, blew a tire on the way home & spent $400 we really didn't have fixing that! UGH! Now we're home, dh is EXTREMELY busy w/ work this week (no free time at all), it's supposed to be in the upper 90's and we haven't had time to hook up our a/c yet (we have a new one in the box in the garage that dh was going to put in, but he just hasn't had time yet). All that said, I do NOT want to even turn on my oven this week!!! So would you please share with me your favorite cold things to eat on HOT summer days? I need ideas for all meals and snacks...I think my mind is already over heating!LOL!!

[AuntieM]

:bigear:

[MariannNOVA]

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus

 

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/06/israeli_couscous_with_asparagus_peas_and_sugar_snaps

 

Orzo Salad

 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/orzo-salad-10000000264090/

 

Steak Salad

 

http://recipehut.homestead.com/GrilledAsianSteakSalad.html

 

Cold Fried Chicken (get it already cooked at the supermarket)

 

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad (buy chicken already cooked)

[elise1mds]

My kids' favorite cold meal is a sandwich containing the following: Fresh spinach, provolone cheese, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts (canned, sliced). Pesto is spread onto both sides of a cut loaf of French bread before layering all the ingredients.

[Parrothead]

Fruit

Veggies

Cheese

Bread

Cold pasta

Grilled meats

 

 

For my two weeks of high summer I make a lot of cut fruit and keep it in the fridge. Same thing with the veggies. I also have cheese and ice cream available. I make or buy boules of bread and put it in the freezer leading up to summer. The bread is our starch and the butter used on the bread is our fat. I'll boil pasta early in the morning every couple of days and make a variety of pasta salads. I alternate them with things like pea salad (frozen green peas thawed tossed with hard boiled egg, chopped onion and mixed with mayo and salt) or corn salad (fresh blanched corn or canned corn tossed with a can of black beans, chopped onion, cilantro, olive oil and salt.)

 

Sandwich fixings for lunch and cereal for breakfast.

[Katiebug_1976]

Ooo, these sound good! Keep them coming...:001_smile:

[AlisonK]

We make fruit smoothies for dinner at least once a week when the weather is warm. Sometimes they are made with fruit but other times the boys like peanut butter smoothies (with milk, ice, peanut butter, honey and a little cinnamon).

 

The fruit smoothies are a mixture of whatever we have or want including: frozen berries, bananas, mangos, milk, juice, yogurt, coconut milk, maple syrup etc.

 

We also like chicken salad with celery and chopped grapes mixed in. We put it on bread, make lettuce wraps or stuff it into tomatoes.

 

I love the light, cold summer meals. There are some great ideas here so far. I hope more are coming.

[LibraryLover]

Giant salads of every type with various nuts, seeds, canned & rinsed beans (garbanzo is one of my faves), avocado, feta or other cheese, olives, with any sort of sliced or shredded vegetables. I'd you like some veggies a little cooked (broccoli etc), steam lightly first, plunge in ice water, let drain and add.

 

Do you grill? I use the grill quite a bit when it's to warm to cook inside. I did asparagus yesterday and I am craving more. :)

 

PS It's pretty easy to set up a window AC. We could talk you through it. :)

Edited May 9, 2011 by LibraryLover

[Susan in KY]

We love to get whole wheat pitas and eat them with this salad (I often substitute black beans for the black-eyed peas):

http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/recipes/appetizers-and-snacks/black-eyed-pea-salsa/

 

...and plain yogurt and Papa Harry's Hummus (posted on this board eons ago by I-don't-know-whom):

1-2 cans garbanzos—aka chick peas (drained, but reserve liquid)

3-4 tablespoons tahini

2-3 cloves garlic

juice of one lemon or lime

a few tablespoons olive oil

dash of paprika

 

1) place chick peas, 2 T olive oil, tahini, garlic and lemon juice in a blender

2) Mix on low, adding reserved liquid from the drained beans SLOWLY if needed to get it to blend.

3) Blend on high 'til think and smooth. Consistency should equal refried beans w/out chunks.

4) Scrape into shallow bowl

5) Chill overnight

6) Smooth surface w/knife, leaving small dips + drizzle 1 T olive oil over the top. Sprinkle lightly with paprika.

 

I put everything on one pita. My dc like to separate the flavors. Bon apetit!

[msk]

Depending on where you are, Peach Tomato Gazpacho:

 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Peach-and-Tomato-Gazpacho-232601

 

If peaches and tomatoes are coming into season where you are, this is SO delicious! (And really easy too!) It's not so great with bland off-season peaches and tomatoes though. Where I live, early summer is the perfect time for it.

 

I second the grilling suggestion, too. We do that a lot in the summer. And avocado BLTs (with microwaved bacon).

[EJCMom]

When it's too hot to turn on the oven, I cook as much as I can in the crockpot out in the garage on top of the dryer. :D

[Tammyla]

I love any type of salad especially if it's fresh from the garden or a cold pasta salad.

[JennyD]

My family's favorite summer meal is:

 

caprese salad (tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil)

boiled corn

hard boiled eggs

 

Sometimes I add bread, too. Fresh strawberries or melon for dessert. We eat this probably once a week in the summer.

 

I am also addicted to sliced tomato on toast, with a little celery salt, but I'm the only one in the family who considers that enough for a meal.

 

Wow, now I really want a tomato. (OT: We live in NY and tomatoes don't really come into full season until August. But we are moving to Tennessee next month! Will tomatoes there be earlier? Please tell me that they have good tomatoes there. DH is closing on our house in about 15 minutes -- there's still time for me to call and stop him.)

[JennyD]

When it's too hot to turn on the oven, I cook as much as I can in the crockpot out in the garage on top of the dryer. :D

 

I am loving that image.

[Desert Rat]

Cold tuna/macaroni salad. (You do have to boil the macaroni though.) I add peas, tuna, and cubed cheese to the noodles and toss with a bit of mayo. Yummy!

[redsquirrel]

If you go to the NYT website, I remember Mark Bittman had an article there a summer or two ago that was something like "100 Hot Weather Meals". As per usual for Bittman, they were all very simple. Some were extravagant, such as lobsters steamed at the store, but most were not like that. And all were very fast to prepare.

 

I use my microwave for cooking as much as possible in the hot weather. It really cut down on the heat in the house.

[OnTheBrink]

Pasta salad:

 

1 lb box of tri-color pasta

sliced pepperoni

sliced black olives

diced roma tomatoes

diced zucchini

diced bell peppers (green, red, orange or yellow)

diced or shredded mozzarella

1 bottle Italian dressing

 

Boil the pasta and rinse in cold water, add other ingredients and toss. Use as much or as little of the other ingredients as you like. Pour dressing over ( I usually end up using the entire bottle, but you don't have to). Chill and eat.

 

For other salads, I keep on hand:

 

baby lettuces

Romaine

shredded cheeses

ham

turkey

chicken

tomatoes

cucumbers

broccoli florets

cauliflower florets

sunflower seeds

boiled eggs

 

I keep all this chopped and ready to throw into a salad for a fast and cool meal.

 

Other stuff for cold meals:

 

tuna

canned chicken

crackers

cheese slices

grapes

apples

celery

peanut butter

cream cheese

hummus

pita bread

 

for grilling:

 

burger patties

hot dogs

chicken breasts

salmon burgers

[myfunnybunch]

Cucumber Melon Salad

 

Cube cucumber, cantaloupe and watermelon. Over the top, pour balsamic vinegar and some s&p. Let sit in the fridge for a while, stirring once in a while. Serve.

 

That's it. It's sweet and cool and refreshing. I crave this salad on hot summer days.

[J-rap]

Well it's not our FAVORITE necessarily, but it's good. A package of cold, cooked pasta, can of rinsed and drained tuna, mayonaise -between 1/2 cup to 1 cup, 1 cup frozen peas, 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese cut into little squares, chopped cilantro for added flavor, and salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste. You can also add some chopped onions if your kids like them. Make sure you don't add the frozen peas until right before serving!

[mcconnellboys]

We like salads and fresh fruits, such as berries and melon slices. You can add nuts, seeds, and dried as well as fresh fruits to the salads to beef them up (also cheeses)....

 

I've been making green smoothies lately. If you made one with more greenery and less fruit, so that it's thick like a creamy soup, it would actually be good eaten cold or at room temperature (and good for you, too!)

 

We like tuna salad sandwiches, pimento cheese, etc. Those things stuffed into celery are also good!

 

We like fresh cut up vegi's with dip (I make one using half sour cream and half mayo with different herbs)....

 

Cold cut sandwiches....

 

Plates of pickles, olives, pepperoni, summer sausage, cheeses, ham or prosciutto wrapped melon, etc.

[kchara]

Last summer and the one before, it was hotter than anything, and we had no AC and a mobile home that managed to cool down just as the sun was coming back up. :glare: We would go to WalMart and get big bags of frozen berries and use those with a bit of whipped cream on top. More like dessert, but it worked for supper when it was just too hot to cook or eat. ;)

[SunD]

My kids love what I call "spirals" for lunch in the summer. It's super easy and uses what you have on hand.

 

The first layer is a tortilla (which can also be a spinach or tomato tortilla!). Spread it with whatever you like ... hummus, mayo, guacamole, salsa, etc. Add layers of meat, cheese, and sliced veggies, again being whatever you like and have in the fridge. Make the layers thin, not all in the middle like a burrito. Roll it up and slice it. Lay the pieces flat and they're so pretty! I love to do BLT ones (with bacon cooked in the microwave) with ranch dressing as a spread. Mustard/mayo (or honey mustard dressing) plus cold chicken, shredded mozzarella cheese, and green peppers is another favorite. DD's favorite is pizza (pizza/spaghetti sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni).

 

Practical adults can eat it as a wrap. :tongue_smilie:

[Photo Ninja]

Grilled meats are a must so I don't have to turn on the oven.

 

Grilled veggies: Zucchini: cut lengthwise in half or quarters, same with squash, tomatoes, etc. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with your favorite herbs or garlic, then grill on the BBQ. Or, you can make aluminum foil pouches and put the veggies in those and put them on the grill. Then they steam more than grill, and taste just as good.

 

Chicken salad: (Great on greens or in a wrap or on a sandwich) Shredded or cubed cooked chicken, chopped green apple, celery (if you like it, which we don't)and roasted cashews. Mix together with some mayo and a touch of curry, then eat on lettuce greens or as a sandwich. If you will have leftovers, only add the cashews to what you will be eating and add them to the leftovers the next day. They tend to lose their crunch once they are mixed in, but still taste good. But they are best crunchy.

[nono]

Israeli Couscous with Asparagus

 

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/06/israeli_couscous_with_asparagus_peas_and_sugar_snaps

 

Orzo Salad

 

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/orzo-salad-10000000264090/

 

Steak Salad

 

http://recipehut.homestead.com/GrilledAsianSteakSalad.html

 

 

 

 

Woman, I :001_wub: you!

[bry's-gal]

This is a MUST make!

Taco Dip- 16 0z each of cottage cheese and cream cheese, one packet of taco seasoning- beat it all together and the refrigerate. When it is time to serve, spread some on a plate, top with your favourite veggies and cheese. Eat with tortilla chips! My kids LOVE this one!

[Katiebug_1976]

OH MY GOODNESS! You guys are the best! These all look sooooooo good! We waited until the hottest time of the day to run into town to do our shopping (ooo air conditioned stores :D I'm so spoiled...you'd think I could go a couple days w/o A/C w/o complaining) but I forgot to get the flank steak for steak salad. I can see I will need to add a few more things to my list and run back to town today! Thank you so much for sharing your ideas. It's so nice to get a fresh perspective from time to time. We tend to get stuck in the ruts of "same ol' same ol' too often and I need to spice our menu up more often.

[KatieJ]

This is a MUST make!

Taco Dip- 16 0z each of cottage cheese and cream cheese' date=' one packet of taco seasoning- beat it all together and the refrigerate. When it is time to serve, spread some on a plate, top with your favourite veggies and cheese. Eat with tortilla chips! My kids LOVE this one![/quote']

 

I make this with cream cheese in stead of Cream Cheese and I add a whole avocado to it. Yum.