inspire me: summer meals

[prairiewindmomma]

What are you eating this summer? Bonus points if it utilizes an instant pot, rice maker, or other non-oven means of making meals. 

[prairiewindmomma]

The only thing I want to eat at this point is salmon soft tacos with red cabbage, cotija cheese, mango, and avocado crema with a side of roasted corn.  Also, berries.

 

My kids are convinced we need something on the menu besides that and cold cereal.

[BarbecueMom]

I almost started a similar thread yesterday! All I seem to have a taste for right now is grilled squash and watermelon salsa. Might go well with the salmon tacos!

 

(Why did that autocorrect to "salmon racist"?!?)

[magnificent_baby]

Our go to summer meal is BLT sandwiches, corn on the cob, baked beans and local watermelon. We have this meal several times during the late summer when our tomatoes (well, my mom's) are ready and local farmers set up their sweet corn stands. Nothin' better! 

[Excelsior! Academy]

Overnight crockpot oatmeal for breakfast.  Fill a small mouthed, quart sized mason jar to the top with oats and add a pinch of salt.  Then add sugar to the brim.  At night pour oats into the slow cooker and refill the jar with water 2x, dumping contents on top of oats.  Place lid on slow cooker and turn to low.  In the am turn to high an hour before eating.  Kids can serve themselves and bonus if there is left overs.  Just serve the left over, pre-cooked, cold oats straight from the fridge the next day.  You can pre-make these and store in the pantry.

 

Tacos with meat cooked in the crock pot and rice in the rice cooker.  

 

Pasta salad with pasta made in the rice cooker.

 

Rice salad (made just like pasta salad, but with rice instead)

 

Shish-k-bobs on the grill

 

Soup 

 

Chili and/or frito chili pies

 

Chicken cooked in the crockpot and shredded then served in all manner of ways

 

Chicken on the grill then sliced and served in all manner of ways

 

 

[mamiof5]

We eat lots of salads in the summer time. Taco salad, chicken salad (shredded chicken, diced celery, green onions, halved grapes, mayo, celery salt, pepper and McCormick regular blend for seasoniing)-we eat it as sandwiches, lettuce wraps etc. We also like crab salad, pasta salad, tuna. The sky is the limit 😉

[trulycrabby]

The only thing I want to eat at this point is salmon soft tacos with red cabbage, cotija cheese, mango, and avocado crema with a side of roasted corn. Also, berries.

 

My kids are convinced we need something on the menu besides that and cold cereal.

I'm going to your house for dinner! Sounds great! :)

[Sukale]

Lots of pasta salad, soft tacos, fresh fruit and veggies, sandwiches, and smoothies

 

[Alte Veste Academy]

One of our favorite things is just a big platter of cheese, salami, olives, hummus, bread, cherry tomatoes, and grapes. So easy. Think I will do this Sunday for game night...

 

Our favorite summer salad is a bed of romaine topped with green onions, tomatoes, diced jalapeños, cilantro, avocado slices, and sliced grilled chicken. We just top this with olive oil and freshly squeezed lime juice.

 

When DH makes hamburgers, I have hamburger salad, which is everything but the bun but in salad form.

[Alte Veste Academy]

DH's favorite summer meal is pasta salad with bow tie pasta, halved cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, green onions, diced bell pepper, diced ham, diced cheddar, a generous sprinkling of oregano, and oil and red wine vinegar.

[myfunnybunch]

Chicken salad. Prepare extra chicken the day before or use a rotisserie chicken. Serve on fresh lettuce from the garden, with bakery bread, melon and fresh sliced veggies on the side.

 

That's what I made a couple days ago when I did. not. want. to. cook.

[Bambam]

Love this one - http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/chicken-taco-salad/

Chicken salad - like above poster said, from rotisserie chicken. Add fruit (grapes here).

Fresh veggies and hummus.

Mediterranean pita pizzas - little olive oil, red wine vinegar, spinach, fresh tomatoes, sliced olives, feta cheese, more feta, italian seasoning. Bake at 400 for about 4 minutes. Yummy. 

 

[BarbecueMom]

Does anyone have a pasta salad recipe that does not use mayo or vinaigrette or Italian dressing? Honestly the thought of cold pasta salad makes me gag, but it's so easy to make ahead and stick in the fridge for later.

 

I've seen one for pizza pasta salad that could work, and bacon-ranch looks like it would be a hit if I leave out the mayo, but soooo many recipes use vinegar or mayo or lemon juice and I just can't handle that.

[fdrinca]

We have been loving this Thai quinoa salad - lots of fresh veggies, easy to add a protein of choice, better as leftovers, good hot or cold:4

 

http://www.lovewellblog.com/2014/07/here-taste-this-thai-quinoa-salad-with.html

[Ottakee]

One thing I do is cook up an entire bag of skinless boneless chicken breasts in the crock pot at once. Then bag them in individual baggies when cool and put those baggies in a large zip lock freezer bag. Makes it very easy to add chicken to your salads, make chicken salad sandwiches, chicken tacos/nachos, etc.

[prairiewindmomma]

We do buy Costco's rotisserie chicken a lot. It's cheaper to buy their cooked chicken than to buy the chicken whole and raw.  We had chicken salad on croissants yesterday. :)

[ElizabethB]

Summer cooking classes!! That is what I am planning. The kids cook their own lunch daily, part of the deal if they want to homeschool. They cook dinner often, sometimes my husband does. I have a bunch of food allergies, so my food is a pain, a few days of my rotation diet I will feed any interested parties from my food. I figure summer is a good time for them to expand their cooking selections, my son can make a half dozen things and my daughter maybe a dozen.

[prairiewindmomma]

I find that I'm making rice and beans in quantity once a week, and rotating through various cold salads based on those.... cowboy caviar, cold white rice with avocado and a side salad, etc. We're going through a lot of red peppers and cucumbers.  

[momee]

Reubens  on the panini maker and potato salad.  Not uber healthy but oh so easy and yum!

 

instapot yumminess

http://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/pressure-cooker-mongolian-beef/

 

and a great cookbook I've had on my shelf by Anna Pump.  I was determined to read cover to cover and am so glad I did.  Got to learn a little about a woman who left quite a legacy.  She led what seems like my dream life, house in the Hamptons, a take out healthy food store, traveling on the off months, parties/family, a rich life.  I was inspired by her today - hope the book is a blessing to you.  I've loved reading it, and she's Ina Garten's friend.  I want to be Ina's friend!!!!

 

http://www.amazon.com/Summer-Plate-delicious-no-fuss-recipes/dp/1451626010?ie=UTF8&refRID=541V20K9CKY57N90Q4A8&ref_=pd_ybh_a_7

soo many yummy things

She has since passed away (killed on a city street by a car! If you scroll down a bit on this page can get some ideas by looking at their store menu.  I just ordered another book by her about entertaining.  

http://www.landffoodstore.com/

Edited June 7, 2016 by momee

[frugalmamatx]

Does anyone have a pasta salad recipe that does not use mayo or vinaigrette or Italian dressing? Honestly the thought of cold pasta salad makes me gag, but it's so easy to make ahead and stick in the fridge for later.

 

I've seen one for pizza pasta salad that could work, and bacon-ranch looks like it would be a hit if I leave out the mayo, but soooo many recipes use vinegar or mayo or lemon juice and I just can't handle that.

 

My dd and I are the same - we detest pasta salad. But both of us will gladly eat cold mac & cheese {the good kind} or cold alfredo with garlic - would those work for you?

[frugalmamatx]

So far my summer line-up is:

 

Tacos {I brown a BUNCH of hamburger at once at night, then just reheat with proper spices added in the microwave}

 

Walking tacos - same as above, but make with doritos / tortilla chips in a bowl

 

Lunch meat sandwiches

 

Cold cooked meats - chicken {I get the clearanced rotisserie chickens at walmart for $2.50 each}, beef, etc. 

 

Fish tacos - corn tortillas, fish takes maybe 15 minutes in our oven but could easily be made on a grill or toaster oven {we have neither}

 

Cottage cheese fruit salad {cottage cheese, any flavor jello powder {I use strawberry}, crushed pineapple, canned fruit of choice, marshmallows and coolwhip all mixed together}. Very filling and yummy when it's hot

 

 

 

Another thing I do in summer is flip our meals. We'll eat dinner for breakfast {when it's cooler}, and then breakfast foods like milk & cereal for dinner. 

[kewb]

I am eagerly awaiting my jersey tomatos.

 

Pico de Gallo

Israeli Salad

Tomato and avocado salad

Greek salad

Cous cous salad