Summer Cooking 101 Part VI, Desserts

Summertime desserts are the best ... as long as you don't have to bake them! It doesn't have to be all fruit, either. Several websites are out there with great no-bake dessert recipes:

Kraft.com -- the list here is to-die-for!

About.com -- Recipes and tips both.

Foodnetwork.com -- Not just desserts! A list of no-cook recipes from start to finish.

A few of my favorites ingredients to keep on-hand for easy summertime desserts:

• Non-dairy whipped topping in tubs
  
• Heavy cream
  
• Yogurt
• Ice cream
  
• Vanilla wafers
  
• Chocolate chips
  
• Sandwich cookies (Oreos)
  
• Graham crackers
  
• Different flavors of gelatin and pudding mixes
  
• Marshmallows
  
• Fresh Fruit
  
• Lemon and lime juice
  
• Honey
  

I posted a really great and simple Honey Lime Melon recipe over at Short Order Mom, and these recipes here are awesome examples of no-cook dessert bliss!

My favorite "Snow Dessert" is within this post.

Mocha Trifle

2 1/2 cups milk
1/3 cup instant coffee-dry
2 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix (3.5 oz)
16 ounces non-dairy whipped cream, thawed
2 loaves pound cake--cubed
Grated semisweet chocolate-about one ounce.
Ground cinnamon

Mix together milk and coffee granules until dissolved-set aside one cup.
Add pudding mixes to the remaining milk mixture. Beat until thickened.
Fold in half of the whipped topping.
Place a third of the cake cubes in a trifle bowl.
Layer with a third of the reserved milk mixture and pudding mixture
and a fourth of the grated chocolate.
Repeat layers twice.
Garnish with remaining whipped topping and chocolate.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Serves 16
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rocky Road Freeze
This is all over the 'net with no real author credited.

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup chocolate-flavored syrup
2 cups heavy or whipping cream
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped

In small bowl, combine condensed milk and
chocolate syrup until blended.

In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat
cream just until stiff peaks form. Fold chocolate
mixture, marshmallows, chocolate chips, and peanuts
into whipped cream just until combined. Cover bowl
and freeze overnight.

To serve, let mixture stand about 15 minutes
at room temperature for easier scooping, then
scoop into dessert dishes.

Summer Cooking 101 Part V, Salads

I fully realize that I never finished my 12 week-series on Summer Cooking last year. Look on the bright side, I'm 5 posts ahead now! Ha ha. I'll be finishing this series up some summer, I suppose!

This part is all about everyone's favorite hot weather fare: salads.

Salads are on of the most versatile dishes ever created. From side to main, hot to cold, cheeses to meats, grains to greens ... the possibilities are endless. Vegetables and fruits abound this time of year, and there isn't anything easier or cooler to whip up for lunch or dinner.

Keep the heat down in the kitchen by making anything that needs to be cooked for your salad early in the morning or later at night. Many things can be grilled as well, keeping the heat where it belongs - outside.

There are websites galore about choosing the freshest and best produce, here are a few I like:

Produce Oasis
North Dakota State University
Pick Texas
Family Circle

There's no reason not to cut things up ahead of time so that you have them on-hand for quick salads. As long as they are wrapped properly and used within safe time limits, you're good to go. If guests stop by you can throw something together in minutes.

If I had it my way, I'd make a week of meals out of these salads:

California Club Pasta Salad
6 servings
(I don't know where this came from, or I'd gladly credit the author!)

3 cups uncooked medium pasta shells (7 1/2 ounces)
3/4 cup fat-free ranch dressing
1 medium tomato -- chopped (3/4 cup)
1/4 pound deli-style sliced fat-free ham -- cut into 1/2-inch strips
1/4 pound deli-style sliced fat-free turkey -- cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 medium green onions -- sliced (2 tablespoons)
1 (10-ounce) bag washed fresh spinach
1/4 cup imitation bacon-flavor bits

Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Rinse with cold water; drain.

Toss pasta, dressing, tomato, ham, turkey and onions. Place spinach on
serving platter. Top with pasta mixture. Sprinkle with bacon bits.
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Ginger-Lime Chicken Salad
From BHG.com
Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast
1 cup snow pea pods, long-bias cut
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon sliced green onion

Mix yogurt, lime juice, and ginger in a medium bowl.
Add chicken, stirring to coat. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
Toss pea pods, celery, and onion together.
Mix vegetables and chicken mixture together and serve.
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

Sirloin Citrus Salad
4 servings

1 lb boneless beef top sirloin cut in 1" thick slices
1 T olive oil
4 c Romaine lettuce, torn
2 oranges, peel and separate into segments
1/4 c toasted walnuts
Sliced strawberries (optional)

Citrus Vinaigrette
makes about 1/3 cup

2 T Orange juice
2 T Red wine vinegar
1 T Olive oil
2 t Honey
1 1/2 t Dijon style mustard

Mix ingredients for Citrus Vinaigrette, reserve. Cut steak into 1/8"
thick strips; cut each strip in half. Heat oil in a large non-stick
skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry beef (1/2 at a time) 1 to 2
minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon; season with salt, if desired.
Toss beef and oranges in a large bowl. Sprinkle with walnuts. Drizzle
with vinaigrette, garnish with strawberries, serve immediately.

Source: Beef Board pamphlet
~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~

This Fresh Fruit Salad from About.com looks delicious, too!

Summer Cooking 101 Part IV, Sandwiches

There is no meal more life-saving and versatile on a hot day than a sandwich. The fillings options and bread types available are innumerable and there isn't anyone I know who doesn't have a favorite.

Many times we will load the blender or food processor with meats and cheeses that we like and blend away creating a sandwich spread that can be held in the refrigerator and used by almost anyone to make a quick bite. We try to think outside the box a little and make non-traditional sandwiches like cream cheese and pb with a fruit. We even do this with hot dogs adding things like salsa and shredded cheese.

Other times we make Dagwood-esque towers or simple roll-ups from flat breads.

Here are a few ideas to get you started. This list could go on to infinity and if you have a very favorite sandwich, let me know!


Breads can include:

• pitas
  
• whole wheat
  
• white
  
• rye
  
• pumpernickel
  
• rolls (French, Portuguese, hoagie, Kaiser etc)
  
• bagels
  
• tortillas
  
• rice cakes
  
• focaccia bread
  
• ciabatta bread
  

Meats or Fillings can include:

• lunchmeats (too many to list! Turkey, chicken, beef, ham, salami etc.)
  
• leftover meatloaf
  
• grilled chicken
  
• cream cheese
  
• egg salad
  
• tuna salad
  
• veggies
  
• hard cheeses
  
• spreads
  
• hummus
• tofu
  
• bacon
  
• peanut butter
  
• jams, jellies and preserves
  

Veggies and fruits can include:

• lettuces (bibb, romaine, spinach etc.)
  
• tomatoes (try plum tomatoes on a sandwich)
  
• radishes
  
• onions
  
• avocado
  
• sprouts
  
• zucchini
  
• cucumber
  
• fresh herbs
  
• bananas
  
• apples
  
• strawberries
  
• pears (as in grilled pear and Gouda-yum!)
  
• pineapple
  

Condiments can include:

• olives
  
• pickles
  
• peppers (green, red, sweet, hot etc.)
  
• salad dressings (Ranch, Italian, Thousand Island, Bleu Cheese etc.)
  
• cole slaw
  
• mustards like grainy, honey or Dijon
  
• ketchup
  
• mayo
  
• salsa
  

**********

Hawaiian Ham Spread

1 1/2 cups cooked ground ham (food processor or blender works well)
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 t brown sugar
1/8 t ground cloves
2 1/2 T mayonnaise

Combine first 5 ingredients and stir well.


Smoked Salmon Spread

8 oz cream cheese-softened
3 T heavy cream
5 oz smoked salmon-minced
1 T minced fresh chives or green onions
Fresh lemon juice
ground cayenne pepper
ground black pepper

Combine cream cheese and heavy cream in a bowl and whip with an electric
mixer or a wire whip until light and fluffy. Stir in the smoked salmon,
chives and add lemon juice, cayenne and black pepper to taste. Serve on
bagels, other breads or as a dip for raw veges. Serve at room
temperature.


Olive Sandwich Spread

2 pkg. (3 oz. each) cream cheese-softened
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c chopped green olives
1/2 c chopped pecans-or other nut or even sunflower seeds
1 T olive juice

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Spread on
crackers or bread. Yield: 1 1/2 cups.


Grilled Honey-Mustard Chicken Sandwiches
4 Servings

1/4 c Dijon mustard
2 tb Honey
1 ts Dried oregano leaves
1/4 ts Garlic powder
1/4 ts Ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 ts Water
4 ea Boneless, skinless chicken-breast halves (appx 1 lb)
4 ea Whole-grain sandwich buns,
8 ea Thin slices tomato
Leaf lettuce

Mix mustard, honey, oregano, garlic powder, red pepper and water, brush
on chicken.

Cover and grill chicken 4 to 6 inches from medium coals 15 to 20
minutes, brushing with mustard mixture and turning occasionally,
until juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are
cut.

Discard any remaining mustard mixture.
Serve chicken on buns with tomato and lettuce.

Source: Betty Crockers New Chicken Recipes


Anne's Sweet and Savory Tuna Sandwiches

6 Kaiser rolls
2-6 1/2 oz cans tuna
6 slices cheese any type
to taste:
chopped black olives
sliced sweet and sour peppers
Spanish olives with pimiento
sliced tomato
Italian dressing

Split rolls and hollow out to within 1/2" of edges.
Drain tuna and flake. Place one slice of cheese on
bottom half of each roll. Top with tuna, olives,
peppers, tomato and drizzle with dressing. Place tops on
and wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for
1 hr but not more than 12 (rolls will get soggy).
Unwrap and let stand at room temperature for 1/2 hour
before serving.

Makes 6 sandwiches


Cobb Salad Sandwich

1 piece flat peasant bread or one large flour tortilla
grilled, sliced chicken breast
2 slices bacon cooked crisp
1/2 tomato-diced
1/2 avocado-thinly sliced
romaine lettuce-chopped
iceberg lettuce-chopped
4 thin slices red onion
2 T bleu cheese dressing

Layer ingredients in the middle of bread or tortilla.
Roll tightly and slice on bias. Makes one large
sandwich.


And, last but not least, if you can stomach it:

Dagwood Bumstead Sandwich
1 servings

3 lg Onions
1 Head lettuce
4 Tomatoes, sliced
1 Lobster tail
1 Eagle talon
1 Fish (pref.2-days old)
1 Pot spaghetti
- Cold and gooey
1 lb Bacon (cooked?)
1 Meatloaf
1 Ham
1 Fried egg (over easy)
1 String of sausages
1 Mayonnaise, gallon
1 Jar of pickle relish
1 Tin of sardine in oil
1 Bottle of ketchup
1 Bottle Sweet mustard
1 Hot mustard
1 Loaf Bread
Assorted cheese
Assorted vegetables
Assorted olives

Arrange the ingredients between two slices of bread.
Serves one.
From: King Features Syndicate

Summer Cooking 101 Part III, Soup

Beautiful Soup: Gazpacho

Soup is not something that normally comes to mind in the summer. It's hot enough without hovering your face over a bowl of steaming food. Never fear, there are cool soups that are perfect for summer and simpler to make than you might think.

Give one of these a try the next time you need something cool to dine on.

**********
Strawberry soup is more a dessert than anything else. Try a small cup for an appetizer as well.

Strawberry Soup
Printable Recipe

1 to 1 1/2 qts fresh strawberries cleaned and hulled
1 clove
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/4 c triple sec OR orange juice
1 c sugar
cornstarch
2 c heavy cream 1/2 liquid and 1/2 whipped

Combine strawberries, clove, cinnamon, sugar and liquor or juice in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Thicken if needed with cornstarch. Cool.

Once the strawberry mixture is cooled, remove the clove and cinnamon stick. Mash well or puree, if desired, some like this soup chunky and others prefer it smooth. Add the liquid cream and then fold in the whipped cream. Chill for several hours before serving.

**********
Cold Melon Soup
Printable Recipe

2 ripe cantaloupes peeled, seeded and diced about 4 cups
1 small can (6-8 oz) apricot nectar
1/4 c honey
1 sachet (cheesecloth tied with string) containing 1/2 cinnamon stick and 3 slivers ginger) OR 1 tsp pumpkin pie or apple pie spice
2 c heavy cream -1/2 liquid and 1/2 whipped

In a large saucepan combine melon, apricot nectar, honey and spices. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until melon is very soft. Cool completely and puree (remove sachet first).

Add liquid cream and then fold in whipped cream. Chill for several hours before serving.

**********
Iced Cucumber Soup
Printable Recipe

5 cucumbers-peeled, seeded and cut into 1" chunks
5 fresh mint leaves
2 c buttermilk
2 c chicken stock
1 T lime juice
1/2 t salt

Place cucumbers and mint leaves in blender or food
processor and whirl to a fine puree. Pour into a 2 qt
pitcher. Add buttermilk, chicken stock, lime juice, and
salt; mix well. Chill for at least 1 hour or until cold.

**********
Another version of cucumber soup:

Chilled Dill Cucumber Soup
Printable Recipe

1 cup cold chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 lb. fresh cucumbers, not peeled, cut into chunks
3 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put some of the broth into a blender, just enough to cover the blades.
Add cucumber and dill and blend until liquid. Add remaining broth, salt and pepper
and blend.
Serve sprinkled with additional chopped dill.

**********

Chilled Vegetable Soup
Ready In: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Printable Recipe

1 small cucumber
1 small zucchini
2 ribs celery
1/2 small Spanish onion
1/2 red pepper
1/2 green pepper
2 green onions - white and green parts
2 medium tomatoes - peeled, seeded and diced
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups vegetable stock or water
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Tablespoon freshly snipped dill
1 Tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Extra vegetables and herbs for garnish

Peel, seed and cut all vegetables into very fine dice (first 8 ingredients). Toss together in a large bowl.
Stir together tomato paste and water or stock and add to veggies. Toss in all seasonings (last 6 ingredients) and stir until well combined. Chill overnight or for at least 4 hours so flavors will blend. Serve with reserved chopped veggies and herbs
on top.

**********
Cool and Creamy Cucumber and Tomato Soup 
Ready in 15 minutes
Serves 4 as a starter
Printable Recipe

6 large or 8 medium ripe plum tomatoes - peeled and seeded
3 medium cucumbers - peeled and seeded
1 small bunch green onions - tops and whites
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup sour cream (I like Mexican crema for this)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon freshly snipped dill plus more for garnish (or whichever herb you like)

Pop everything into a blender and puree until smooth. Chill for several hours if desired or serve as-is topped with extra herbs and sliced green onion.

**********
This next soup is what Alice B. Toklas referred to as "Beautiful Soup". Also posted at A Thousand Soups.

Gazpacho
Printable Recipe

2 large very ripe tomatoes concassè (peeled, seeded and diced)
1/2 onion diced
1/2 large green pepper diced
1/2 large red pepper diced
1/2 large yellow pepper diced
1 cucumber peeled, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic minced
2 T red wine vinegar
1 T lemon juice
1 T lime juice
2 c tomato juice
2 c consomme or beef stock (cold)

Puree all together until smooth. Add garnish (below) and chill for several hours. Serve topped with fried croutons if desired.

Garnish

1 c tomato concassè (peeled, seeded, diced)
2 c peppers (green, red, yellow) diced
1 c peeled and seeded cucumber diced
1 c scallions sliced thin
1 T fresh dill minced
1 T fresh cilantro minced

Summer Cooking 101 Part II, Big Ideas for Little Tummies

See the bottom of this post for a link on a how-to for this cute veggie-packed and kid-friendly pizza!

Feeding kids isn't easy. Anyone who is a parent or caregiver of children knows this one. Their tastes can change from day-to-day and much of the grown-up fare that the rest of us adore just doesn't do it for them.

My kids are not exempt just because I can cook. One of them has changed her tastes over the past year at a truly maddening rate. One week she loves the tuna cakes I've made for years, and the next she's telling me she hates them. I've already warned her that this is not a fast-food joint and she can't just order ala carte here. I think at this point she would rather go hungry than eat something she just doesn't like. I also know from experience with several of the other kids that she will outgrow it.

Some of what I make for the kids is flat out for fun, some of what I make is for hidden nutritional value, some of it is just because they like it.

Here are a few ideas and recipes to get your own imagination going. Almost all of these are great for Summertime too. This is just the very tip of the recipe and idea iceberg, I just don't have room for all of it!
~~~~~~~~~~

• When it comes to making hoagies, the amount of bread in a normal hoagie roll is just too much for little ones and I often found rolls emptied of their contents and lying on a plate. So, to avoid having this happen I started using hot dog rolls for the smaller kids. Not only do they think kid-sized rolls are "cool" but they can also finish the whole thing. Whole wheat hot dog rolls are not yet the easiest to find but they are out there and are far better than the white flour type.

• We love pita bread here for all manner of things (mini's are great for kid sandwiches) including pizza. It's about the simplest pizza "dough" going. Just lay out pitas and let the kids top them with their favorites and about 15 minutes in a 400° oven or a few seconds in the microwave is all you need.

• What kid doesn't like ranch dressing? Well, actually I do have one that doesn't like it. My oldest son defies logic. Any kid eats a veggie disguised in cheese sauce or ranch dressing, right? Not Declan. But the good news is that most kids love the stuff and will eat any manner of cut-up veggie if there's enough dip to go with it.

• Another way to get the kids to eat fruits and veggies is to make kabobs. Shish Kabob sticks (bamboo skewers) are very cheap and the kids love almost anything on them! Try varied fruits with a healthy dip like:

Honey Lime Yogurt Dressing

2c. plain yogurt
1/2 c. sour cream
1T. lime juice
1/2c. honey
1/4c. heavy cream
1t. parsely finely chopped

Mix together and allow flavors
to blend several hours or overnight.
(I used to serve this at my cafe and it was a big hit there!)

Chicken nuggets, hot dogs, turkey or ham cubes and cheese cubes are all great ideas for kabobs too.

• Smoothies are a huge favorite here and they are so easy to make. I have quite a few recipes and if you would like them just email me (link above and in my profile) and I'll be more than happy to send them along. Basically any yogurt or ice cream (or even tofu!) with a fruit, fresh or frozen, and a touch of fruit juice will do it. Blend away and watch the kids consume them with lightning speed.

• Yesterday I pulled a big no-no, nutritionally speaking; I bought freeze-pops. We all know they aren't more than colored sugar water but the kids love them and on a hot day I really don't mind them having one. There are healthier alternatives though and one of them is yogurt tubes. I never buy yogurt tubes that don't go directly to the freezer. The kids love yogurt (I buy plenty in cups) but they don't like the tubes in the "squishy" form as they call it. There are also recipes for fruit pops that you can make yourself with nothing more than popsicle forms (found several for $1 at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar both) and 100% fruit juice.

Another idea is these:

Easy Fudgesicles

1 12-oz. can evaporated milk (NOT condensed)
2 cups whole milk
1/4 to 1/3 cup chocolate syrup
3 level scoops (3/4 cup) hot chocolate mix powder
2 level scoops (1/2 cup) Nestle Quik
Popsicle molds - 8 to 12, depending on mold size

Pour evaporated milk, whole milk, and chocolate syrup
into a bowl and stir until blended. Heat until hot but
not boiling (microwave for about 4 minutes). Stir in
hot chocolate mix powder and Nestle Quik powder (a
wire whisk works best). Pour into popsicle molds and
freeze.

Snacks are a big thing here and if I let my kids do it, they would eat every 5 minutes throughout  the day. So, since I know they'll be asking alot I try to have healthier versions of things on hand. Many times that just means making it myself since the store bought type generally has more salt, sugar and preservatives than what I make. Apples with pb and honey dip go over big here and is a simple thing to prepare.

Also try:

Cheerio Bars
Servings: 6

1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c honey
3 c Cheerios
peanuts or chocolate chips

Bring sugar and honey to a boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat, stir in
peanut butter until well blended. Pour in cheerios and mix until well coated.
Spread in buttered 9 x 13 pan and let cool. cut in squares.

Cinnamon-Apple Fruit Rolls
Servings: 8

24 oz jar apple sauce
2 t cinnamon

Heat oven to 250. Line jelly roll pan with plastic wrap, securing ends.
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake at 250 for 1 1/4 hours. Turn off the oven and let stand in oven
2 to 3 hours until dry.
Cut into 8 squares and remove plastic wrap.
Roll up jelly roll fashion.

• Two easy ways to make ice cream are in bags and cans. The kids think both ways are really neat and they can be involved in making the ice cream with no mess! Ice cream sandwiches are super easy with store bought cookies. They are also a little smaller that way and easier to handle for little ones.

Zip Lock Bag Ice Cream

2 Tbsp. Sugar
1 cup milk or half and half
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
6 Tblsp. rock salt
1 pint sized plastic zip bag
1 gallon-sized plastic zip bag

Fill the gallon zip bag half full of ice. Add rock salt and seal well (I've used duct tape before to be sure it's sealed!). Pour sugar, milk/half and half, and vanilla into the pint sized plastic bag and seal. Place the pint
sized bag into the gallon bag and seal. Shake the bag for 5-7 minutes.

I've never gotten it to work that fast but it may work differently for you. I use the 5 minutes as a checking time. If it isn't done then, we just keep going.

Tin Can Ice Cream

1 Cup Milk
1 Cup Whipping Cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nuts or fruit as desired

Put all ingredients in a 1-pound coffee can with a tight fitting plastic
lid. Place lid on can. Place can with ingredients inside a #10 can (larger
coffee can) with a tight fitting lid. Pack larger can with crushed ice
around smaller can. Pour at least 3/4 cup of rock salt evenly over ice.
Place lid on #10 can. Roll back and forth on a table or cement slab for 10
minutes. Open outer can. Remove inner can with ingredients. Remove lid.
Use a rubber spatula to stir up mixture. Scrape sides of can. Replace lid.
Drain ice water from larger can. Insert smaller can: pack with more ice and
rock salt. Roll back and forth for 5 more minutes. Makes about 3 cups. You
can also put a few clean marbles in the can to help stir the ingredients.
Just be sure to remove them before eating to avoid a choking hazard.
Tape this all up with duct tape and the kids can even (gently) kick it around!

Adding in this new and very valuable resource: Claire Crespo's A Very Veggie World cookbook. This link is a FREE download and the book is chock full of terrific kid-friendly veggie ideas, many perfect for the summer. See my post about it here and follow the first link for your own copy!  ~Anne, June 6, 2012

Summer Cooking 101 Part I

Muffuletta

Nope, not Summer Cooking for Dummies, but close.

Now that things are heating up, many people are trying to figure out how to make meals without too much heat or fuss.

First thing's first - figure out what methods of cooking you have available and whether or not you are comfortable with them. One thing you definitely don't want to do is turn on the oven! Even if you have A/C the heat from the oven takes longer to dissipate in the summer since the humidity is generally higher. Also, anything that involves boiling water is something you want to do before sunrise or after sunset. If there is anything that I definitely need the oven or stovetop for (ie; certain cakes, pastas, rice) I try to get it done as early in the day as possible when it's generally cooler and more likely that the kitchen will cool off by mealtime.

I would try to stick with these appliances: refrigerator/freezer, crockpot, microwave, sandwich maker, waffle iron, blender, food processor, tabletop or stovetop grill, outdoor grill and electric frying pan. (I don't even own all of these myself, so you can make do with less.)

OK, now that you have your basic appliances chosen, what do you cook with them?
Here's where I come in! I have too many crockpot recipes and many for the microwave. I will post microwave recipes for sure, but they will be fewer since individual microwaves vary in heating times making it harder to pin down the method for many recipes. They are great to have and you can make a perfect cake with them as I discovered when we were without cooking gas for about a month once. (My microwave made a 9x9 cake in 10 minutes at 50% power, for instance. I did need to play around the first couple times but once I had it down we had cake fairly often.)

My favorite recipes are the ones that don't involve any cooking and those are most likely the ones I will share first.

My personal favorites for hotter days:

No-Cook or almost-no-cook:

• Fruit and Cheese with crackers or bread
• Tortilla Roll-Ups and wraps
• Cut up veggies and dip (cucumber, carrot, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, grape tomatoes, zucchini, etc.)
• Muffuletta
• Subs
• Cucumber Salad
• Pasta Salads
• Sandwich spreads
• Smoothies and milkshakes
• Dips
• Popsicles

Microwave:

• Quesadillas
• Rice dishes
• Chicken patty sandwiches
• Quick pizzas
• Veggie melts

Grill:

• Bulgogi (aka-Korean BBQ beef)
• Hot dogs
• Hamburgers
• Lime Ranch Chicken
• BBQ Chicken
• Grill roasted potatoes
• Grill roasted corn
• Chicken and veggie packets

Crockpot:

• Crockpot Chicken Stew
• Chicken with Noodles
• Sausage and Rice dinner
• Chicken and Rice
• Triple Chocolate Mess Dessert
• Chili

Here is a sample to get you going. Keep "tuning in" during the Summer for lots more!

Ham and Cheese Ranch Roll-Ups
Printable Recipes

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese-softened
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese-room temperature
1 cup mayonnaise
1 envelope Ranch Dip Mix
3/4 pound shaved deli ham-chopped if necessary
3/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
12 (9 inch) flour tortillas

In medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, cheddar, mayonnaise, and
dip mix until well combined. Stir in ham and onion, Spread each
tortilla thinly with ham mixture, leaving a scant 1/2 inch edge on
one side. Roll up toward side with 1/2 inch edge and wrap tightly in
plastic wrap; chill thoroughly, 3 to 4 hours or up to 2 days. Slice
rolls into 1/2 inch slices for appetizers or serve whole for full servings; discard ends if desired and arrange spirals on serving dish. Cover tightly and chill until ready to
serve, up to 24 hours.
Serves approximately 16 - 20 as an appetizer or 12 as a main dish.


5 Layer Mediterranean Dip
Printable Recipe

2 c hummus (recipe below)
1/2 c chopped tomato
1/4 c chopped cucumber
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Feta cheese-crumbled
2 T sliced pitted ripe olives

Spread hummus on bottom of 9-inch pie plate.
Layer with remaining ingredients. Serve with pita chips or wedges.


Hummus
Makes 2 cups
Printable Recipe

2 cups cooked and drained garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1/2 cup tahini - sesame paste
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
juice of 1 lemon

Toss everything into a blender and pulse until smooth. For this one I added in a cup of diced red pepper. You can add in other veggies, etc. just make sure to balance out the liquid so the hummus isn't too thin.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Makes 36 bars
Printable Recipe

2 c powdered sugar
2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 c smooth peanut butter
1/2 c +2 T butter or margarine-melted
12 oz Milk chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips-melted

Mix the powdered sugar, cracker crumbs, peanut butter and butter in a
medium size bowl until blended.
Scrape into an ungreased 13x9 baking pan and press into an even layer.
spread the melted chocolate over the top. Refrigerate at least 2
hours until the chocolate is firm. Let stand at room temperature, 15
to 20 minutes before cutting with a sharp knife into bars.




White Sangria Punch (Non-alcoholic)
12- 3/4 cup servings
Printable Recipe

4 c white grape juice
1 c pink grapefruit juice
1T lime juice
1 club soda bottle- 750 ml- chilled
Pink grapefruit slices

In large pitcher, combine grape, grapefruit and lime
juices; refrigerate. Just before serving, add soda water
and grapefruit slices.



Next up:

Summer Cooking 101 Part II, Big Ideas for Little Tummies