What are you cooking in this summer heat?

[cat lover]

With the heat sticking around almost everywhere, what recipes are you preparing for your family to keep a balanced meal on the table that doesn't require heating up the kitchen?

[ajrsmom]

Since we are pretty much staying indoors now, I have been cooking regular meals and not changing much--I sometimes try to not make the really heavy meals that sit in your stomach.

We haven't bought a new grill yet since moving here and I miss it desperately!! I plan on buying one in the next week or two. :)

We usually eat a lot of grilled chicken legs and breasts, grilled veggies, grilled pork tenderloins.

[DeBora4BobbyL]

Today El Paso is flooded just 9 miles from where I am (I live off the frontage road of the Intertate) and it is supposed to flood in Cruces as well. So, it is nice and cool. I cooked a regualr meal tonight.

This little RV heats up quickly in the summer so I usually grill out on the BBQ grill or cook in my crockpot. I also cook my veggies in the microwave, which doesn't create as much heat as the stove. I have also been craving watermelon, cantalope, and so on.

[cat lover]

We haven't bought a new grill yet since moving here and I miss it desperately!! I plan on buying one in the next week or two. :)


That really works out good, you can be really frugal this way and get a really nice one reduced! The stores I've been in have reduced all their summer (as they call it, we do it all year!), grills and outdoor furniture already!

[boggsZ]

We are using the grill alot to but i also have been making biscutes and cakes early in the morning before it gets to bad

[cat lover]

I'm using the crockpot a lot, but the same problem we keep having is we just don't feel like anything much of anything because it is so hot. We aren't eating till usually around 10 pm so by that time it has cooled quite a bit; but then I'm ready to just skip supper and go to bed! LOL

[DeBora4BobbyL]

We haven't bought a new grill yet since moving here and I miss it desperately!! I plan on buying one in the next week or two.

When I moved to Las Cruces I brought our el cheapo camping grill. It's small, but it does the job. Could you used one of those until you get a "real" grill?

[cat lover]

South of the Border Chicken Skillet

This is good and it only takes about 30 minutes to prepare so nice and quick when it's too hot to cook very long!

4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons cooking oil
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 14 1/2 ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1/4 cup picante sauce or salsa
Fat free dairy sour cream

In a large skillet, quickly brown chicken breast halves in hot cooking oil over medium-high heat, turning once. Remove chicken from skillet. Add green onions, garlic, chili powder, cinnamon, cumin, and pepper to skillet. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Remove skillet from heat. Carefully stir undrained tomatoes, chicken broth, and long-grain rice into vegetables in skillet. Return skillet to heat and bring to boiling. Arrange chicken breast halves on top of rice mixture. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or till rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Spoon picante sauce or salsa over chicken. Cover and heat for 1 minute more. Serve with sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

[cat lover]

Tonight I'm going to use my Turbo cooker, it cooks rather quick and I can Saute the chicken in the bottom and steam the green beans in the top of it all in the same pan which will make all that part quicker! Will put the baked potatoes out on the grill.

[cat lover]

Crunchy Wasabi Crusted Fish

4 (3/4- to 1"thick) skinless fish fillets, such as Pacific cod or halibut (6 oz each)
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp wasabi paste (from a tube; you can find this in an oriental grocery; it is hot)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 to 1 1/4 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)



Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a shallow baking pan with foil.Pat fillets dry, then arrange in baking pan. Sprinkle salt all over fillets. Stir together wasabi paste and mayonnaise in a bowl, then spread tops of fillets with half of mayonnaise and sprinkle with half of panko. Turn fillets over and spread with remaining mayonnaise, then sprinkle with remaining crumbs.Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 16 minutes, then broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until crumbs on top are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.Makes 4 servings.

[rhi]

When we went through the string of 110+ heat here we made a lot of sandwichs and salads as we soon tired of the sandwichs. But it was just to dang hot for anything else!

[cat lover]

I got a new little grill for the deck; it runs on propane so I brought one of the 20 lb tanks up and hooked it up. It will be great for hot dogs, chicken breast and quick things as it doesn't have a lid. But will make cooking easier in the heat and it even has a rack to sit a pot on, so I'll have to think of some other uses for it also. It was a freebie so that makes it even better! LOL

[cat lover]

Creamy Wild Rice Ambrosia


1 cup uncooked California wild rice (3 cups cooked)
1 (20 oz) can pineapple chunks, drained
1 (11 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 (3 oz) jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 cup broken walnuts
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup flaked coconut
1 9 oz container of Cool Whip, thawed
1 (4 serving) pkg. lemon pudding, prepared and cooled



Cook wild rice following package directions. Cool. Combine with fruits, nuts, marshmallows and coconut. Combine whipped cream and pudding, fold into wild rice fruit mixture. Turn into serving dish. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. 12 servings

[Bilby]

As summer is now sorking it's way in and the days are getting longer, we have a lot of salads and bbq's, bbq's hubby has to cook and I don't have to clean up, gotta love that!
Chicken skillet above sounds good

[cat lover]

Lucky you for DH to do the grilling! My DH won't touch a grill! I don't grill as often as I would like because because too difficult to be running up and down the stairs to watch the grill and what I have cooking outside. I did recent;ly get s small tabletop propane grill free from Homescan that I put on the deck, but it is an open grill so limited on cooking with it.

Maybe you can share you summer recipes with us Bilby and all us going into winter will have a nice new selection to start our next summer with!

[Bilby]

We are lucky that our bbq is right outside our kitchen window, so if need be I can do stuff inside and still watch what's cooking outside. 1 level house, but we came from a 2 level house and I know what you mean about up and down stairs, it's frustrating and hardly seems worth while.
I will have a look in some of my books I do have some favourite meat marinades.
It's funny how our seasons are opposite if I find a good recipe I have to make sure I keep it there and then, as when the season come around to us US is changing again.

[cat lover]

Would be intersted in seeing some of you marinades. In the Sauces & Gravies forum there is a thread for marinades. If you find yours and want to share them that might be a goo spot. I'll keep an eye out!

[Bilby]

Last night was whiting fish fillets, crabs, seas scallops, calamari tube and salad for dinner, yum
I crumbed the fish, just cleaned and the crab if you wanted to eat it yo took the shell off LOL. Seas scallops and calamari (cut and made into sticks) were just sprinkeld with ground pepper, a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Let stand for 30 mins then pan fry or bbq.

[cat lover]

Sounds good about now Bilby! Here we are in the cold and you are having your summer; maybe I can come over there for a summer BBQ! LOL

[Bilby]

We are still in salad mode althought we do still have veges but I like to par boil my potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, drizzel in a littl olive oil, salt and pepper and then brown and crisp up on the barbie.
Tonight is beef stir fry satay noodles

[DeBora4BobbyL]

I forget that you guys are having summer while we are having winter. lol I hope you give us some ideas for the days ahead. It is warm often in New Mexico.

[Bilby]

See now that is where the fun begins, you start on your summer menus and all I want is winter warmers LOL.
I must admit I do sometimes get sick of salads all the time and just crave thsoe good old greens and mashed potato, might have those tonight with ......... mmm sausages

[cat lover]

Sounds good! At least we can post here for whatever season we are in and then when our season changes we have a place for each other to go look! LOL