What's for Dinner When It Is So Hot Out?

Slow Cookers are great also Foil Pack Meals for the Grill ( http://peaceandcarrots.homestead.com/FoilPacketMeals.html
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We do a lot of salads and crock pot things in the summer. For salads, just cut up what you like and throw together. I do mine all in seperate containers so everyone (I have two small children) can pick just what they like and put together a salad. Taco salads are easy to do also...no oven, just stove top. I just made bbq pork in the crock pot yesterday....pork loin roast covered in bbq sauce, then shred meat, put half back in crock pot with more bbq sauce and heat up again (the other half will be dinner tomorrow night for tacos), serve on buns with cheese...then for side dish we do chips and fruit.
Good luck!

Chicken salad wraps with canned chicken breast (like tuna salad). You can add some seasoning, diced grapes or craisins, diced celery (I hate raw celery), etc. on sandwiches or tortilla shells. I am a grazer though so I serve a lot of raw fruits and veggies (easier and I'm lazy) and sometimes leftovers warmed up in the microwave--one big casserole on the "oven day" or something like that. I like sandwiches in general. We also make tacos a lot because most of the meal is cool and the only thing you have to use the stove for is browning the meat. If my husband is not home, sometimes we have meatless tacos with just refried beans or canned black beans and all the cold trimmings.

I grill almost every night, lately, has been grilled red, green yellow, bell peppers, grill, some nice french bread, add avocado, cucumbers, top with fresh tomato;s YUMMY!!!, also I will open a can of albacore, mix in fresh oregano, basil, diced cucumber, grilled peppers, diced fresh tomato , put on top of grilled bread or fold it in a flour tortilla and wrap it up, serve with fresh fruit, mango/pineapple salsa goes great with it...

I love to put together a Mango corn and bean salad. You can add chicken, but sometime I just add rice instead when I don't want to bother.

tomato, avocado, canned pinto beans, corn, fresh mango, and rice. i dress it with lime juice and cumin and olive oil. and I accompany it with fancy bread like rosemary sour dough. no cooking, almost no dishes, and very healthy.

This one is easy and tasty. You can put them on burger buns, eat it plain, put it on a salad, etc. Great post, can't wait to see what others have to say.

BARBECUE RIBS Serves 6

• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 4 pounds country-style pork ribs boneless
• 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce

1. Place onions, then the ribs and barbecues sauce in a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on Low 6 to 8 hours, or until the ribs are very tender.

I got a recipe for pizza on the grill that turned out fabulous, didn't have to use the oven at all. We also marinate cut up veggies - squash, mushrooms, etc. and chicken in italian dressing, then put it in a grill pan to cook.

I'm in AZ & I use the crockpot a lot! And make plenty so we can just reheat leftovers (sticking extra leftovers into the freezer for a meal 2 wks later)

Things like a pork loin roast cooked, then shredded for tacos, enchiladas, quesadillas, (and I'm not mexican, I'm about as fair as they come!) shredded pork over salads. Just an example.

Our grill isn't working anymore so that's what I've been doing... I'll be watching this thread for more recipes and ideas too!

Tuna Macaroni salad was a favorite summer dish when I was growing up, but my husband doesn't like tuna (or any sea food). Or beans either. (sigh.) Stil have it once in a while but not too often.

well, I am in the noth....north of Seattle. It's a balmy 68 right now....sigh. But, last week we hit 89...which is a scorcher for us!!
I made big salads....my kids and husband love them. it takes a while to do all the chopping and peeling, but if you do it all in one shot you can eat a couple of salads.
HB eggs, cheese, carrots, cucumbers, peas, corn, raisins, chicken (which I buy at the local grocery store, already cooked. Just take home and pull it apart) jicama, tomatos, peppers.....the list is endless....put it all together, stir in some dressing...yum! Totally crisp. I usually throw some cantalope (sp) or other fruit on the side.
L.

Salads.... make your own creation.

Yep, take out.

BBQ outside so the house doesn't get hot inside.

Good luck,
Susan

Delivered pizza or take out Chinese food.

I use the crockpot to make chicken taco meat. Or pot roast. We also eat a lot of fresh veggies and salad. It helps if you cut it up right when you get home from the store. We always have a sandwich night, too. Deli meat can be pretty cheap, even the good stuff. Add some nice bread and you have a yummy easy meal.

You say you do a lot of grilling---I love a grilled steak and peach salad.

BLTs, cold sandwiches, cold soups, cold meat with salsa, or salads---you can add cold meat and fruit, nuts etc for protein.
Also thin sliced meat will cook very fast in a pan on the stove.

It can help to prepare something late at night when it is cooler, and refrigerate for the next day's meal. Also a toaster/ toaster oven and a microwave can do a lot.

I love making chicken salad and serve it on a bagel or endive or just a huge chunk of lettuce. I make my chicken sald with a rotiserie chicken, throw in some grapes, dried cranberries and nuts...yumm!!

The crock pot is the best for no thought, easy and delicious food.
My favorite recipe:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and Newman's garlic, tomato salsa.(Any salsa or chutney works and each has its own flavor,this is just one of my favorites. My other favorite is a mango/tomato chutney)
Just layer the chicken and salsa in the crock pot, nothing else needed.
cook on high all day 5 to 6 hours(you can keep the chicken breasts whole or separate them a bit to have a more shreded chicken) and serve over rice or potatos. We had it last night and there is always left overs.(I shred them up, that way we have more meals and chicken breasts are very large) I then take the left overs and the next night I roll it up in tortillas and you have another easy cool meal.
Everyone loves this , even picky eaters and also people with dentures. It is tender and delicious.
Hope this helps : )

Panzanella! Cut up some stale italian-style bread, toss with some tomatoes, viniagrette, cheese, rotisserie chicken or chickpeas, fresh basil, and any other veggies you want.

Hi Mama-
Grilling is an awesome idea. But for me, standing over the BBQ in 100 degree or hotter weather just isn't that exciting either. I live in Bakersfield, and between that and Fresno, I think that being outside...well, you know.
Anyway, I like to prepare stuff that won't heat up the house but still has that home cooked feeling. So I use the crock pot alot. Stews, soups, chiles, and casserole style dinners. One of my favorites, is this:
Add dry pintos, navy beans, garbanzo's, and barley to a crock pot full of water. Add spices and seasonings like garlic salt (you can use vegetable stock for this too), chile powder, onions, etc. Next, toss in a can of stewed tomatoes, your favorite veggies or potatoes, and meat- chicken or beef or whatever- and turn on low. When you get home at the end of the day, dinner is ready. And depending on how thick it is, you can serve it on tortillas, or with toasted sourdough. No need to turn on the oven.
Vary this recipe in any way you want. Or just do beans, ground meat, stock, and spices for a home made chile. Thicker is better, and you can use it for the base of a taco salad, but as a chile salad. I garnish the veggie mixture with shredded mozzarella and fresh avocado slices.
Hope this helps
-E. M
P.S. There are loads of fun crock pot recipes. Just type in "crock pot recipes" to Google. The more home grown a recipe, the better it usually tastes.

A favorite is pasta (spaghetti) with cooked spinach, chopped tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, olive oil and pine nut. Feta is salty so add salt after to taste.

We have been doing a lot of egg salad wraps during the heat.

Cold Strawberry Soup
Quesadillas
Eat out twice during the weekday (clip restaurant coupons/buy 1 get 1 free)
Sandwiches

Sandwiches and salads. It's easy to run out of new ideas tho. Here are a few: Chicken salad/Tuna salad sandwich on toasted bagel with tomatoes and avacodo on top with a fruit salad. Any kind of cold pasta salad and some fruit, granola, and yogurt to go with it. Warmed tortillas with lunchmeat and cheese and some cole slaw in it for a little crunch. Breakfast is always good for dinner on hot days even if it's just cereal, toast and fruit because really what is wrong with having healthy cereal twice a day ;) or breakfast burritos w/scrambeld eggs, tomatoes in it with fruit and yogurt on the side.

We eat a lot of pasta. I make pasta salads, antipasta platters, sandwiches

We use the grill a lot for burgers, steaks, bbq

if ur meat eaters; try the crock pot. ur options r endless & it wont produce much unnecessary heat. Also-the clean up is easy which is also unwanted in this heat! Good Luck

Updated

if ur meat eaters; try the crock pot. ur options r endless & it wont produce much unnecessary heat. Also-the clean up is easy which is also unwanted in this heat! Good Luck

I like to make a taco bar. I put out cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, tortillas, meat, guac, pico, whatever. It's also fun to make taco salad. You buy the shells flat in the refrigerated section near the queso fresco mexican cheese - form and bake for 10 mintues. (can be made ahead of time, like in the morning before it gets hot) Then put on the table with all the ingredients and let people build thier own.

We also like to stir fry. Quick, easy, and cheap. Throw whatever veggies and meat in a screamin hot skillet or wok for a few, add sauce and serve with fried rice or lo mein. Actually, sometimes I just make the fried rice and add veggies and chicken to it. Dirt cheap, delicious, fast, and no sweat!

I thought of a few more - we love sandwhiches. I make meatball subs - store bought or homemade meatballs covered in mozzarella and marinara on a hoagie roll. Italian sausage links with sauteed peppers and onions on a hoagie. I serve either with a little pasta mixed with veggies and salad on the side. I buy frozen ravioli in a bag from the freezer section. You just boil for a few and serve with red or white sauce. I add mushrooms if I have them.

Shrimp is super quick and easy, since it cooks in 4 minutes. My fave is to cook on the stove in garlic, ginger, and hot chili paste. After I cook the shrimp I remove it and pour in a little white wine, heavy cream, or even just pasta water to makle a sauce. Add the noodles and top with the shrimp. Works just as well in lemon pepper, or cajun spice, whatever spice blend you want.

I NEVER use my oven during the summer and I mean never. I won't even bake cookies until winter. I either grill meat outside on the bbq or so all stove-top items. Once in awhile, I will use the slow cooker (again....mostly a winter staple.). So in the summer I cook/make:
Taco salad
Costco's premade chicken salad (great)
steak/chicken fajitas
Premade tortellini pastas w/salad & garlic bread done in the toaster oven
egg burritos
corn/black bean "stoup" w/diced onions/tomatoes/sour cream
tacos
grilled steak/corn on the cob..............all outside on the grill
grilled pizzas (kind of difficult to get to come out right)

I like to make up a 'dinner salad'. Simply cut up whatever greens you like best... for us it's a combination of romaine lettuce and fresh spinach. Then add other veggies, maybe some walnuts or other nuts you like, craisins, raisins or other dried fruits (or even some fresh fruits or berries) some cold grilled chicken strips or other meats. We like to open a can of tuna or salmon and add that sometimes. Top with your favorite salad dressing. Serve it with some nice crackers or bread and you have a good healthy meal without the heat.

D. I know hot hot Fresno gets. Yesterday it was 111 degrees and we had hot rainstorms at night (i am to the south of you). YUCKY! I hate the thought of turning on the oven in this heat. I either use the crockpot a lot, the grill, or I make breakfast for dinner (pancakes/bacon/eggs). I love crockpot cooking because you can use the leftovers in other ways (like shredding the meat for tacos, or my boyfriend marinates left over pork loin and does a stir fry with it). Tonight I am cooking south western chicken (i love lawrys flavor packets) on the grill. I also love making fruit salads in this weather. It's a great side for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus you can make a large batch to last most of the week. Stay cool!

Mu hubby is our cook and he makes a good buffalo chicken salad. If you don't like buffalo, you can do the same with BBQ sauce. He grills chicken breasts and cuts them into cubes then brushes them with Franks buffalo sauce. Then he puts it over lettuce and mixes in black beans and corn. It is very yummy!

Taco salad is another favorite summer dinner for us too- ground beef, lettuce, cheese, crushed Doritos, tomatoes, and Catlina dressing. I'm glad you posted this- I need some new ideas too!

I live in Vallejo where it can get pretty hot in the summer. We grill everyday and in the summer time we make carne asada that is already marinated and i buy the instant rice in a bag that cooks in 10min and fruit salad. Or, we make shrimp kabobs with pineapple..yummy!! I'm the type of woman who like to cook from scartch and when my boyfriend and i moved in together he would tell me to make patatoes and i started to peel potatoes and he was like" here is a bag of instant mashed potatoes" and i have never eaten potatoes that look like powder. If that's what he likes, than hey.. i can boil 2 cups of water and pour the powdered potatoes no problem!!!