With this suffering heat, what do you find to be most satisfying for lunch and/or dinner?
With another year of record setting temps, it is getting more difficult to come up with something that will satisfy everyone. It's so hot to cook, and even though grilling is an option, I am not in the mood to eat after being in 108 degrees and the heat coming off the grill.
All I can think of is cold, cold, cold.....anything cold sounds refreshing. But how many salads can a person eat?
What are you doing to survive this heat wave?
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Michelly
Jul 23, 2012 09:37 AM
I make hummus and serve it with a Mediterranean 'cole slaw' (shredded red cabbage, grated carrot, diced roma tomatoes, chopped red onion, chopped black olives, capers, finely ch. mint in olive oil/balsamic vinegar/lemon juice).
There's also salad Nicoise, and cold sandwiches and chilled soups (vichysoisse, gazpacho, etc.
Consider bruschettas- ch. tomatoes, basil, garlic, on olive oil-brushed toasts, with or without slices of GOOD mozzarella and/or anchovies.
I try to think of tapa-style eating: light bites with little or no cooking. -
Will Owen
Jul 21, 2012 06:09 PM
In Nashville the summer produce was so good I didn't mind cooking some of it, especially those field peas I miss so much. But tomatoes are a staple there, and here in SoCal too. Neither of the Owens can get enough of a simple salad of tomatoes cut into chunks and tossed with salt, pepper, some nice dried herb and plenty of olive oil, then vinegar to taste. Mrs. O must have good bread for the juices. With this we'll have a green salad, or a white bean salad made with canned cannellini following the same process as the tomatoes, only with finely-chopped celery and maybe some onion added. We can have that for supper any night or every night. Need more protein? Have some boiled eggs, too. Or cold deli chicken.
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Deli chicken, turkey, and ham in sandwiches or salads. Microwaved corn on the cob is easy and good. My produce store has had beautiful Bing cherries in bags. Raspberries and strawberries and many other fruits are also available. I live alone so no need to get fussy. I eat the cherries off the stems and the berries are put in a bowl and sprinkled with a little sugar. I buy almond biscotti also. Sugar snap peas are quickly cooked in brown butter and sprinkled with some salt.
Don't forget take-out.
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mcel215
Jul 21, 2012 08:43 AM
I like to grill chicken, early in the morning before work (I use a grill pan in the kitchen, no outdoor grill. Then when I come home, I have sliced cold chicken and a caprese salad.
I also make corn on the cob, rice, or potato salad and keep really cold in the fridge for a few days. Slicing oorn off the husk, I toss with diced red onion and basil, add a teaspoon of olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper.
Lobster has been cheap so far this summer and cooking them early and making lobster salad when I get home.
Just a few meals I like during the heat spells of summer. Along with lots of salads too.
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Veggo
Jul 21, 2012 06:35 AM
I recently bought 4 sexy loin lamb chops, and later I realized I don't want to grill them for the heat, so they sleep in the freezer. The chicken salad with anchovies and hard boiled eggs I read about here makes for an easy cool lunch or supper, along with a starburst tomato or a Sam Fujisaka style avocado fan; I have made it numerous times. I start with a supermarket rotisserie chicken. Big batch of gazpacho soon.
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sunshine842
Jul 21, 2012 05:00 AM
A few years ago on a blazing hot day, I cut a couple of different types of melon (I think I had a honeydew and a galia, IIRC) into balls, then tossed it with a generous chiffonade of mint, and threw the bowl into the freezer til it was just beginning to get frosty.
THAT rocked. Sweet and cold and refreshing.
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A recent visit to my father's house we decided, stupidly, to grill on a 95 degree day. Food was great, but sitting at the dining room table dripping sweat was not too enjoyable. The thought was not to use the oven or stove and heat the house, but damn. That being said, the next night, we went out, so reservations are always good, haha.
On a serious note, the best choices recently have been
Sushi
BLT
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Gazpacho -
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