Hot Weather Food Favourites ???
 

I've become best friends with my crock pot again. If it's too hot to even BBQ outside, the protein goes in the crock. Yesterday I put a small pork tenderloin covered with favorite BBQ sauce in the crock pot on high for two hours. Sliced it thin on fresh rolls. Added a green salad and a cold dish of applesauce. Washed it down with ice tea. Hardly any prep, cleanup and best of all, no added heat in the house.

We really enjoy fresh BLT's...the tomatoes right now are fabulous!! Served w/ cantalope or watermelon, slaw or potato salad (instead of chips which are good too!)

It doesn't get that hot here very often, but my go-to when it does is chicken salad from the supermarket deli on crackers and a quick fruit salad.

Thanks for the ideas Ladies .... and I look forward to some more!

I too enjoy BLTs ... and can't wait each year for locally grown tomatoes!
II especially like BLT Salads .... lots of salad greens, topped with chopped tomatoes, topped with freshly cooked chopped bacon, then topped with grated cheddar (it melts a little with the hot bacon). Your choice of dressings ... my favourites are ranch or italian or balsamic.

Another salad possibility ... Marinated Veggies ... chop or chunk all the veggies you want into a clear glass bowl. Add italian dressing, stir and let sit a few hours to marinate. If you'd like some protein, add some drained chick peas to the mix and/or at serving, top with some feta.

I too favour the crockpot during the heat. I don't hafve a BBQ, so my Hamilton Beach grill somewhat covers for that.

A favourite is Faux Deli Chicken, which mocks the deli roasted ones. Great as a meal then, and leftovers for meals after. Add a bag of the Uncle Ben's rice, and a steamer bag of veggies and it's a no work, no fuss meal.

Another favourite ... Salsa Chicken ... chicken breasts in the crock pot, with salsa dabbed on top of each piece. At the end, top with shredded parmesan and put lid back on to let melt before serving.

Or Greek Chicken ... same as salsa chicken, but using Antipasto. At end top with feta.

Dessert?? ... I'mn fine with ice cream year round!
Though if I'm looking to make something ... here's my favourite summer treat!
Key Lime Pie
1 box (.3 oz) sugar free lime jello</SPAN></SPAN>
¼ cup boiling water</SPAN></SPAN>
16 oz. key lime pie light yogurt (or other flavours, to match in season fresh fruit) </SPAN></SPAN>
8 oz. cool whip, thawed</SPAN></SPAN>
Optional: 1 prepared 9” graham cracker pie crust or loose graham cracker crumbs, or crushed chocolate wafers
</SPAN></SPAN>
Dissolve jello in boiling water. With wire whisk, stir in yogurt . With wooden spoon, fold in whipped topping. Transfer mixture to prepared crust or into individual dessert cups. If no pie crust, it's nice to sprinkle with a few crumbs, but not necessary. Refrigerate overnight, or at least 2 hours. This recipe freezes well!</SPAN></SPAN>


And my biggest secret for hot weather cooking ... actually for all year round ... Planned Overs!!
I don't have leftovers, rather I cook doubles, triples or whatever, with their destiny planned for future meals or into the freezer.
Single portions for my own frozen dinners are stashed in the freezer, and slide right into the microwave without any fuss ... or heat added to the kitchen!

Hot Weather favorites, 1- Whole Roasted Chicken from Costco - so juicy and you don't have to heat the house using the oven, add a salad and it is a complet meal. 2- BLT as mentioned by others - only time I buy bacon is when the Jersey tomatoes are ripe, sometimes adding a few slices of munster cheese is good, 3- Chef Salad with some cold pasta added - makes a great cool filling meal and with each meal a big glass of ice tea makes it all perfect.

Another favorite takes some work before hand but I love it, it's what my family calls potato and egg pie AKA a frittata. Early in the afternoon I fry up some small thin slices of potato and drain them on paper towels. When it's dinner time I beat up about 2 or 3 eggs per person, over medium heat I melt some butter in my small frying pan, add half of the beaten eggs, sprinkle some cooked potates on top and then add rest of egg mixture. Cook slowly on medium heat. Sometimes the top is still a little runny so I flip it over into another hot frying pan to cook the top. Of course, you could use more eggs and potatos and fry it in a larger frying pan but getting your own little potato and egg pie is the best way. So delicious with some fresh tomatoes and roasted red peppers. You could add chopped onions, Italian sausage slices, mushrooms, etc. but plain potato and egg pie is one of my all time favorites. May in Jersey .

Chicken salad with curry mayo + raisins + walnuts.

Taco salad (chili over tossed salad with tortilla chips)

Marinated green beans from the garden

Tuna salad stuffed into a fresh tomato from the garden

Lots and lots of fruit salad

And with everything, a loaf of excellent bread

I made kaizer rolls and use them with crock pot barbecue and grilled chicken and breakfast for supper simple to fantastic sandwiches and with almost every meal cold melon.Since I made the rolls I find the family thinking of other ways to use them.I make them part whole wheat or white flour. I forgot they make great hamburger buns.

Oh wow, i'm hungry as a mug now!

A tuna and macaroni salad always hits the spot when it is hot. Add some olives, celery, onion, frozen peas, diced sweet pickle, green or red pepper, a couple of hard boiled eggs, sprinkle with a little dill weed, salt and pepper and dress with Miracle whip light and a little yellow mustard. Store in fridge and serve with fresh fruit.

OH, That apple omelette sounds delicious. Gotta try it soon. Golden delicious apples could sub for the Grannys as they don't get mushy when cooked.

I use my crock pot to make my roast enough for at least couple of different meals. This week it will be beef strogennoff and burritos. Also for a real fast meal I get the cleaned and cooked shrimp. Just run cold water over them in a colander till thawed and they are ready to eat. we usually have them with a spring mix salad and i make my own cocktail sauce. all it is is catsup with some horse radish stirred in to taste. My DH like it mild and I add alttle more to my little bowl of it.Next week will be chicken week. chicken tacos and a salad, chicken and cabbage salad. That is slice up cabbage add cooked chicken . take a ramen package noodle seasoning pack and add to a oil and vinager to make the dressing( like if you are making italian dressing but with the packette for seasonong) mix well add peants and mix well then crumble uncooked ramen nodles up and add and mix well. add noodles last so they are crisp.

Pulled Pork Sandwiches too!

Here's another one that I thought about today ... and hope to make up this weekend.

Barley Salad
1 cup barley
3 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 cup peeled, diced cucumber
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
½ cup diced red onion
4 - 6 oz. feta

Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan and remove from heat.
Stir in barley and return to heat.
Return to a boil, reduce heat and cover, simmering for 30-40 minutes.
Barley will be done when it is tender, but still chewy.
Drain remaining liquid and return the barley to the pan.
Cover and allow the barley to steam, off the burner, for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
When the barley has steamed, dress it with the olive oil mixture.
(Dressing the grain while it is hot will allow it to absorb more of the vinaigrette.)

Refrigerate overnight, or until completely cool.
Add grape tomatoes, cucumber, basil, feta, and red onion and toss.
Adjust seasonings to your tastes.
ENJOY!!

Very good next day or two as well!

Thanks for all the great ideas! I will definitely try some.

My contributions: Gazpacho (Barefoot Contessa: http://www.barefootcontessa.com/reci...cipeID=656&S=0 - I make half this recipe which makes a lot!); Black bean salad; Fajitas; BBQ extra chicken breasts to serve another day on Caesar salad.

Thankfully the Pacific NW isn't having the heatwave most of the rest of the country is having.

How do you fix your Faux Deli Chicken crockpot recipe?

Hi there, Try pork loin or pork roast in crock pot with 1 pak onion soup, 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce! I just chunk up the sauce and put over the dry soup and cook low 5 hours or high 3-4. Very good!

Bertolli! LOL!

Wow, love all of the recipes that everyone is posting, please post more for all of us to enjoy

Ice cream...ice cream...ice cream.;)