Hot Summer Night Meals

Xan · 05-31-2011, 12:52 PM

I'm planning go have chicken salad and iced tea with mint tonight. Certainly nothing exotic, but comforting, as it was the traditional meal when I was growing up for really REALLY hot summer evenings. Of course, we added biscuits dripping with butter, but won't be reviving that tradition.

Do any of you have traditional or beloved Hot Summer Night meals/recipes?

A not unrelated question. I have some beautiful sliced portabello (sp?) mushrooms. Does anyone have a light recipe for them? Thanks!

ultimatebea · 05-31-2011, 01:12 PM

Grilled chicken marinated in low sugar teriyaki or light italian dressing, then chilled and eaten cold with (what I called a child) "cold cream salad". It is a mixture of all kinds of veggies - carrots, cukes, radishes, shallots (green onions) - tossed lightly with low fat sour cream.

SO delicious.

Be well -

asphyxia63 · 05-31-2011, 01:15 PM

Cooking is very hard on these hot days! Lots of grilling and getting creative with salads. Canned chicken, tuna, and crab meat add protein without adding heat. Shakes, smoothies, and other icy drinks really help to cool off.

Xan · 05-31-2011, 03:57 PM

Thanks for these. I'm rereading the Taste of Summer cookbook. There are some wonderful recipes in there, but many are more complicated than I am ready for.

YeahYeah · 05-31-2011, 05:11 PM

I'm lucky to have the farmers market 2 blocks from my house, and my favorite is an heirloom tomato, peach, red onion, basil and buffalo mozzarella salad with evoo and balsamic of course. Your basic tom/mozz salad just add peach and sub heirlooms. So filling and so damn good.

YeahYeah · 05-31-2011, 05:12 PM

Also adding raw corn to any salad is just the best in my opinion.

Natasha1534 · 05-31-2011, 10:17 PM

I picked up a recipe for chili-lime chicken on the grill the other day and we've been making it. I sautee zucchini, carrots, mushrooms, and onions in olive oil w/ a lot of lemon pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. SO yummy!!!

Usernametaken · 05-31-2011, 10:21 PM

Ceviche is my go-to summer meal. You can serve it in whole wheat tortillas with red slaw as a taco, wrap it in lettuce leaves, or just eat it. No heat required.

TwynnB · 06-01-2011, 07:08 AM

Black bean and corn salad, and now I add quinoa to it too. YUM!

CyndiM · 06-01-2011, 07:31 AM

I am in love with raw kale salads this year. They are so flexible and DW adds tofu to the leftovers for lunch salads.

zeffryn · 06-01-2011, 08:38 AM

marinated vegetables on the grill are a favorite of ours. we also stuff portobello mushrooms with spinach, artichokes and feta and then grill until soft and the cheese is melted (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/r...ipe/index.html ,I usually leave out the bread crumbs and add feta)

we make panini sandwiches (cubans, yum!), grilled pizza, and don't forget about the slow cooker for hot days!

YeahYeah · 06-01-2011, 12:49 PM

mmmmmmm Cubans...

cottagebythesea · 06-01-2011, 07:30 PM

We like to make huge salads chock full of raw veggies for supper on hot, humid days. The base is usually fresh lettuce and baby spinach, but anything goes in after that. I like to add chopped apples, grapes, strawberries or blueberries, feta or gorgonzola cheese, roasted chickpeas, and a handful of nuts.

Stopfat · 06-02-2011, 08:04 PM

Wow--all your recipes sound so great!
Mushrooms can be really good stuffed with light cream cheese and green vegetables, but portabellas are kinda big for that.

They are excellent sauteed--I wonder if you could just sautee them in a little chicken broth?

sophie · 06-02-2011, 08:46 PM

I love this salad but I grill chicken and make it chicken cesaer salad, I always omit the bread:

http://www.heartandstroke.ab.ca/site...esar_salad.htm

take care
Sophie