Hey guys...just wondering what you're all having for dinner? I'm in a rut with food and need some ideas. I know there is a food forum, but it doesn't really get a lot of traffic so I thought I'd ask here instead.

My kitchen gets soooo hot in my tiny apartment in the summer months so I just really have not felt the desire to cook much. Kind of getting sick of salads every night. Any ideas?

Hi Lucy! I have the same problem. I've taken to going to barbeque quite a lot rather than hating my life next to the stove. Do you have that option in your apartment?

I love cooking... and baking. It's part of my weight gain issues. New recipes are my favorite...
If you hate the kitchen, most my recipes aren't for you. Some of the desserts I've made in the past have taken 24 hours to create, one special bread makes it's own yeast and I'll have to start it 2 weeks in advance to the occasion.
Nothing is more thrilling than measuring, perfecting, tasting, experimenting and DECORATING. Cakes are my favorite thing to make... I like to make sugar paste and add insane decorations to them. I also make my own decals of sugar and die and add it to things.

ANYWAY...

Simple recipes that are quick, cheap and painless... hmmm...
There are a few Chicken recipes, you just have to put the chicken in the oven and leave it there for an hour or so... but no need for you to stick around.
Wow... most my meals (going threw my cook books and personal recipes) take about 15-30 minutes at least... wow... I spend a lot of time in the kitchen when I cook....

Don't get me wrong...I love love love the kitchen. I make as much as I can by scratch and easily spend an hour each night cooking our suppers. I make our own bread every other week and make our pasta noodles too. It's just where I live, at night it's still usually in upper 90's low 100's and I live on the top floor of an old building, so it gets REALLY hot and I don't have A/C.

I'm thinking I might be using the crock pot a lot more, or trying to find recipes that I can make in the morning and just throw together in the evening.

Ouuuu I have a TON of crock pot recipes for you! And also, George For(e?)man grills are pretty awesome!!

I like to make a kind of bruschetta and it is super quick. You use italian bread and line it with fresh basil. Then slice up grape tomatoes (reg. ones work too) and layer that. Then top it off with mozzarella cheese and olive oil. Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for 10 mins or until your liking. Very delicious.

I eat grilled chicken, grilled salmon or turkey burgers each with a vegetable, a lot of nights.

I just had a bowl of cereal for supper. No cooking involved

I'm single and usually only cooking for one. I find the toaster over is MUCH better at keeping the house cooler than using the oven or the stove.

Today's lunch was a homemade tostada that was pretty yummy:
- Low cal/carb tortilla crisped in toaster over, topped with
- FF refried beans (heated in microwave)
- lightly sauteed bell peppers and onions
- a sprinkle of very sharp cheddar

Delicious, quick, and kept the house cool!

I made the Four Cheese Margherita Pizza from allrecipes. I save a lot of my calories for dinner and this usually satisfies my pizza craving. I keep searching for the perfect crust since my kitchen always looks like a dough grenade went off every time I try to make it from scratch. I hope you find something you really like

I had chicken piccata, brown rice, peas & carrots. 481 cals, which takes me to 1300 so far today.

vegetarian chili with fresh tomatoes, green pepper, red pepper, jalpeno and cilantro from my garden.....with onion, white kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans and tomato sauce along with spices from the store.....it was pretty as well as yummy...