I’ve been grilling as much as I can so at least the heat stays outside. I also like to go for stuff that has multiple uses as leftovers. Just made some pulled pork that we used in sandwiches one day, maybe some tacos or fried rice another day.
A crockpot/slow cooker is great for pulled pork if you have one! I usually cook up a decent sized pork roast that is seasoned well, but fairly neutrally. Then I can season it as desired for tacos/burrito bowls/bbq sandwiches/etc.
This is the way, ill smoke a pork butt on my pellet grill overnight and have pulled pork for the week, if you havnt tried it yet pulled pork baked potatoes are amazing!
I will definitely try that out! The hardest part is not standing in front of the fridge at midnight and shoving cold pulled pork in my mouth like an ogre.
I did that once and made fries in the air fryer out on the driveway. I left the air fryer out over night and a bear drug it off into the sunset. I found the base but never saw the basket again.
I made brats last night. Started to cook them in beer on the stove, then realized that was silly. Used the side burner on the grill and drank a beer in the shade while they cooked before sticking them on the grill to brown them.
I think I have guac and chips once a week in the summer. Avocados are ripe and great in the summer and I buy some every grocery trip.
I can throw together guac in as little as 3 min and boom dinner ha.
I'm Mexican and we've done this for decades. Plenty of purists poopoo on it but it's a cheap way to stretch expensive avocados and it tastes pretty good too.
Normally if you see a creamy sauce that looks like runny guac it's usually cut with sour cream, but there are plenty of avocado based salsas out there too where it's more than just avocado, often also jalapeno, cilantro, tomatillo etc. . So depending on the restaurant it might be one of those. Never seen the cottage cheese version in a restaurant myself.
I can't do it it's a texture thing something about it really grosses me out.
I don't mind the flavor and if I blend it down into a sauce perfectly fine but the texture eee
Make corn and bean salsa:
Can of corn, drained
can of beans (drained and rinsed - I like black beans)
the juice of 1 lime (adjust to taste)
chili powder to taste
around 3 tbsp of prepared salsa
bit of fresh cilantro
Mix it all and ideally chill it for a couple hours to let the flavors marinate/blend. It's cool, light, healthy, and completely addictive.
I've also heard people call this (or something similar) "Texas caviar"
I make a tray of finger sandwiches in the morning and out it in the fridge. When we're hungry, we just go grab some chilled sandwiches.
It's important to cover the sandwiches with a damp cloth. I use a damp paper towel and plastic wrap. Otherwise, the bread will dry out.
i haven't tried this yet but i saw a video for a butter and radish sandwich and i can't decide if it sounds wonderful or awful. cucumber sounds great tho
When I can get fresh elephant garlic, I make a sandwich with buttered bread, thin slices of elephant garlic and basil leaves. It's religious. Also keeps vampires away.
You guys did really well with the afternoon tea or high tea idea (not sure I'm using the phrases correctly). Incredibly simple and crustless, delicious, finger sandwiches, with tea. And small, delicate, pastries/sweets is a beautiful thing. With tea! It's gorgeous.
Local sandwich place makes it just as you described. They offer you a choice of multigrain or sourdough bread, and put a layer of beets and a thick layer of cream cheese that has a little dill in it.
rotisserie chicken cut up and mixed with olive oil and balsamic and caramelized onion, leave in the fridge and just scoop on a hawaiian roll when you hungry
I'm having cereal for breakfast. For dinner I'm having vegetable salad and then tuna macaroni salad. This will be for the whole week. I don't do lunch much, but sandwiches if I do. Only thing I'm heating up is coffee.
Yes! Of all my appliances, if it is hot and I need to cook inside, instant pot is #1 for keeping the heat inside the vessel rather than heating the kitchen. And you can cook almost anything in it
I use that and my convection toaster oven.
I highly recommend a counter top version. It uses way less heat, cooks well and is great for a variety of uses.
I currently have a breville one and absolutely love it.
I had my first one for five or six years until I broke apart that would have cost more to replace than buying a brand new one.
Went without it for a couple of years and quickly realized I want another one.
This is an interesting take for me. I always associate slow cooker with fall, because most of our recipes are stews, soups, etc. I know I can do pulled meats for various things. But what seasonal things are you making in yours?
I'm not the person you were replying to, but I'm thinking that it's less about the slow cooker being associated with any particular season, and more so about being able to just throw some shit in there and walk away rather than having to stand over a hot stove or have the oven on. I say this because just the other day I was telling my husband that I don't want to stand in a hot kitchen having to cook anything or want the oven turned on heating the whole damn house up, so I thought to bust the crockpot out as a solution to that problem
I’ve been meaning to say, nowhere in all the instant pot hype did I remember people saying how much I’d like it on hot days when I don’t want to turn on the oven or stove, but man have I come to really appreciate it for that.
Mine has become mostly a rice cooker but it's still nice to have around for soups, steaming veggies and dumplings, and making shredded pork and chicken
Breakfast: coconut rice with slices of mango, flaked coconut and lime wedges
Dinner: nicoise salad (butter leaf lettuce with hard boiled egg, canned tuna, sliced tomatoes and green bell peppers with a vinaigrette dressing)
I want this breakfast!!! I have mangos, lime, toasted coconut and rice but I don't think I have coconut milk (it's oddly hard to find in MX to the point that I brought some back with me from the US last time).
You can also make coconut milk from dried unsweetened coconut. I soak a cup of coconut in 4 cups water overnight then blitz in the blender. I strain the milk and use the solid pulp for bulking up oatmeal. Once chilled in the fridge you’ll get a little bit of solid fat on top. My kids just eat that as a treat but you could use it like coconut oil.
If you can find/order coconut milk powder such as this: https://gracefoods.ca/product/coconut-products/ you can store it for a long time, and it weighs less than canned coconut milk. You just add water to the amount that you need.
Do you have a go to recipe or combo? I’ve never gotten in the habit of making panzanellas and have been thinking to start. The dressing matters so the bread is the right consistency and not just soft or crunchy, yeah?
I don’t do anything fancy. Basic olive oil and red wine vinegar (maybe 3:1) with a good amount of fresh basil. I like it with grape tomatoes (something smaller than a Roma, and I really like the heirloom types so I have a mix of colors and tomato flavors). I like to add a cucumber to give a bit more bulk and I like the small mozzarella pearls. If I could get my husband to eat onion, I’d probably add a red onion.
For bread, I think it’s important to let it get stale AND then toast it in the oven at 200 for 20-40 minutes. Basically croutons.
I grew up eating a kind of a version of a taco salad that requires very minimal cooking. It's a great summer option.
We would put out a bowl of corn chips, a bowl of some kind of browned ground meat (we are veggie so it was plant-based crumbles but pick your favorite), a bowl of whole black or pinto beans, a bowl of chopped lettuce (usually romaine or iceberg). And then a bunch of smaller bowls with any and all toppings we could think of or had on hand - grated cheese, avocado, tomatoes, diced onion or green onion, black olives, grated carrot, green chilies, corn, sour cream, radish, cilantro, jalapenos, etc. End with a couple of salad dressing options (usually ranch and some kind of vinaigrette), salsa, and hot sauce.
Everyone would go through starting with crushed chips on the bottom, then beans/meat, lettuce, and then whatever toppings they like. Everyone always loved it. It's also a pretty good way to cook for a larger group of people without a lot of fuss.
Yes! In addition to meat, cheese, and fruit - pickles, pickled peppers, Peter Piper (hehe), olives, onions, celery, pickled beets, pimento cheese, and crackers.
There's probably a lot I'm forgetting.
No snackleboxes needed unless you're traveling. Not to mention that items that need to stay chilled (cheese, deli meats, etc.) aren't very snacklebox friendly, unfortunately. Been there, tried it.
I mostly prep snackleboxes for flights, long car rides, or camping adventures and I fill them with nuts, dried fruits, crackers, candy, chocolate (as long as I know it won't melt), chips, popcorn, etc. It always goes over well and it's wonderful to have snacks when needed.
Made a roast in the crockpot with carne asada seasonings for tacos/burritos with avocado, lettuce, hot sauce and queso fresco, and I’ll probably grill chicken breasts in the air fryer for wraps/burritos/salads/sandwiches for later in the week. We probably eat too much meat, but it’s so easy to build meals if there’s a prepped protein ready to go.
Salads full of summer fruits and veggies. Smoothies. Cheese/cured meat platters. Anything that can go on the grill. Quick stir fries. Eating ice cream at normal dinner time, and dinner after the sun goes down.
I love to make little tomato, mozzarella & pesto sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls. So good! Went out today & harvested some basil for pesto & then made pesto penne and peas. It’s delicious cold or hot.
Tonight I'm planning to make a bahn mi type sandwich with my farmer's market haul. I've got some cucumber and radish pickling in the fridge, a kale and fennel slaw, duck rillettes, kewpie mayo and good butter. Normally I'd add a grilled meat of some sort, but keeping it simple with what we have in the house. I've also been loving using the mandolin to thinly slice veggies and serve them on top of a cold full fat dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta) topped with chili crisp, olive oil, and flaky sea salt. Dessert is fresh berries on ricotta or chocolate ice cream!
I was coming here to say sous vide as well! You can cook anything from vegetables to baby back ribs to frozen burger patties and it doesn’t get very hot. Then it’s just a quick sear on both sides and the stove is off!
I’m a big fan of a Vietnamese chicken salad, Gỏi gà. It’s shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot, red onion, cilantro, and a vinegar lime dressing. It’s served cold and is so good
Agreed. It's hydrating, cooling, healthy, and delicious. It's hard to beat.
[This](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/228609/avocado-gazpacho/) is my favorite recipe. It's not particularly traditional but it's very tasty.
We often cook outside. I know it's hot out, but we'll throw just about anything onto the grill. Anything goes if it fits on a baking pan, cast iron skillet, or simply lay on the grill. Tonight will be frozen pizza either on the grill or in the air fryer.
I keep a decent stash of leftovers in my freezer for times when I don't have time to cook, or don't feel like cooking. Re-heating them adds very little heat to the house. I also enjoy eating salads and wraps most days so will be continuing that trend.
We are sandwich connoisseurs at my house, so we dig in to the love of sandwiches. Club sandwiches, BLTs, scrambled eggs. And when we need a break I’ll throw a pot roast in the slow cooker, meatballs same. Baked potatoes (microwaved) with slow cooker leftovers on top. Good old canned tuna in every form my mother ever presented it. Salads thrown in to mix it up. Lots of fruit. And cashing in change and looking for deals to afford a meal out.
Our kitchen isn't insulated well at all and the evening sun hits it full force, so I will murder anyone that thinks of turning on the cooker. We use the Instapot, toaster oven, microwave and the grill during this season exclusively. But we're also big fans of sushi, salads, smoothies, and charcuterie.
Hiyayako tofu -- I get a block of silken soft tofu and add a mountain of thinly sliced scallions, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, minced ginger, shaved bonito flakes....eat over rice or on its own
I'm making chili tonight so we can eat it on chili cheese dogs when it's hot. I have some marinated chicken thighs I'll cook on the grill and I bought some salad stuff.
It's only four days or so. Grill is helpful.
Cool salads. Lettuce based or other veggies, ideally with a yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream based dressing to extend the feeling of coolness.
But for a real cooked meal other than grilling... Plug electric appliances in outside. I started this because I wanted to roast whole garlic heads without making my house reek- so I kept a toaster oven on my covered side porch. Pretty soon I realized I had essentially recreated the 'summer kitchen' concept.
You can take it as far as your imagination takes you. Air fryer, countertop connection oven, slow cooker, electric skillet. If you don't have outlets outside, an extension cord through a window should work.
Slow cooker! It's the best. I have one that also let's you use it as a skillet so you can brown meat or cook vegetables in it and then switch to slow cook so no extra pots.
We had homemade naan (skillet) with hummus, cucumber salad and cold tofu in a shawarma marinade last night. It slapped.
Tonight we're doing garlic shrimp over cauliflower rice with a side of zucchini.
Other recents: tofu spring rolls, burrito bowls (canned beans), and Big Ass Salads.
I did a big meal prep during the weekend, when it was cool. So now, i can just use the microwave or look in the fridge for salads (potato, pasta or lettuce) and stuff to make sandwiches.
Cellophane noodles just need to soak in just-boiled water a couple minutes. Some Asian dressing, cucumbers, herbs, maybe some shrimp. Light and refreshing! Any rice noodle salad would be good.
In the summer, we do 'tapas' dinners a few nights a week. Hummus, crackers, salami, olives, pickles, dolmas, whatever is kicking around. I keep an eye out when I'm grocery shopping for fun things we can have. Lots of variety, fun to eat, and no cooking!
# Chunky Summer Gazpacho #
* 2 pounds tomatoes, cored and chopped (about 10 Roma)
* 5 bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped (red, yellow, orange)
* 1 medium red onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 lime, juiced
* 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
* 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
* 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 32-48 oz tomato juice, to taste
* 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
* 1/4 cup avocado oil
* 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a large (very large) bowl, stirring well to thoroughly mix.
Transfer about 2 cups of mixture into blender or food processor and puree; add back to unprocessed mixture and stir well.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. (Serve chilled.)
*Optional*: mix in some small thawed-from-frozen, de-veined, tail-off cooked shrimp (51/60 count per pound) to chunky gazpacho before serving to add some protein for a low-calorie, flavorful lunch.
*Note / Tip*: recipe can be made with all-olive oil if avocado oil is not available. The avocado oil is a bit sweeter so if olive oil is used solo, additional sugar may be needed.
*Nutrition*: about 105 calories per cup
Buratta topped with the following:
Blackberries cooked in a small amount of blackberry balsamic until a bit soft (so they don't roll off the toast)
Crushed/chopped pecans
Fresh mint and thyme
All of this is served with dried sausage and crusty gluten free bread. The berries don't cook for long enough to heat up the kitchen and the rest is all either room temperature and is ready in minutes.
I bought a roast chicken, some good bread, lots of fresh fruit, cottage cheese, salad greens, some cheeses and crackers. I intend to exist on assorted cold plates
Velvet Chicken… whole chicken with only 15 minutes of stovetop on time…
VELVET CHICKEN
1 (3 to 3 1/2 lb) whole chicken
2 (14-oz) cans low-sodium, chicken broth (3 1/2 cups)
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup dark soy sauce (substitute regular soy sauce if unavailable)
1 cup Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry sherry
1/4 cup coarsely crushed yellow rock sugar (2 oz) or 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 bunch scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces
6 (1/4 inch thick) round slices fresh ginger
4 (3 by 1 inch) strips fresh orange zest
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
2 whole cloves
2 whole star anise (1 1/2 teaspoons)
1 (2 1/2 inch) dried red chile
1/2 teaspoon Sichuan or black peppercorns
Rinse chicken and pat dry
Combine ALL ingredients EXCEPT chicken into a 4 to 6 quart pot, bring to boil.
Add chicken BREAST SIDE DOWN, reduce to simmer and cover... cook 15 minutes
Turn heat off... let sit 30 minutes
Turn chicken over, recover, let sit 15 more minutes
Chicken will now be fully cooked... remove chicken to cutting board.
Cut drumsticks, wings and then breasts to a plate. Discard back. There
will be much juice.
Serve with rice or noodles with extra stock from the pot as a dipping sauce.
Reserve rest of cooking stock - freeze for future chicken.
mmmmm good
I utilize Trader Joe’s frozen meals so much in the summer, especially their burrito bowls. Microwave 3-4 minutes, add sour cream and tortilla chips, dinner’s done 👌🏻
I also love their salad kits for nights when I don’t have time to do the prep myself. I’ll often add a protein from the frozen section (chicken breast, salmon, tofu sheets) to make it more of a meal
Our AC is broken so I know this struggle all too well!
The crockpot has been my best friend! Anything that doesn’t require any searing or browning of meats. Pinterest has a lot of good ideas if you look up “Summer Crockpot Recipes”! Also, Caesar salad with homemade dressing has been a huge go to for us!
•1 Cup Mayonnaise
•3 Glaric Cloves
•2 tbsp Lemon Juice
•1 tsp Dijon Mustard
•1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
•1/2 Cup grated Parmesan
•1/4 tsp Salt
•1/2 Ground Black Pepper
Mix in a medium or large mixing bowl, throw some chopped Romaine hearts and all done! So good!
Stay cool!
Tonight I'm eating wraps with yogurt, cucumber, chickpeas, dill, mint, and this shaker of "greek seasoning" salt I got from my mother at some point. Mint's fresh because I have it, dill's not because I don't.
There are four “salads” in my fridge now that’ll be lunches and dinners most of this week.
- spiralized carrots in peanut sauce
- cabbage/edamame/cucumber/etc with ginger sesame dressing
- cold tortellini with misc veg, salami & pesto
- watermelon feta salad
We have prepped chicken, meatballs, and brisket in the freezer so if we’re looking for meat, it’s a quick reheat away.
The oven is off limits when it’s over 90 degrees.
I make a variation of tabouli with puey lentils instead of grain.
We also love big salads with lots of meat/cheese/pickled bits, with good crackers or crusty bread.
Cold soups, either tomato or yogurt based.
I cheated and bought a pre roasted chicken. Shredded the meat for chicken salad with diced veggies bits, grapes, and walnuts. I set the bones to simmer all night for stock, & will use that to make a cold tomato pasta salad.
I made Italian beef in the crockpot yesterday and pasta salad. Honestly we will probably order out as well this week because I refuse to use the oven. Stovetop yes but only small fast things like eggs for breakfast.
Anything salad, using instant pot in the patio lol, grill (I bake pizza and bread in it), use the side burner for other stuff, but yeah…we may boil a quick pasta and broccoli for the kiddos but nothing heartier than that. Waffles or omelette or cereal or oatmeal in the AM. Been using the food processor to make hummus. Hearty and no heat. Quinoa salad… stuff like that. Some eating out as well.
I make cool veggie folded tortillas/pita bread with:
**\*Chopped fresh raw vegetables (whatever I have in fridge)**
**\*Shredded cheese**
**\*Salad dressing**
**\*Soft flour tortillas or pita bread**
I put first three ingredients in bowl and mix. Then spoon onto folded tortillas or pita bread.
Minimal effort and doesn't heat up the house. It's a great go-to meal in the summer.
Get out the slow cooker! I don't have an air fryer or an instant pot, so I make simple dishes on the stove or in the slow cooker. I've been wanting a burger with blue cheese for a couple of days now. Now I want post roast in the slow cooker.
My eating shifts to salads and sandwiches in the summer, because when it's hot, I lose my appetite.
This morning I did local errands and grocery shopping so I can hide inside the rest of the week. Meals planned include a summer roll salad with shrimp, a Greek salad possibly with lamb meatballs, Thai red curry ... something, garlic-parmesan chicken skewers (air fryer), spaghetti (spouse's request), and possibly burgers and/or smoked sausage if I can force myself outside ☀️🔥 Will make coleslaw and tater salad as well. Be safe & stay hydrated, friends!
This is the genius of the air fryer. The reason it heats up so fast is the same reason it won’t heat up your house like a regular oven. If you can’t grill outside, air fry inside.
I've made a big batch of fruit salad, as well as a chicken salad (bought a roast chicken) for sandwiches. The grill has been great for most things, including quesadillas!
The central air works fine, no need to change our food preparation or meal plans. Our pooled pensions slightly exceed our exp so we are not concerned with the cost of a/c.
All sandwiches all the time. Tuna, egg, BLT, chicken, ham, etc. always with lots of fresh lettuce. Hot days are sandwich days. Breakfast is smoothie time.
Fire up the Weber kettle. Tri tip, chicken thighs, hamburgers, sausages with pepper and onions. Will also do the veggies on the grill too. Grilled zuchini and summer squash, bacon wrapped asparagus parcels, eggplant and portobella mushrooms are all great on the grill.
A giant pasta salad. It gets steamy while I boil the noodles, but everything else cold. Tomatoes, green onions, sweet peppers, chunked ham, feta and parmesan. Add whatever seasonings you like (I add gojuchang, fresh garlic, basil and a touch of sea salt). Finish off with homemade or olive garden Italian dressing. Mix it up, done! The longer it sits in the fridge, the better it tastes (within reason). Enjoy!
I’ve been grilling as much as I can so at least the heat stays outside. I also like to go for stuff that has multiple uses as leftovers. Just made some pulled pork that we used in sandwiches one day, maybe some tacos or fried rice another day.
I've been grilling too, but it's pretty hot standing over a grill too.
Smoking. Set it and forget it. Enjoy the air conditioning
I’m not sure my Traeger would heat the pellets in Arizona heat. Off, it’s near 200°F!
Oh, it will. But you go through a lot less pellets. Source: Ironwood 885 in west Phoenix.
A crockpot/slow cooker is great for pulled pork if you have one! I usually cook up a decent sized pork roast that is seasoned well, but fairly neutrally. Then I can season it as desired for tacos/burrito bowls/bbq sandwiches/etc.
I use my pressure cooker for pork shoulder or butt and chicken breast. I shred it down for a variety of things. Soup, enchiladas, sandwhich etc.
Smoker is the way to go. Less fuel too.
This is the way, ill smoke a pork butt on my pellet grill overnight and have pulled pork for the week, if you havnt tried it yet pulled pork baked potatoes are amazing!
I will definitely try that out! The hardest part is not standing in front of the fridge at midnight and shoving cold pulled pork in my mouth like an ogre.
One time I cold smoked a bunch of cheese, then a small pork butt, and then made Mac and cheese with it. It was so good.
You know you can take small appliances out to the patio. I brought my air fryer out there the other day.
I did that once and made fries in the air fryer out on the driveway. I left the air fryer out over night and a bear drug it off into the sunset. I found the base but never saw the basket again.
On long smokes I do bring an entire blender full of margaritas if that counts
I made brats last night. Started to cook them in beer on the stove, then realized that was silly. Used the side burner on the grill and drank a beer in the shade while they cooked before sticking them on the grill to brown them.
I keep forgetting my grill has that side burner!
I'm going to be putting tortilla chips into some kind of dip and calling it a day.
"Hey, how come people don't have dip for dinner? Why's it only a snack? Why can't it be a meal, you know?"
Feels like an Arby's night
High five!
I think I have guac and chips once a week in the summer. Avocados are ripe and great in the summer and I buy some every grocery trip. I can throw together guac in as little as 3 min and boom dinner ha.
Bean dip!
Cottage cheese is great on chips and has protein
I saw an influencer mix cottage cheese and an avocado and put it on toast this week. Sounds pretty decent for a low carb high protein snack.
I'm Mexican and we've done this for decades. Plenty of purists poopoo on it but it's a cheap way to stretch expensive avocados and it tastes pretty good too.
Ahh... that is what Mexican restaurants do? Noice.
Normally if you see a creamy sauce that looks like runny guac it's usually cut with sour cream, but there are plenty of avocado based salsas out there too where it's more than just avocado, often also jalapeno, cilantro, tomatillo etc. . So depending on the restaurant it might be one of those. Never seen the cottage cheese version in a restaurant myself.
Greek yogurt and avocado. Tastes like lighter, tart guacamole, and doesn’t get brown because of the acidity in the yogurt.
I make this and add salt and pepper and honey and it is delic!
I can't do it it's a texture thing something about it really grosses me out. I don't mind the flavor and if I blend it down into a sauce perfectly fine but the texture eee
This is a vibe and I love it.
Just made guac for the first time in a while and it was so good.
Make corn and bean salsa: Can of corn, drained can of beans (drained and rinsed - I like black beans) the juice of 1 lime (adjust to taste) chili powder to taste around 3 tbsp of prepared salsa bit of fresh cilantro Mix it all and ideally chill it for a couple hours to let the flavors marinate/blend. It's cool, light, healthy, and completely addictive. I've also heard people call this (or something similar) "Texas caviar"
I’m a fan of the block of cream cheese with salsa and shrimp.
I make a tray of finger sandwiches in the morning and out it in the fridge. When we're hungry, we just go grab some chilled sandwiches. It's important to cover the sandwiches with a damp cloth. I use a damp paper towel and plastic wrap. Otherwise, the bread will dry out.
Now I want to know what type of finger sandwiches you’ve been making!
Right?! This is genius. Are they cucumber? Tuna salad? Egg salad?
I love cucumber sandwiches. The Brits were onto something with that.
i haven't tried this yet but i saw a video for a butter and radish sandwich and i can't decide if it sounds wonderful or awful. cucumber sounds great tho
It's delicious. Radish and butter is a classic. [Jacques Pepin link](https://youtu.be/53zD6i5zGc8?si=DeYjVTvhVZhUl6yA). Radish sandwich at 3:00.
hah, that is the video i saw! ok, i will have to try it now
👍 Don't forget the salt. Everything counts.
When I can get fresh elephant garlic, I make a sandwich with buttered bread, thin slices of elephant garlic and basil leaves. It's religious. Also keeps vampires away.
Wow! That sounds awesome
Radish with butter is another thing us Brits were on to (don’t forget the salt and pepper).
You guys did really well with the afternoon tea or high tea idea (not sure I'm using the phrases correctly). Incredibly simple and crustless, delicious, finger sandwiches, with tea. And small, delicate, pastries/sweets is a beautiful thing. With tea! It's gorgeous.
Cucumber & margarine with salt and pepper, or cucumber with grated sharp cheddar. So so good. Source: am welsh lol
You should try a beetroot sandwich
Tell me more. What do you put with it? Mayo?
Not the person you asked but I would put cream cheese or a creamy goats cheese with beetroot
Local sandwich place makes it just as you described. They offer you a choice of multigrain or sourdough bread, and put a layer of beets and a thick layer of cream cheese that has a little dill in it.
Never had it, but I'm here for it!
Ooo yeah, that sounds great.
Do you put mayo on it?
Pickled beets with pate
Raw or cooked beets?
All sorts. Whatever I have around.
How many fingers do you have just lying around?!
At least 10
Wow this sounds luxurious! I know it’s simple, but the idea of finger sandwiches waiting in the fridge … delightful.
Where can I buy fingers to try this out?
You want a finger? I can get you a finger, believe me. There are ways Dude. You don’t wanna know about it, believe me.
I can get you a finger by 3pm, with nail polish.
Thanks for the tip!
the finger tip
Tell us the sandwich recipe
rotisserie chicken cut up and mixed with olive oil and balsamic and caramelized onion, leave in the fridge and just scoop on a hawaiian roll when you hungry
Not OP but my favvvvvorite is small triangles of bread, cream cheese, and sliced cucumber. I eat it w iced tea and lemon squeeze🤩
https://confessionsofabakingqueen.com/smoked-salmon-sandwich/
Yessssss!! Love me some smoked salmon. That makes it 100% better.
Smoked salmon and cream cheese is my favourite
I'm having cereal for breakfast. For dinner I'm having vegetable salad and then tuna macaroni salad. This will be for the whole week. I don't do lunch much, but sandwiches if I do. Only thing I'm heating up is coffee.
My chickens have been working overtime, I might do egg salad.
Yeah, egg salad is good, but you have to boil the eggs.
Or cook them in the instant pot for less heat.
Yes! Of all my appliances, if it is hot and I need to cook inside, instant pot is #1 for keeping the heat inside the vessel rather than heating the kitchen. And you can cook almost anything in it
I use that and my convection toaster oven. I highly recommend a counter top version. It uses way less heat, cooks well and is great for a variety of uses. I currently have a breville one and absolutely love it. I had my first one for five or six years until I broke apart that would have cost more to replace than buying a brand new one. Went without it for a couple of years and quickly realized I want another one.
We're planning on doing a lot of slow cooker meals, may even make some buns in there at some point.
I was gonna say, I use slow cooker so much in the summer.
This is an interesting take for me. I always associate slow cooker with fall, because most of our recipes are stews, soups, etc. I know I can do pulled meats for various things. But what seasonal things are you making in yours?
I'm not the person you were replying to, but I'm thinking that it's less about the slow cooker being associated with any particular season, and more so about being able to just throw some shit in there and walk away rather than having to stand over a hot stove or have the oven on. I say this because just the other day I was telling my husband that I don't want to stand in a hot kitchen having to cook anything or want the oven turned on heating the whole damn house up, so I thought to bust the crockpot out as a solution to that problem
I busted out the instant pot. I know it’s fallen out of fashion but I make beans, risotto, and lentils in it a lot
I guess I’m unfashionable.
I’ve been meaning to say, nowhere in all the instant pot hype did I remember people saying how much I’d like it on hot days when I don’t want to turn on the oven or stove, but man have I come to really appreciate it for that.
Made a pot of cranberry beans yesterday and I think they just edge out pinto
Mine has become mostly a rice cooker but it's still nice to have around for soups, steaming veggies and dumplings, and making shredded pork and chicken
I made lasagna in my slow cooker last night - turned out great
Breakfast: coconut rice with slices of mango, flaked coconut and lime wedges Dinner: nicoise salad (butter leaf lettuce with hard boiled egg, canned tuna, sliced tomatoes and green bell peppers with a vinaigrette dressing)
I want this breakfast!!! I have mangos, lime, toasted coconut and rice but I don't think I have coconut milk (it's oddly hard to find in MX to the point that I brought some back with me from the US last time).
You can also make coconut milk from dried unsweetened coconut. I soak a cup of coconut in 4 cups water overnight then blitz in the blender. I strain the milk and use the solid pulp for bulking up oatmeal. Once chilled in the fridge you’ll get a little bit of solid fat on top. My kids just eat that as a treat but you could use it like coconut oil.
If you can find/order coconut milk powder such as this: https://gracefoods.ca/product/coconut-products/ you can store it for a long time, and it weighs less than canned coconut milk. You just add water to the amount that you need.
Ohhhh. Thank you. My meal plan for tomorrow now. I might skip the tuna and go for a nut. Maybe walnuts?
We generally add in cubed boiled potatoes and green beans, absolutely delicious!
Coconut rice with fruit for breakfast is brilliant! Too bad I don't eat breakfast... 🤣
Me neither: I eat my first meal of the day around 11-noon, though the first meal is technically breakfast.
Just made a panzanella salad -- it's SUCH a sign of summer for me. I'll probably do one or two a week.
Do you have a go to recipe or combo? I’ve never gotten in the habit of making panzanellas and have been thinking to start. The dressing matters so the bread is the right consistency and not just soft or crunchy, yeah?
I don’t do anything fancy. Basic olive oil and red wine vinegar (maybe 3:1) with a good amount of fresh basil. I like it with grape tomatoes (something smaller than a Roma, and I really like the heirloom types so I have a mix of colors and tomato flavors). I like to add a cucumber to give a bit more bulk and I like the small mozzarella pearls. If I could get my husband to eat onion, I’d probably add a red onion. For bread, I think it’s important to let it get stale AND then toast it in the oven at 200 for 20-40 minutes. Basically croutons.
I grew up eating a kind of a version of a taco salad that requires very minimal cooking. It's a great summer option. We would put out a bowl of corn chips, a bowl of some kind of browned ground meat (we are veggie so it was plant-based crumbles but pick your favorite), a bowl of whole black or pinto beans, a bowl of chopped lettuce (usually romaine or iceberg). And then a bunch of smaller bowls with any and all toppings we could think of or had on hand - grated cheese, avocado, tomatoes, diced onion or green onion, black olives, grated carrot, green chilies, corn, sour cream, radish, cilantro, jalapenos, etc. End with a couple of salad dressing options (usually ranch and some kind of vinaigrette), salsa, and hot sauce. Everyone would go through starting with crushed chips on the bottom, then beans/meat, lettuce, and then whatever toppings they like. Everyone always loved it. It's also a pretty good way to cook for a larger group of people without a lot of fuss.
haystacks? hehe having that tonight!
That’s what my mom called them!
Heh, yep! I knew someone would recognize it. Enjoy!
We’re big fans of meat, cheese, fruit plate when it’s hot. Graze as needed, most items chilled.
Yes! In addition to meat, cheese, and fruit - pickles, pickled peppers, Peter Piper (hehe), olives, onions, celery, pickled beets, pimento cheese, and crackers. There's probably a lot I'm forgetting.
Sounds like the perfect time to put together a snackle box.
No snackleboxes needed unless you're traveling. Not to mention that items that need to stay chilled (cheese, deli meats, etc.) aren't very snacklebox friendly, unfortunately. Been there, tried it. I mostly prep snackleboxes for flights, long car rides, or camping adventures and I fill them with nuts, dried fruits, crackers, candy, chocolate (as long as I know it won't melt), chips, popcorn, etc. It always goes over well and it's wonderful to have snacks when needed.
We’re going similar- pinwheels. Tortilla, cream cheese, seasoning, meat, cheese, pickle.
Made a roast in the crockpot with carne asada seasonings for tacos/burritos with avocado, lettuce, hot sauce and queso fresco, and I’ll probably grill chicken breasts in the air fryer for wraps/burritos/salads/sandwiches for later in the week. We probably eat too much meat, but it’s so easy to build meals if there’s a prepped protein ready to go.
wait, you can grill chicken in an air fryer?
Salads full of summer fruits and veggies. Smoothies. Cheese/cured meat platters. Anything that can go on the grill. Quick stir fries. Eating ice cream at normal dinner time, and dinner after the sun goes down.
Caprese sandwiches. so refreshing, kinda healthy, and no cooking needed!
I love to make little tomato, mozzarella & pesto sandwiches on Hawaiian rolls. So good! Went out today & harvested some basil for pesto & then made pesto penne and peas. It’s delicious cold or hot.
I did a caprese blt sandwich combo with basil avocado spread. So tasty and refreshing plus bacon lol
that sounds amazing, will try
Tonight I'm planning to make a bahn mi type sandwich with my farmer's market haul. I've got some cucumber and radish pickling in the fridge, a kale and fennel slaw, duck rillettes, kewpie mayo and good butter. Normally I'd add a grilled meat of some sort, but keeping it simple with what we have in the house. I've also been loving using the mandolin to thinly slice veggies and serve them on top of a cold full fat dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, ricotta) topped with chili crisp, olive oil, and flaky sea salt. Dessert is fresh berries on ricotta or chocolate ice cream!
I'll be right over for this 😉
you should post that to r/sandwiches that sounds amazing
Thank you!! It was delicious.
Final sandwich is over on my IG, @sforsaraho, if anyone is interested how it turned out.
I sous vide lots of chicken breasts on the weekends so I can add them to salads, sandwiches etc all week without heating up the house.
I was coming here to say sous vide as well! You can cook anything from vegetables to baby back ribs to frozen burger patties and it doesn’t get very hot. Then it’s just a quick sear on both sides and the stove is off!
I’m a big fan of a Vietnamese chicken salad, Gỏi gà. It’s shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot, red onion, cilantro, and a vinegar lime dressing. It’s served cold and is so good
I'm doing something similar, adding rice noodles, basil, mint, shrimp rather than chicken, and spicy peanut dressing. Looking forward to that one!
That would be good in a spring roll wrapper, too.
Gazpacho
Agreed. It's hydrating, cooling, healthy, and delicious. It's hard to beat. [This](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/228609/avocado-gazpacho/) is my favorite recipe. It's not particularly traditional but it's very tasty.
Thanks for link. I use V-8 in gazpacho too - quick & easy, spicy hot variety if you're in the mood!
I need to get into gazpacho!!! I have never made it but one of my galpals has a great recipe.
Add some grilled cheese croutons and ooooooo boy. Gazpacho is my favorite summer soup
Ceviche!
Perfect summer food!
We often cook outside. I know it's hot out, but we'll throw just about anything onto the grill. Anything goes if it fits on a baking pan, cast iron skillet, or simply lay on the grill. Tonight will be frozen pizza either on the grill or in the air fryer.
I keep a decent stash of leftovers in my freezer for times when I don't have time to cook, or don't feel like cooking. Re-heating them adds very little heat to the house. I also enjoy eating salads and wraps most days so will be continuing that trend.
Oh good call on the frozen stash! We've got some excellent chili in the freezer plus all the fixins for taco salad!
We are sandwich connoisseurs at my house, so we dig in to the love of sandwiches. Club sandwiches, BLTs, scrambled eggs. And when we need a break I’ll throw a pot roast in the slow cooker, meatballs same. Baked potatoes (microwaved) with slow cooker leftovers on top. Good old canned tuna in every form my mother ever presented it. Salads thrown in to mix it up. Lots of fruit. And cashing in change and looking for deals to afford a meal out.
Our kitchen isn't insulated well at all and the evening sun hits it full force, so I will murder anyone that thinks of turning on the cooker. We use the Instapot, toaster oven, microwave and the grill during this season exclusively. But we're also big fans of sushi, salads, smoothies, and charcuterie.
Hiyayako tofu -- I get a block of silken soft tofu and add a mountain of thinly sliced scallions, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, minced ginger, shaved bonito flakes....eat over rice or on its own
Ooooh. I’ve never heard of this, but it’s definitely on the list for this week now. Thanks!
I love this (I do a Korean version which is really adding gochugaru flakes) and it is perfect when it's so hot you don't even want to chew LOL.
I'm making chili tonight so we can eat it on chili cheese dogs when it's hot. I have some marinated chicken thighs I'll cook on the grill and I bought some salad stuff. It's only four days or so. Grill is helpful.
I smoked a pork butt yesterday and will be nomming on that all week!
How did you keep the end lit? Asking for a friend.
Cool salads. Lettuce based or other veggies, ideally with a yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream based dressing to extend the feeling of coolness. But for a real cooked meal other than grilling... Plug electric appliances in outside. I started this because I wanted to roast whole garlic heads without making my house reek- so I kept a toaster oven on my covered side porch. Pretty soon I realized I had essentially recreated the 'summer kitchen' concept. You can take it as far as your imagination takes you. Air fryer, countertop connection oven, slow cooker, electric skillet. If you don't have outlets outside, an extension cord through a window should work.
Good time to use your crock pot! Low and slow won’t heat up the house.
Slow cooker! It's the best. I have one that also let's you use it as a skillet so you can brown meat or cook vegetables in it and then switch to slow cook so no extra pots.
We like to have dinner salads with french bread when it's hot. We usually put grilled chicken on our salads.
We had homemade naan (skillet) with hummus, cucumber salad and cold tofu in a shawarma marinade last night. It slapped. Tonight we're doing garlic shrimp over cauliflower rice with a side of zucchini. Other recents: tofu spring rolls, burrito bowls (canned beans), and Big Ass Salads.
I did a big meal prep during the weekend, when it was cool. So now, i can just use the microwave or look in the fridge for salads (potato, pasta or lettuce) and stuff to make sandwiches.
Yes! Poached chicken, boiled eggs, cut veggies. Cooked some beans. Whole fridge is now a make your own salad bar
Salad with baby spinach, sliced strawberries, goat cheese, bacon, and glazed pecans. I use Brianna's poppyseed dressing.
Tonight I’m making chicken wraps with precooked chicken strips. I made elite pasta salad last night so it would be ready for today
Cold cucumber soup. Tomato sandwiches.
Cellophane noodles just need to soak in just-boiled water a couple minutes. Some Asian dressing, cucumbers, herbs, maybe some shrimp. Light and refreshing! Any rice noodle salad would be good.
Tuna salad, sardine salad, esquites, prosciutto goat cheese baguette and maybe a waffle iron sandwich is what's on tap for the week.
In the summer, we do 'tapas' dinners a few nights a week. Hummus, crackers, salami, olives, pickles, dolmas, whatever is kicking around. I keep an eye out when I'm grocery shopping for fun things we can have. Lots of variety, fun to eat, and no cooking!
I'm just having smoothies, cheese boards, deli meat sandwiches, maybe will make macaroni salad at night to eat for lunches.
I just made a big ol' batch of cucumber salad
# Chunky Summer Gazpacho # * 2 pounds tomatoes, cored and chopped (about 10 Roma) * 5 bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped (red, yellow, orange) * 1 medium red onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup) * 1 tablespoon minced garlic * 1 lime, juiced * 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped * 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped * 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped * 1 tablespoon tomato paste * 32-48 oz tomato juice, to taste * 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil * 1/4 cup avocado oil * 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce * 3 tablespoons sugar * 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin * 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper * 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Combine all ingredients in a large (very large) bowl, stirring well to thoroughly mix. Transfer about 2 cups of mixture into blender or food processor and puree; add back to unprocessed mixture and stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. (Serve chilled.) *Optional*: mix in some small thawed-from-frozen, de-veined, tail-off cooked shrimp (51/60 count per pound) to chunky gazpacho before serving to add some protein for a low-calorie, flavorful lunch. *Note / Tip*: recipe can be made with all-olive oil if avocado oil is not available. The avocado oil is a bit sweeter so if olive oil is used solo, additional sugar may be needed. *Nutrition*: about 105 calories per cup
Peanut sesame noodles!
gazpacho, cold meat salads
Buratta topped with the following: Blackberries cooked in a small amount of blackberry balsamic until a bit soft (so they don't roll off the toast) Crushed/chopped pecans Fresh mint and thyme All of this is served with dried sausage and crusty gluten free bread. The berries don't cook for long enough to heat up the kitchen and the rest is all either room temperature and is ready in minutes.
Shrimp cocktail
I bought a roast chicken, some good bread, lots of fresh fruit, cottage cheese, salad greens, some cheeses and crackers. I intend to exist on assorted cold plates
Velvet Chicken… whole chicken with only 15 minutes of stovetop on time… VELVET CHICKEN 1 (3 to 3 1/2 lb) whole chicken 2 (14-oz) cans low-sodium, chicken broth (3 1/2 cups) 1 cup soy sauce 1 cup dark soy sauce (substitute regular soy sauce if unavailable) 1 cup Chinese rice wine (preferably Shaoxing) or medium-dry sherry 1/4 cup coarsely crushed yellow rock sugar (2 oz) or 1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 bunch scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces 6 (1/4 inch thick) round slices fresh ginger 4 (3 by 1 inch) strips fresh orange zest 1 tablespoon fine sea salt 2 whole cloves 2 whole star anise (1 1/2 teaspoons) 1 (2 1/2 inch) dried red chile 1/2 teaspoon Sichuan or black peppercorns Rinse chicken and pat dry Combine ALL ingredients EXCEPT chicken into a 4 to 6 quart pot, bring to boil. Add chicken BREAST SIDE DOWN, reduce to simmer and cover... cook 15 minutes Turn heat off... let sit 30 minutes Turn chicken over, recover, let sit 15 more minutes Chicken will now be fully cooked... remove chicken to cutting board. Cut drumsticks, wings and then breasts to a plate. Discard back. There will be much juice. Serve with rice or noodles with extra stock from the pot as a dipping sauce. Reserve rest of cooking stock - freeze for future chicken. mmmmm good
Is this actually cooking a full chicken? This seems.. risky.
I utilize Trader Joe’s frozen meals so much in the summer, especially their burrito bowls. Microwave 3-4 minutes, add sour cream and tortilla chips, dinner’s done 👌🏻 I also love their salad kits for nights when I don’t have time to do the prep myself. I’ll often add a protein from the frozen section (chicken breast, salmon, tofu sheets) to make it more of a meal
Our AC is broken so I know this struggle all too well! The crockpot has been my best friend! Anything that doesn’t require any searing or browning of meats. Pinterest has a lot of good ideas if you look up “Summer Crockpot Recipes”! Also, Caesar salad with homemade dressing has been a huge go to for us! •1 Cup Mayonnaise •3 Glaric Cloves •2 tbsp Lemon Juice •1 tsp Dijon Mustard •1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce •1/2 Cup grated Parmesan •1/4 tsp Salt •1/2 Ground Black Pepper Mix in a medium or large mixing bowl, throw some chopped Romaine hearts and all done! So good! Stay cool!
Tonight I'm eating wraps with yogurt, cucumber, chickpeas, dill, mint, and this shaker of "greek seasoning" salt I got from my mother at some point. Mint's fresh because I have it, dill's not because I don't.
There are four “salads” in my fridge now that’ll be lunches and dinners most of this week. - spiralized carrots in peanut sauce - cabbage/edamame/cucumber/etc with ginger sesame dressing - cold tortellini with misc veg, salami & pesto - watermelon feta salad We have prepped chicken, meatballs, and brisket in the freezer so if we’re looking for meat, it’s a quick reheat away. The oven is off limits when it’s over 90 degrees.
I make a variation of tabouli with puey lentils instead of grain. We also love big salads with lots of meat/cheese/pickled bits, with good crackers or crusty bread. Cold soups, either tomato or yogurt based. I cheated and bought a pre roasted chicken. Shredded the meat for chicken salad with diced veggies bits, grapes, and walnuts. I set the bones to simmer all night for stock, & will use that to make a cold tomato pasta salad.
Too late now, but when I see a heatwave in the forecast, I prepare some things that last long to eat cold. Pasta salad, quiche, that sort of thing.
I made Italian beef in the crockpot yesterday and pasta salad. Honestly we will probably order out as well this week because I refuse to use the oven. Stovetop yes but only small fast things like eggs for breakfast.
It was cool on Sunday so I made potato salad, Waldorf/coleslaw fusion, and hard boiled eggs. I’ll make overnight oats in the fridge tonight.
I grill outside when I can. Keeps the cooking heat in the outside. Japanese bbq noodle salad with steak slices usually though
Anything salad, using instant pot in the patio lol, grill (I bake pizza and bread in it), use the side burner for other stuff, but yeah…we may boil a quick pasta and broccoli for the kiddos but nothing heartier than that. Waffles or omelette or cereal or oatmeal in the AM. Been using the food processor to make hummus. Hearty and no heat. Quinoa salad… stuff like that. Some eating out as well.
Florida is always a heat wave, so I’ve changed nothing and I continue to suffer.
I make cool veggie folded tortillas/pita bread with: **\*Chopped fresh raw vegetables (whatever I have in fridge)** **\*Shredded cheese** **\*Salad dressing** **\*Soft flour tortillas or pita bread** I put first three ingredients in bowl and mix. Then spoon onto folded tortillas or pita bread. Minimal effort and doesn't heat up the house. It's a great go-to meal in the summer.
LEFTOVERS!
Pasta salads for EVERYONE
Making eggs on the stovetop doesn't exactly heat up the house. Heatwaves are a good time to nuke leftovers I have in the freezer.
I made a giant lasagna at midnight on Sunday and now we’re eating that all week
Get out the slow cooker! I don't have an air fryer or an instant pot, so I make simple dishes on the stove or in the slow cooker. I've been wanting a burger with blue cheese for a couple of days now. Now I want post roast in the slow cooker. My eating shifts to salads and sandwiches in the summer, because when it's hot, I lose my appetite.
This morning I did local errands and grocery shopping so I can hide inside the rest of the week. Meals planned include a summer roll salad with shrimp, a Greek salad possibly with lamb meatballs, Thai red curry ... something, garlic-parmesan chicken skewers (air fryer), spaghetti (spouse's request), and possibly burgers and/or smoked sausage if I can force myself outside ☀️🔥 Will make coleslaw and tater salad as well. Be safe & stay hydrated, friends!
What heat wave ? 🤣It's literally 17 degrees here today and dull
Grilling outside. I even toss the air fryer in the garage for fries and stuff.
Making casseroles and the like in my solar oven. The sun may be punishing me but at least it's also cooking for me.
This is the genius of the air fryer. The reason it heats up so fast is the same reason it won’t heat up your house like a regular oven. If you can’t grill outside, air fry inside.
BLT for dinner.
Potato salad and cold sandwiches.
I've made a big batch of fruit salad, as well as a chicken salad (bought a roast chicken) for sandwiches. The grill has been great for most things, including quesadillas!
Grilling season baby.
Pasta, bean, chicken and other salads. I make several and keep them in the fridge and we just grab a serving when we feel hungry.
Frozen pizza rolls. I put the bag on my chest and eat them one by one over a couple hours as they thaw out
I will use my grill most of the week lol. Grilled chicken, burgers, steak salads.
Lemon caper tuna salad on greens and with crackers!
The central air works fine, no need to change our food preparation or meal plans. Our pooled pensions slightly exceed our exp so we are not concerned with the cost of a/c.
All sandwiches all the time. Tuna, egg, BLT, chicken, ham, etc. always with lots of fresh lettuce. Hot days are sandwich days. Breakfast is smoothie time.
Fire up the Weber kettle. Tri tip, chicken thighs, hamburgers, sausages with pepper and onions. Will also do the veggies on the grill too. Grilled zuchini and summer squash, bacon wrapped asparagus parcels, eggplant and portobella mushrooms are all great on the grill.
Its really mild here in Berlin but if I was in a heatwave I would be looking at korean food - especially things like cold noodles and banchans!
A giant pasta salad. It gets steamy while I boil the noodles, but everything else cold. Tomatoes, green onions, sweet peppers, chunked ham, feta and parmesan. Add whatever seasonings you like (I add gojuchang, fresh garlic, basil and a touch of sea salt). Finish off with homemade or olive garden Italian dressing. Mix it up, done! The longer it sits in the fridge, the better it tastes (within reason). Enjoy!