I feel like summer has finally arrived. It’s always a little late here in the Pacific Northwest. The rain has stopped and we have sunshine. The fans blow cool air through the house in the morning to help keep out the heat. I love the sunshine but I don’t love heating up the kitchen and the whole house to prepare meals. So I’m always looking for great ideas for cool summer cooking.
Although I prefer homemade and whole foods, summer heat prompts me to take advantage of easy-to-prepare and semi-homemade recipes. I shop for items that adhere to my preferences for healthy cooking but don’t require lots of heat to prepare. Today I am sharing my secrets to keep my house cool and comfortable while providing good meals for my family and friends.
Cook outside as much as possible
Camping is not the only time to cook outside. You can cook just about anything on a grill, in a smoker, or over a fire pit. Pizza bakes nicely on the grill, burger and meats taste wonderful from the smoker, and kids love to cook hotdogs and dessert over the firepit. I’ll share some of our favorite outdoor recipes in the next few weeks.
Food cooked outside is best consumed outside, too. Utilize your patio table or use TV trays to enjoy a meal on the patio and soak up some natural vitamin D. If you don’t have a patio table, grab a quilt and have a backyard picnic.
Season or marinate meats before work in the morning and put them in the refrigerator so they are well-seasoned when it is time to cook. Most fruits and veggies can be prepped when you bring them home from the grocery store so they are ready when meal time arrives.
Assemble all of your meal components on a tray to save trips between the kitchen and the patio. Don’t forget serving utensils and condiments.
Indoor cooking is done early in the day
Some pasta and veggie salads require heating water on the stove. I try to get these done early in the morning before I head to work so they are ready to go at dinner time. While working from home, I prefer to heat the oven early in the day if I am going to make bread or dessert.
Use raw fruits and veggies as sides
Veggies trays are my favorite summer salad. I also enjoy the premixed salads available in the produce aisle. Choose what meets your family’s taste preferences.
Cubed melons, whole berries, and sliced fruit make wonderful desserts. They require very little preparation. You can serve them alone or with a light, whipped fruit dip. Fruits are also yummy as a topping for store-bought pound cake or angel food cake.
Use a slow cooker
Slow cookers cook just about anything without heating up the house. You can create casseroles, meat entrees, and desserts. Fix-It and Forget-It meals are some of my favorite all year round. They can be prepped in the morning and they are ready when the family gathers for dinner.
These cookbooks have recipes for entrees, sides, and desserts to be cooked in the slow cooker. I have two slow cookers so I can use them to cook multiple items for any given meal. This weekend, we are participating in our church golf tournament so I anticipate preparing something in the slow cooker for our family dinner in the evening.
Plan for leftovers
Cook once, eat twice. Save yourself some work by preparing enough the first night to re-purpose half of it for dinner later in the week or to put in the freezer for a future meal. Pork roast on Sunday becomes pulled pork sandwiches for dinner on Tuesday. Grilled boneless chicken breasts on Monday evening can be made into chicken salad served on sourdough bread o the meat for a taco salad. If you cook pasta to have with meat sauce, make enough pasta to create a salad for another day.
Home-cooked meals beat fast food every time for taste and nutrition. Enjoy a healthier diet this summer by preparing dishes at home that meet your dietary needs and your desire for a tasty meal.
Thank you for letting me share my heart for home and family!
