"Cool" meals for summer cooking

[dazaga]

Hi everyone, I'd like some ideas on good meals that can be prepared without heating up the kitchen. With temperatures in the 90s and 100s, a little stove time is fine but heating up the oven is out of the question! And when it comes to eating, something cool is always enjoyed on a hot day - vs. baked chicken, baked potatoes, etc. So any recipes for cold meals or minimal microwave or stove top time would be greatly appreciated!

[KarenB]

I like a cold noodle recipe with cucumbers. I'll also make hosomaki sushi. Just vegetables or sometimes canned tuna or smoked salmon. Wraps are always good. Fondues are easy and light. When it's hot I will make a meal of appetizers. I get to try out new recipes and the meal has variety and is light eating.

[ImissTexas52]

If you like meatloaf:
Here's a recipe I like to use a lot because I can cook a meatloaf in the microwave and not heat up the kitchen. I know...a microwaved meatloaf sounds weird, but it works! And it's quick and delicious too..and it takes less than 20 minutes to cook!

2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 lbs lean ground beef
5 tbsp seasoned bread crumbs
1 small onion, chopped
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (we used reduced sodium and you can't taste any difference)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
Topping is either ketchup, BBQ sauce, steak sauce - whichever you like.

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Top lightly with your favorite topping. Microwave uncovered for time shown below. I cover the meatloaf for the "standing time" while it finishes cooking.

Type of dish to use:
For individual meatloaves I use six 6-oz custard cups arranged in a ring in the oven. If your oven doesn't have a turntable, rotate the dishes once or twice during cooking. Pack the meatloaf mixture into the bowls and microwave on HIGH for 10-13 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.

For a ring-shaped meatloaf I use one 6-oz custard cup inverted in the center of my 3-quart casserole dish. Form the meatloaf mixture into large balls and pack around the custard cup. Microwave on HIGH for 12 minutes (based on an 1100 watt oven). Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. You'll find that when the standing time is over, any of the grease from the meatloaf mixture has accumulated inside the custard cup. I don't know why it works that way, but it does. It's neat!

You've got a meatloaf in less than 20 minutes and the kitchen isn't hot either.

[dazaga]

Thanks for the recipe, I'm eager to try it!

[ImissTexas52]

Thanks for the recipe, I'm eager to try it!

Enjoy it and I hope you like it. We make it a lot and I don't usually have any leftovers, either. I like using the ring shape more than the individual loaves, but I've made it both ways. Have fun!

[eclecticsynergy]

I'm a big fan of gazpacho- it's fast, easy, no-cook, and very refreshing on a hot day. My secret ingredient is Knudsen's organic Very Veggie juice as a base (or if I can't find it, V-8 juice, but the Knudsen's has a bell pepper overtone that suits gazpacho better, plus it's organic).

Another favorite is tomato & cucumber salad- thinly sliced tomatoes & cukes, a little chopped onion, some balsamic and oil and a little fresh ground pepper, maybe a crumble of feta or even some minced pepperoncini. It's even tastier after a day or two in the fridge...

[CM]

Tomato and cucumber salad - one of my favorites! Especially this time of year. I just brought in another bag full of cucumbers and zucchinis and some tomatoes and lettuce, so will have to have a cucumber salad tonight! I like to add fresh basil and red onions, minced garlic and/or shallots, sometimes some green onions, too. I like a combo or red wine vinegar with a small amount of balsamic.

Another Summer time dish I make is stewed tomatoes and sauteed zucchini coins. I barely cook the tomatoes with some basil, then add the sauteed zucchini. I also end up making a lot of pasta with fresh tomatoes and zucchini sauce. hmm... there is a theme here

[Mariah-RoseCass]

This is helpful too, because on days like today, you don`t want to turn the stove on. Thanks guys!
Mariah~RoseCass

[ImissTexas52]

Mmmm...cucumber salad sounds great. Where we live, today is supposed to be warmer than yesterday. I don't even want to cook tonight. So cucumber salad fits perfectly. Thanks for the suggestion, CM.

[VeesMom]

Thanks for the Microwave Meatloaf recipe. I have never even thought of doing something like this in the micro but it turned out great and was sooooo nice to be able to cook meatloaf without heating up our already 95+ kitchen.

If you like meatloaf:
Here's a recipe I like to use a lot because I can cook a meatloaf in the microwave and not heat up the kitchen. I know...a microwaved meatloaf sounds weird, but it works! And it's quick and delicious too..and it takes less than 20 minutes to cook!

2 eggs, beaten
1-1/2 lbs lean ground beef
5 tbsp seasoned bread crumbs
1 small onion, chopped
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (we used reduced sodium and you can't taste any difference)
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp pepper
Topping is either ketchup, BBQ sauce, steak sauce - whichever you like.

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Top lightly with your favorite topping. Microwave uncovered for time shown below. I cover the meatloaf for the "standing time" while it finishes cooking.

Type of dish to use:
For individual meatloaves I use six 6-oz custard cups arranged in a ring in the oven. If your oven doesn't have a turntable, rotate the dishes once or twice during cooking. Pack the meatloaf mixture into the bowls and microwave on HIGH for 10-13 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.

For a ring-shaped meatloaf I use one 6-oz custard cup inverted in the center of my 3-quart casserole dish. Form the meatloaf mixture into large balls and pack around the custard cup. Microwave on HIGH for 12 minutes (based on an 1100 watt oven). Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. You'll find that when the standing time is over, any of the grease from the meatloaf mixture has accumulated inside the custard cup. I don't know why it works that way, but it does. It's neat!

You've got a meatloaf in less than 20 minutes and the kitchen isn't hot either.