Summer is associated with many things: Hot sun. Cool water. Beaches. Gardening. Freshest produce. Farmer’s markets. Outdoor games. Camping. Staying out late. Waking up with the sun.
It is not associated with excessive kitchen time, at least not in my house. In fact, I’ve been spending as little time as possible in the kitchen lately, between having zillions of other things I’d rather be doing…and the fact that cooking makes a kitchen HOT. Which is the opposite of what we’re going for this season.
How pesky of a thing that we must still eat three meals a day, even when we don’t feel like cooking! Here are three meals that have taken up residence on my weekly meal plans and are too good (and EASY) to not keep eating, over and over:
Grilled garlic bread salad
This simple salad launched into my life with intent to stay. I was hooked from the first bite, and cannot get over how splendid this meal tastes…every single time. (It’s what I’m having for dinner tonight, in fact).
Grilled garlic bread salad is filling and covers a lot of nutritional bases. And it makes delightful use of ingredients at the height of their summer flavors right now—like basil, cucumber, tomatoes and corn. Making it is as easy as chopping a bunch of ingredients and mixing them in a bowl, and the garlic bread can either be made on the grill outside, or in the toaster oven (which is my favorite, lately, because then you don’t lose so much butter to the flames).
Pasta with mint, goat cheese, prosciutto & peas
This is another “chop and mix the ingredients in a bowl” kind of recipe, and on a hot summer day, it tastes fresh and light and a little bit like a refreshing breeze, if that were a thing.
The only heat this adds to your kitchen is the stovetop boiling a pot of pasta water. While the water boils, you chop some fresh mint and prosciutto (or pancetta, if you like) and grab a handful of peas. The goat cheese melts on the hot pasta to make a quick creamy sauce, and lots of pepper and lemon zest put it over the edge.
It remains my goal when eating this dish, to have each forkful include a taste of every single ingredient, because every single flavor is SO. DAMN. GOOD.
Buffalo chicken sandwiches
{There is no photo, because none of my pictures are doing justice to the magical flavor that is this sandwich. Someday I will come back and add one, and it will make you drool. So…you’re welcome.}
At least half the time I use my crock pot, I’m using it to make this. Buffalo chicken sandwiches are a staple in our house because they are stupidly easy to make (again: mix ingredients…nothin’ to it). And the crock pot is a no-brainer for summer meals…it doesn’t heat up the kitchen, and you don’t have to stick around for 30 minutes or more to get dinner put together.
The basic recipe for buffalo chicken is ultra-simple: combine boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the crock pot with a jar of buffalo wing sauce and a packet of ranch dressing. Cook on low until the meat is done, then shred with a fork and cook for a little longer for the flavors to soak in. (Tip if you’re making a big batch: a mixer with the paddle attachment will make quick work of shredding that chicken.)
If you like to make the wing sauce from scratch (which I typically do), here’s the recipe I normally use. I don’t heat it up on the stovetop, I just mix all the ingredients right in the crock pot, stir then add the chicken. As for the packet of Ranch Dressing Mix…you know how I feel about that. I, in fact, have never purchased a packet for this, but rather add the spices from my pantry based on my buttermilk ranch dressing recipe. (One day I’ll wise up and make a big jar of ranch dressing mix for myself. There’s no reason why I haven’t done this yet, I just haven’t.)
Whenever you’re ready to eat dinner, just spoon some buffalo chicken on a bun or hoagie and top generously with blue cheese. I like to have this with a side salad with blue cheese dressing, to round out the meal.
Fancy grilled cheese with bruchetta
This one’s not *quite* as simple as the last three if you choose to make all the components from scratch…but it’s so wonderful as a summer lunch or dinner, I can’t help but include it on the list.
I like to think I invented this: a pesto-and-fresh-mozzerella grilled cheese sandwich…topped with fresh bruchetta at each bite. If you’re not already salivating, I don’t know what else to say about this one. Except that you’ll never, ever regret a single mouthful.
There’s my favorite recipes for you! If you need a little more food for thought, check out this round up of 46 summer crock pot meals. I’m itching to try some of these soon.
I’d love to hear about your favorite summer dinners—leave a note (or a link!) in the comments below.
