When it's too hot to cook

I was think nachos, at least for one meal. Shopping is so depressing these days either unavailable or has doubled in price in the last few months. I usually end up getting some deli meat, bags of microwave rices and several dairy items. That gets tired real quick, though.
 

For breakfast have an Icy Cold Berry Smoothie or Iced Coffee someplace air-conditioned.

For lunch have ice cream for your main meal. Then for dessert have another bowl of ice cream:giggle: Well, don't laugh...a few times my mother served hot fudge sundaes for the family dinner and seconds for dessert. I remember my dad would pile us in the station wagon, and drive to Pikes Peak in Colorado where they knew him by name since he always ordered a 5 dip ice cream cone...and my parents were slim, go figure. No wonder I turned out to be a rather eccentric sort.

Seriously, if you're concerned about inflation...for dinner have a cold Vichyssoise soup (pureed leeks, onions, cream( or I use Oat-ly which is very creamy and healthier), potato, and chicken stock), a crisp cold Salad, and Ice Tea. Or opt for Ice water and frozen grapes or a frozen banana. Get creative...and have fan nearby.
 
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Jace said:
Yes, I do, too ⬆️....and pasta salad add chopped carrots, beans mix with different flavor of dressings (Ranch, Guacamole/ranch)
Even cold spaghetti w/above.⬆️
Delicious!
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That's what I have started preparing ~ pasta salads that you make yourself. You can add a variety of veggies/ingredients to the pasta. I use the Olive Garden Dressing (it is delish and creamy). There are plenty of recipes in www.pinterest.com for pasta salads; nothing difficult in preparing them. Turning on the burner on just long enough to boil the pasta will not overheat your house.

Do you not have central air and/or other type of cooling?
 

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For pasta salads .... drain and return immediately to pot. Stir in a dollop of your favorite creamy salad dressing (mine at the moment is Ranch) or your own pre-mixed mayo and seasonings. Stir in and refrigerate. When cool, proceed as normal with usual addins. Much more flavorful.
 
Try switching your meals around during hot weather.

Have a large breakfast or lunch and a bowl of cereal or a couple of slices of toast topped with a slice of cheese or peanut butter for dinner.

I agree with @Lara, when it gets really hot pile into the car and head for the nearest dashboard diner for a burger and a shake or a banana split!

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We have whole house a/c so heat isn't a problem. But not liking fast food/junk food, options to cook comes down to a variety of ways.
1.Breville smart oven/air fryer
2.micro wave
3.slow cooker
4.smoker for cooking on the patio mostly slow 12 hours for roasts
5.Wood burning open pit with grill & free standing BBQ for rotisserie <--- when not in use for cooking burning a few logs & sitting together on a cold night watching the stars works.
6.rotisserie built into outdoor 4 burner 60,000 btu bbq grill
wok cooking outdoors
7.regular oven
8.rice cooker that can double as a steamer
9.Cuisine electric skillet
10.Hamilton beach 22 qt. roaster oven.

Don't have a house full of junk, just very useful options for making great meals.

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Lots of great suggestions here. I only use my wall ovens for baking or making pizzas. Everything else I cook or warm up with the stovetop, microwave, the countertop convection/toaster oven, rice cooker, crock pot, or some combination thereof.

Now that I'm older my energy level is highest from morning through about 4 pm, so that's when I plan errands, cleaning, baking, food prep and other tasks. After 4 I hit the couch with a book or tablet and am done for the day.

When I need to do a lot of baking in warmer weather, I check the long range weather forecast and plan accordingly.
 
Jace said:
For brunch today, instead of Avacodo toast..I put chopped spinach(heated in microwave) on toast topped with cheese.
My idea...quite good!👍
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Do it with feta cheese on pita and you've got a little Greek thing going there...

maybe add some olives...
 
horseless carriage said:
My wife and I are not vegetarian but we do eat at least two meals a week without meat. One of those meals is a firm favourite, just click on the link and you will see the recipe. In place of beef we use mushrooms, hence the title: "Mushroom Stroganoff." It's a hot meal, spicy too, but so delicious and filling despite the lack of meat.
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A couple of resources for vegetarian / vegan recipes

www.vegan.com

https://ivu.org/vegan-recipes-around-the-world/vegan-food-academy.html

you can also take your favorite celebrity chef and Google their veggie recipes...
 
debodun said:
I'm tired of eating bagged salad mixes, apples, deli meat sandwiches and yogurt. I'm not turning the oven on when it's 95F. I'm running out of ideas.
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Can't say enough good about the countertop ovens. I've got an inexpensive Hamilton Beach that has been a real workhorse over the summers and a lot of winters, too. They use much less energy and don't heat up the kitchen like regular ovens.

I've got two other ovens, but honestly, the little countertop oven is where everything from toasting bread, to baking casseroles gets done. Perfect for
one or two people in the household.
 
Here in Scotland, if it's too hot to cook, the house is probably on fire :ROFLMAO: I suppose it's one advantage of living in a temperate climate - rarely to hot or too cold. In summer we have more salads, possibly with a quiche, terrine or scotch egg.
 
I buy a lot of takeout.....deli. chicken, fish and barbecue, all will make several meals, a deli chicken is good for soup, chicken salad, tacos....make one cut up the rest and freeze.
 

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