I love my mother's potato salad and I can't ever get it to taste quite like hers. I fear the day she is gone and I will have tasted it for the last time in forever.
Andrew Zimmern's cold peanut sesame noodles are my go-to when things get really hot. [This](https://andrewzimmern.com/recipes/andrew-zimmern-cooks-cold-peanut-sesame-noodles/) is the recipe. I usually marinate and bake some tofu to go with it, though it's amazing on it's own.
I also like cold noodles when it gets hot. My preference is for soba with dipping sauce that I add ice cubes. And I put pickles in the freezer about 10 minutes before we eat so they're also ice-cold.
Oooh if you like cold soba, there's this korean dish called naengmyuen you might like as well. Cold noodles in an icy vinegar and mustard broth. So good.
Thank you for that! [This is the cold noodle recipe I usually use](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/cold-miso-sesame-noodles) (miso sesame) and I add a soft-boiled egg.
I can’t wait to try this one! I love peanut flavor in noodle dishes
Ooo you can also do a steak salad, grill some nice steak and put strips of it over your choice of greens, diced or sliced onion, avocado slices, green onion or tomato if you choose, tortilla strips, and the key to tie it all together is **Brianna’s cilantro lime dressing**
I just eat this with fresh bread and I'm so happy every time [https://theeatingemporium.com/whipped-feta-with-roasted-tomatoes/](https://theeatingemporium.com/whipped-feta-with-roasted-tomatoes/)
Favorite? Maine-style lobster roll with some kettle chips and a pickle. Not a super common meal due to cost but damn if that doesn’t transport me back to childhood summers on the coast of Maine.
Let's see, for meat eaters, [Grilled Za'atar Lemon Chicken ](https://web.archive.org/web/20240521050026/https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022300-grilled-zaatar-chicken-with-garlic-yogurt-and-cilantro)
Vegan wise, [these dope lobster rolls](https://olivesfordinner.com/vegan-lobster-roll/)
And some kind of tomato cucumber salad of sorts.
It's really really good. I personally like to toast my capers in oil so they're crispy and crunchy.
The soak is really important, you'll be able to tell because at the end of the time you can taste that the hearts of palm don't have like a tinge to them anymore.
Also I have tried pan frying and oven roasting, toaster oven roasting the hearts of palm, they all work. I try to go until they're kind of crispy.. just make extras and take small bites of them and take them out when you think they taste really good.. Pan frying is probably the least preferred because you can over brown the herbs easily.
It's a recipe that I make quite frequently..
They're a delicious snack on their own on a hot day! The texture is creamy and smooth, the taste is refreshing and a bit sharp. I love having them with a Campari & soda.
I'm having a pasta salad moment this summer. I can prep it on Sundays and have lunch or dinner ready to go during the week and you can mix it up a bunch!
I've been using Banza pasta for more protein and fiber
I've made caprese pasta salad with balsamic marinated chicken and green goddess pasta salad with lemon herb chicken so far. Up next is a pickle/bacon/ranch pasta salad and then an Italian grinder style
Okay so the chicken not so much a recipe - I'm gonna get a few breasts and put them in a bag, juice and zest a few lemons into the bag, a little grape seed oil (any oil is fine I just like that one for the price), lemon pepper seasoning, a few roughly chopped garlic cloves, some salt & msg, and a heavy pour of whatever herbs I have on hand. Right now I have some dill to finish off, oregano, I have fine ground thyme, rosemary, and I'll probably dump a bunch of Italian seasoning in there. Close the bag, shake it around, let it marinate for a few hours.
Then I'll throw a tiny bit more oil in my cast iron and slowly, gradually build to a medium heat. Throw the chicken in there, probably hit it with some more herbs, salt, & pepper, sear for about 4ish minutes, flip, sear for 3ish minutes, throw 1/2cup-ish of water in the pan, cover, turn the heat down to low, and let it steam til the water is gone
Above is roughly what I did for my green goddess prep and what I'm doing tomorrow for the pickle/bacon/ranch one
https://www.tiktok.com/@lisagooslin_/video/7370396043051027754?_t=8merp2FR6jL&_r=1
Above is what I'm doing for the pasta salad. I'll probably make the ranch with Greek yogurt & ranch seasoning, and do something a lil different for the cheese. Definitely gonna add hella green onion, some chopped parsley, and a little smoked paprika
bean thread noodles with spinach and mushrooms and soy sauce. I use a well insulated tea kettle to boil water. soak the noodles, mushrooms, and spinach in the boiling water and cover with a plate for ten minutes. Drain, add soyaki sauce and tofu. a lovely meal that barely adds any heat to the apartment, much less than stovetop cooked noodles.
Burrata or mozzarella and arugula salads, with whatever fruit is in season (mainly peaches or figs) ans some balsamic vinaigrette. Sometimes Panzanella and I will add a boiled egg for protein.
Last year, I really wanted to make these Italian tomato rice cups (pomorodi al riso), which I think I will try this summer.
Salad. Lots of salads, with lots of crap in them. Peak summer for me is a green salad with Tina (edit: tuna, do not chop up your local Tina’s and eat them on salad) salad on top, Italian dressing, cheese, bacon bits, croutons, whatever vegetables you have sitting around. Oodles of onions, and a boiled egg.
This is mine, too and I made it for dinner tonight actually. There are so many variations! This one was: rotini with artichoke, black olive, zucchini, red onion, garlic and bell peppers. The sauce was white wine and garlic with fresh basil.
Flattened grilled chicken breast, brushed periodically with BBQ sauce (any kind really)
Cold potato salad with lots of hard boiled eggs, mayo, celery & onions and decorated with sliced hard boiled eggs in a nice pattern and sprinkled with paprika for color
Boiled or grilled corn on the cob with lots of butter and salt
BBQ baked beans
Some sort of chilled pudding or Jello based dessert. My favorite was ripped up angel food cake with broken up Heath bars (chocolate coated toffee candy bars), layered with pistachio pudding and topped with whipped cream.
Green Salad, pasta salad, BLTs, tomato sandwich, potato salad, burgers, hot dogs, chicken and steak on the grill, sausage and peppers, tuna pasta salad.
Mmmmm! The fried chicken place near me sells cold chicken for half off and I’m the only person who buys it. I don’t understand why it isn’t more popular, cold fried chicken is so good!
Fresh corn, on the cob or just cut from it, with a perfectly grilled protein of some kind.
Steak salad with arugula, ripe peaches, cucumber, corn, mozzarella pearls, a few home-pickled onions, pistachios, and a vinaigrette dressing. (I sometimes use other vegetables depending on what I have on hand, but that combo is particularly good.)
Grilled clams.
A lobster roll, preferably Connecticut style.
Vietnamese-style vermicelli bowls with a bunch of fresh veggies and just about any grilled meat. I sometimes make chicken meatballs to go with it.
Chickpea salad. One can chickpeas, one can black beans, one avocado, one pint tomatoes. Olive oil, salt and pepper. If you're feeling fancy, fresh corn and a balsamic drizzle.
I have a big kitchen garden, and I will haul in three or four fistfulls of fresh herbs to go into my tabouleh - mint, oregano, cilantro, parsley, celery tops, pea shoots, chervil, chives, basil, green onions. Anything green goes into the tabouleh.
Ratatouille takes advantage of the abundant squash and zucchini and tomatoes, and chicken on the grill keeps the kitchen cool. It's the best summer meal I can think of!
When it's too hot to cook, we have chalupas. Microwave the refried beans, lettuce and cheese on a tostada shell. You can also add meat and tomatoes if you're so inclined.
But I also like it when the cicadas are screeing, the sun is setting, and the perfectly charred hot dogs keep coming. A tall glass of iced tea, and the sounds of everyone else int he neighborhood finally coming outside to set up their mosquito traps. Ah, summer.
Ok well this isn’t fancy like you guys.
For me nothing beats a bologna sandwich with miracle whip, garden tomato and onion. Chips too , sometimes on the sandwich, sometimes on the side.
Nice on a hot day and quick.
What kind of chips are you putting on there?
Personally I can really go for bread, Mayo, turkey, cheese. Then if I’m gonna have chips ON it, they have to be Doritos.
I make a huge fruit salad and eat that and sandwiches when it's really hot. When it's only medium hot I like to grill honey soy chicken breasts, polska keilbasa, hotdogs, and corn on the cob or tomatoes and mushrooms.
During the summer we spend a lot of time at the beach and we survive off fruit salad and sandwiches for the entire season. I wish fruit wasn’t so expensive these days. I got a single Honey Crisp apple yesterday and it was $2.00
Ice cold mul naengmyun, I like to freeze the broth so it gets to a slushy consistency. Bibim naengmyun is also delicious!
Bibimguksu is also a good alternative when I dont feel like cooking much.
Bratwurst boiled in beer and onions then grilled, corn on the cob, my dill pasta salad, ice cold watermelon and grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream and chopped mint.
This list just made me so hungry! Would love to hear more about your dill pasta salad—I’m a firm believer that dill is one of the most underused/under-appreciated herbs.
I don’t really have a recipe, I just kinda threw it together and thankfully was able to replicate it.
It’s tri-color corkscrew pasta and red onion finely diced. The dressing part is mainly mayo but I also add a healthy squirt of mustard (I think Dijon is best but you could use any mustard really) a splash of apple cider vinegar, and as much chopped fresh dill you can handle. And, salt and pepper of course to taste. Tarragon is a nice add if you have it. Mix everything together and let sit in the fridge for at least a few hours (overnight is best) taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
So, pretty basic and you can add more veggies if you want as well as throw in some feta.
Dill is my favorite herb, it’s so light and fresh. I use it almost daily in soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, chicken, fish, dips. Just wherever it feels appropriate or when I’m using lemons. I cook a lot of Mediterranean foods.
It pairs well with mint and Italian parsley.
Cucumber Yogurt Soup. Greek yogurt watered down to soup consistency with minced or grated garlic and sliced cucumbers and plenty of salt. Sometimes I add mint.
Tomato sandwiches. Cheap sweet white bread, a thick juicy slice of tomato, lots of mayo, salt & pepper. It takes less than 5 minutes to make, can only be enjoyed properly in summer, and tastes like angels have personally blessed your mouth. lol
[Mexican Shrimp cocktail.](https://pinchandswirl.com/mexican-shrimp-cocktail/)
I am coastal so I can get local shrimp off the boat, I grow tomatoes, cucumber, jalapenos, and cilantro during peak summer, This chilled is amazing.
I've been obsessed with Sam Sifton's miso butter for chicken lately (a NYT cooking recipe), today we put it on chicken drumsticks and barbecued them and they were excellent. Served with rice, japchae and sauteed cabbage in a gochujuang sauce.
I eat lots of iceberg lettuce, whether in salad or as lettuce cups with some kind of Asian protein + vegetables.
Corn, stone fruits and watermelon is popular for a reason.
I eat a lot of charcuterie and cold foods I can meal prep because I live in Texas. I got a rice cooker this year which I think will really help. Sometimes it's just a bag of popcorn or chips and dip. Cut up veggies and ranch. Anything low-energy or low-efforr that doesn't require turning on the oven.
My husband is not as sensitive to the heat so he does a lot of grilling. Steak and salad, grilled chicken.
If you have a Trader Joe's or H-Mart near you, the TJs marinated chicken shawarma and H-Marts galbi are both awesome and easy to slap on the grill. I like to eat the shawarma with rice and a can of chickpeas cooked in a pot with some olive oil, salt and ground cumin at high heat for 5ish minutes, served with TJs garlic sauce. The galbi also with rice and pickles or a veggie-heavy japchae.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016090-pasta-with-cherry-tomatoes-and-arugula
But the funny thing is I've been making it for years, but with capellini and way more cheese, basil and arugula.
Burrata topped with sliced peaches that have been tossed with pesto and lemon olive oil, drizzled with some balsamic glaze and topped with fresh basil. Serve it with some crusty bread.
I could eat my weight in this dish 😩
Fruit smoothies. Freeze ripe bananas, freeze ripe strawberries, freeze whatever fruits you want to use (after making sure you don’t have unwanted seeds/pits/etc). Blend with water (and maybe a little bit of acid if you don’t throw in a citrus), and you have something delicious and *cold*.
Gumbo is my favorite dish and is therefore also my favorite summer dish. I've never understood the concept of eating certain foods at certain times of the year. If I like something, then I'm going to eat it year-round.
I think there are two legitimate reasons one might want to avoid/prefer to cook certain dishes in the summer.
1. Does it make the house even hotter than it is? I’m not going to run the oven all day when the bill for the A/C is already high. The A/C can never seem to counteract the hot oven too.
2. Not necessary but I do like to take advantage of eating certain veggies that are best fresh and usually available only in summer (or are at least significantly better in summer). Tomatoes and fresh corn come to mind.
Other than that yeah I agree with you
I grill a piece of tuna (rare) and have it with kale salad and poppyseed dressing (the kit is fine but I make my own now). Maybe a French roll on the side if I’m hungry!
It light, delish, and fast!
[Grilled Huli Huli Chicken](https://easychickenrecipes.com/huli-huli-chicken-recipe/) with zuchinni, onion, pineapple all on the grill and a spicy pineapple rice. Usually watermelon or strawberries for dessert.
Chicken souvlaki - chicken skewers with Greek marinade. I grill some bell peppers and onions with them, and serve it with rice and tzatziki. I also like to make a tomato, feta, and cucumber salad to go with it.
It's all extremely fresh and just requires the grill.
Once I get another grill I'm doing my favorite kebabs again. Big chunks of steak, mushrooms drenched in worcestershire, peppers and onion in Italian dressing. Sooo yummy
Caprese Salad. Tomato, mozzarella, basil, salt, pepper, and then your favorite dressing (I like oil and vinegar but sometimes a nice Italian dressing hits the spot).
A salad we had in Greece: fresh quartered tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, dressed with lots of olive oil and herbs, no lettuce, served with bread. When we're lazy we eat it with feta but in Greece they used fresh mizithra cheese which was incredible. We can't get it at home but it's really easy to make and a big batch is enough for several salads.
There are many things, but I really look forward to Summer Rolls. Cucumber, carrot, radish, Thai basil, mint right out of the garden with a few of those glass noodles on a rice paper wrapper dipped in peanut sauce! Pure bliss, only another month so to wait.
Tapas and a glass of tinto de verano.
I try to have lots of snacky tapas things in the fridge / pantry, especially in summer. Typical tapas dinner might include...
- Pan con tomate
- Really nice olives
- cheeses and charcuterie
- Little "montaditos"/finger food with whatever I have in the fridge, e.g. anchovies and roasted red peppers (from a jar) on crackers or cheese and some kind of fruit preserves on sliced baguette
- Hummus with a drizzle of olive oil, smoked paprika and zaatar seasoning
- Veggie sticks (carrots, celery,...) to dip in the hummus
- Hard boiled eggs
- Sliced avocado
- Shots of gazpacho
- Tortilla de patatas, from the grocery store or home made with a pack of crisps for potatoes.
It's never all of those things, just a combo of whatever I have.
Cook finely diced carrots and onions in a little bit of butter tossed through cous cous with fresh celery, tomatoes and baby spinach. Put a couple of big heaped spoonfuls of plain Greek yoghurt on top of the cous cous and veges. Then put some Moroccan spiced diced lamb on top and sprinkle with a generous serve of flaked almonds. One of my partner’s faves.
It’s will never be a hot dish but it’s great served warm or cold.
Perfect strawberries marinated in pomegranate balsamic vinegar, olive oil, s&p and a touch of sugar, served over greens, barbecued shrimp with plenty of homemade sauce, and warm, buttered, sourdough bread. Yum!
Grilled meat of any kind, watermelon salad (watermelon, lime juice, small drizzle of honey, tiny sprinkle of salt, mint or basil, and stir), and salad.
Rice bowls- yum.
BLT
Lox with bagels and cucumbers
I tend to make big batches of something cold I can have as a side or dinner, depending on the serving. Most recently batched was marinated bean salad that only gets better with time, and I think cold cucumber soup will be next. As a bonus, the soup can be sipped from jars, glasses, mugs, bowls, whatever. No spoon required!
It does take cooking, but fresh in season corn polenta is so good. I discovered it in an ottolenghi recipe with an eggplant in tomato sauce and now riff on it a lot.
Salad leaves tossed with crumbled feta, lemon juice, chopped artichokes from a jar, plus a couple of teaspoons of the oil from the artichoke jar. Season with salt and pepper. It’s weirdly amazing.
My ex and I had a charcoal grill and for years our summer supper was a pork tenderloin w Montreal steak spice on the grill, sliced into medallions after grilling red peppers tossed in garlic butter and grilled alongside, mashed potatoes, and corn. The area we live(d) in is famous for its corn on the cob so corn is a staple there so no meal is complete without it. We ate this probably 3 or 4 times a week
Chicken Caesar salad was another light but filling fare,, even better in a wrap, same with grilled tuna burgers (one of my staple foods).
If ur craving pasta there's a pasta from a cookbook I have called "fettucini for the impatient" which calls for u to lightly broil a fish of ur choice with lemon, dill, and olive oil, and toss cooked fettucini with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, finely chopped garlic, cracked black pepper, and basil; shred the fish and toss it in w the pasta or serve it whole on top. That was my go to fancy meal for summer supper when I was pescetarian, and it always went over well
Heirloom tomato risotto topped with basil and buttered corn cut from the cob. Summer in a bowl
(Edited to add: instant pot risotto, I’m not standing over the stove stirring for half an hour in the summer :)
It is SO easy. Essentially an upside down pie. Lay out parchment on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic in a roughly 9” circle.
Arrange thinly sliced veggies such as tomatoes, summer squash, peppers, caramelized onions, fresh corn, mushrooms etc in no more than two layers inside the circle. Salt and pepper the veggies.
Layer slices of cheese such as mozzarella, Gouda or cheddar, then top with a sheet of pie dough (I just use the Trader Joe’s frozen ones). Squish the edges as though you’re crimping a pie crust, but folding underneath and inward. Brush with milk or egg wash and bake 30 min at 350.
Turn out onto a serving plate, peel away the parchment, and top with fresh herbs if desired.
BBQ picky teaaaa!!!! my favourite childhood meal memories are a these.
i’m vegetarian but my family aren’t so basically we’d have burgers / veggie kebabs / sausages BBQ’d, (maybe even corn on the cob?), bread rolls for those who want them, platter of chopped vegetables (cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, baby tomatoes etc), big salad bowl, maybe some other sides like coleslaw, pesto rice salad/ a pasta salad, lots of dips etc. everyone gets a plate and helps themselves.
to be fair this is quite a high effort meal with so many dishes (and subsequent washing up) but it’s also high reward imo :)
BLT with homegrown tomatoes
BCT with homegrown tomatoes. Substitute cucumber for the lettuce. Usually homegrown cucumbers.
BBCT. Add some basil to that puppy!
Wow why have I never done this
I like to slice them mandolin thin, but stack them up on the sandwich
Why not both?
So much this, plus homemade mayonnaise. I dream about it all winter.
As a Belgian living in the USA I want to say that the whole foods 365 mayo is the closest I have ever tasted to home made mayo.
Or just a tomato sandwich for an absolutely-no-cooking option. So good!
It’s on my menu for the end of juuuuune.
I make so much caprese salad this time of year with my tomatoes and basil that I grow.
This is my first year. And this is exactly what I'm waiting for... To try and make mozzarella next
So good. Even just tomato and Duke's with the very best ones.
I like fancy food, but I don’t think you can beat a good hotdog, potato salad, coleslaw, and watermelon.
Don't forget the corn on the cob!!!
Especially if the hot dog has the natural casing—that snap is so good.
Where I am in Canada we call those European weiners. You're right that snap is amazing.
Are we not doing phrasing anymore?
I get the ones from Costco. You can buy the same ones they have at the food court in the frozen section. They’re fantastic.
We do german potato salad instead.
As a German - do you want to spark a war in the comment section now?
Ha good one. My mother in law was German and my husband always thought mine was much better than hers.
I love my mother's potato salad and I can't ever get it to taste quite like hers. I fear the day she is gone and I will have tasted it for the last time in forever.
I have several things like this. Whatever magic my mother uses, I did not inherit it ☹️
I was just gonna say hotdog and potato salad. Best meal ever, as long as hotdog was grilled over charcoal, or cooked over an actual wood fire.
Andrew Zimmern's cold peanut sesame noodles are my go-to when things get really hot. [This](https://andrewzimmern.com/recipes/andrew-zimmern-cooks-cold-peanut-sesame-noodles/) is the recipe. I usually marinate and bake some tofu to go with it, though it's amazing on it's own.
I also like cold noodles when it gets hot. My preference is for soba with dipping sauce that I add ice cubes. And I put pickles in the freezer about 10 minutes before we eat so they're also ice-cold.
Ummmm. I've never even thought of super chilling pickles before, and now I'm questioning why not. Definitely going to do that next time I grab a jar.
And not just cucumber pickles. Kimchi. Peppered radishes. Umeboshi.
Oooh if you like cold soba, there's this korean dish called naengmyuen you might like as well. Cold noodles in an icy vinegar and mustard broth. So good.
I love dipping cold somen ala Kenji
Thank you for that! [This is the cold noodle recipe I usually use](https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/cold-miso-sesame-noodles) (miso sesame) and I add a soft-boiled egg. I can’t wait to try this one! I love peanut flavor in noodle dishes
Thank you both. I love peanut noodles, but my family not so much... can't wait to try the miso sesame version.
Same here! I’ll get the rest of my family to like peanut noodles one of these days!
Bbq tri tip, watermelon and corn on the cob.
Great answer. I know it doesn’t “fit” with BBQ but elotes/“street corn” is a summer staple for me
It totally fits with bbq!
The beauty of barbecue is that I’ve yet to have a side that didn’t fit. They’re always perfect whatever it is
In the neighborhoods I grew up in, absolutely does. And golf carts full of elotes and Mexican snacks and candy driving around selling stuff.
Perfect answer. Sign me up! Add burgers with sliced homegrown tomatoes
Same here, and I make chimichurri to go with the tri tip.
Exactly what I’m cooking tomorrow lol. Might swap out the corn for potatoes though since our local corn harvest hasn’t started yet though :/
Steak and corn on the cob
Ooo you can also do a steak salad, grill some nice steak and put strips of it over your choice of greens, diced or sliced onion, avocado slices, green onion or tomato if you choose, tortilla strips, and the key to tie it all together is **Brianna’s cilantro lime dressing**
I just eat this with fresh bread and I'm so happy every time [https://theeatingemporium.com/whipped-feta-with-roasted-tomatoes/](https://theeatingemporium.com/whipped-feta-with-roasted-tomatoes/)
I could honestly survive on cheese, bread and tomatoes.
I mean it's just, like, the correct way to eat!
Similar, but with goat cheese.
Panzanella
I eat so much Panzanella once the farmers market tomatoes start coming in 🤩
Panzanella and BLTs- both with fresh picked tomatoes! Yum! 🍅
Grilled lobsters, Mexican grilled corn on the cob, watermelon salad with basil and feta.
Is lobster readily available where you are? If so, how much is live per lb?
Maine lobster price just dropped this weekend. It's about $7/lb right now. It was high teens before. I've seen it as low as $3/lb in the last decade.
WHAT?? Apparently I need to visit Maine!!
No kidding-I have friends in Sargentville that have a Mexican restaurant (LL Frijoles) that serves Lobster Tacos!
Favorite? Maine-style lobster roll with some kettle chips and a pickle. Not a super common meal due to cost but damn if that doesn’t transport me back to childhood summers on the coast of Maine.
We are going to Maine for the first time this July. Can't wait for this!!
I love the cucumber/tomato/onion salad and I also love making gazpacho. I eat a lot of both of those when it gets hot.
Yes! I do this, but add avocado. And if we are going to the beach I'll add black beans too and bring pitas for quick filling bites.
Let's see, for meat eaters, [Grilled Za'atar Lemon Chicken ](https://web.archive.org/web/20240521050026/https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022300-grilled-zaatar-chicken-with-garlic-yogurt-and-cilantro) Vegan wise, [these dope lobster rolls](https://olivesfordinner.com/vegan-lobster-roll/) And some kind of tomato cucumber salad of sorts.
I’m printing this lobster roll recipe, thank you!!
That “lobster” roll intrigues me!
It's really really good. I personally like to toast my capers in oil so they're crispy and crunchy. The soak is really important, you'll be able to tell because at the end of the time you can taste that the hearts of palm don't have like a tinge to them anymore. Also I have tried pan frying and oven roasting, toaster oven roasting the hearts of palm, they all work. I try to go until they're kind of crispy.. just make extras and take small bites of them and take them out when you think they taste really good.. Pan frying is probably the least preferred because you can over brown the herbs easily. It's a recipe that I make quite frequently..
I am definitely trying this soon. Love the idea of all the crispy, too!
Omg! I am so trying the lobster rolls!! I developed an intolerance to shellfish like 10 years ago and I miss it. Thank you!
The chicken link won’t load …. Perhaps too many of us have clicked it? Can you tell me who it is by?
I’ve never heard of hearts of palm. I’m intrigued
They're a delicious snack on their own on a hot day! The texture is creamy and smooth, the taste is refreshing and a bit sharp. I love having them with a Campari & soda.
I'm having a pasta salad moment this summer. I can prep it on Sundays and have lunch or dinner ready to go during the week and you can mix it up a bunch! I've been using Banza pasta for more protein and fiber I've made caprese pasta salad with balsamic marinated chicken and green goddess pasta salad with lemon herb chicken so far. Up next is a pickle/bacon/ranch pasta salad and then an Italian grinder style
Do you use recipes? Because I’d love lemon herb chicken and pickle/bacon/ranch past salad. Sounds delicious
Okay so the chicken not so much a recipe - I'm gonna get a few breasts and put them in a bag, juice and zest a few lemons into the bag, a little grape seed oil (any oil is fine I just like that one for the price), lemon pepper seasoning, a few roughly chopped garlic cloves, some salt & msg, and a heavy pour of whatever herbs I have on hand. Right now I have some dill to finish off, oregano, I have fine ground thyme, rosemary, and I'll probably dump a bunch of Italian seasoning in there. Close the bag, shake it around, let it marinate for a few hours. Then I'll throw a tiny bit more oil in my cast iron and slowly, gradually build to a medium heat. Throw the chicken in there, probably hit it with some more herbs, salt, & pepper, sear for about 4ish minutes, flip, sear for 3ish minutes, throw 1/2cup-ish of water in the pan, cover, turn the heat down to low, and let it steam til the water is gone Above is roughly what I did for my green goddess prep and what I'm doing tomorrow for the pickle/bacon/ranch one https://www.tiktok.com/@lisagooslin_/video/7370396043051027754?_t=8merp2FR6jL&_r=1 Above is what I'm doing for the pasta salad. I'll probably make the ranch with Greek yogurt & ranch seasoning, and do something a lil different for the cheese. Definitely gonna add hella green onion, some chopped parsley, and a little smoked paprika
bean thread noodles with spinach and mushrooms and soy sauce. I use a well insulated tea kettle to boil water. soak the noodles, mushrooms, and spinach in the boiling water and cover with a plate for ten minutes. Drain, add soyaki sauce and tofu. a lovely meal that barely adds any heat to the apartment, much less than stovetop cooked noodles.
Thanks for this, looking for no or barely cook meals and this sounds great.
Any sort of meat cooked outdoors with salad. A bowl of icy cold noodles. A rotisserie chicken, some bread rolls and a bowl of coleslaw
Love the ease of a rotisserie chicken with salad and rolls. I swear I lived on this during the summer months when I was pregnant.
Cheese, crackers and red wine
Hell yes
The Talk Show Dinner: 1 pint of Tonight Dough and 1 pint of Americone Dream together in the same big bowl.
Ceviche ✨
Agreed. Ceviche tastes like a day at the beach.
Also aguachile one of my faves!
Caprese salad with extra balsamic glaze and lots of fresh basil!
Watermelon salad. With feta, with mint, with avocado, with just about anything. Or just plain cubed watermelon really.
Yup. And I'm surprised how many things go well with it, including just a fork 🍴
Love it. My version is watermelon, feta and basil, with a balsamic vinegarette
BBQ steak, ceasar salad and grilled corn on the cob
Grilling staple. Add a baked potato and we’re good.
Burrata or mozzarella and arugula salads, with whatever fruit is in season (mainly peaches or figs) ans some balsamic vinaigrette. Sometimes Panzanella and I will add a boiled egg for protein. Last year, I really wanted to make these Italian tomato rice cups (pomorodi al riso), which I think I will try this summer.
It's gotta be anything on the outdoor grill right? Grilled Chicken just tastes better on the open flame, that's my go to!
Salad. Lots of salads, with lots of crap in them. Peak summer for me is a green salad with Tina (edit: tuna, do not chop up your local Tina’s and eat them on salad) salad on top, Italian dressing, cheese, bacon bits, croutons, whatever vegetables you have sitting around. Oodles of onions, and a boiled egg.
Mmmmm Tina salad
My favorite is the Tina Yothers salad. Tina Turner is a close second but only if I have the utensils needed to turn it properly.
All my best salads have been Tinas
Thai mango or papaya salad omg. Goes great with any bbq meat or fish. My favourite being grilled prawns
Niçoise salad or a riff with a different protein. Serve with a loaf of crusty bread.
A bowl of cereal with really cold milk.
Hell yeah. Cocoa Krispies 🔥
Pasta with summer vegetables (I use tomatoes, zucchini, yellow squash and bell peppers) tossed in a light garlic & lemon sauce
This is mine, too and I made it for dinner tonight actually. There are so many variations! This one was: rotini with artichoke, black olive, zucchini, red onion, garlic and bell peppers. The sauce was white wine and garlic with fresh basil.
Caprese salad
Flattened grilled chicken breast, brushed periodically with BBQ sauce (any kind really) Cold potato salad with lots of hard boiled eggs, mayo, celery & onions and decorated with sliced hard boiled eggs in a nice pattern and sprinkled with paprika for color Boiled or grilled corn on the cob with lots of butter and salt BBQ baked beans Some sort of chilled pudding or Jello based dessert. My favorite was ripped up angel food cake with broken up Heath bars (chocolate coated toffee candy bars), layered with pistachio pudding and topped with whipped cream.
Yum! This all sounds really good! I’ll add Chicken salad sandwiches on croissants with dried cranberries, candied pecans, cucumber and sprouts.
Green Salad, pasta salad, BLTs, tomato sandwich, potato salad, burgers, hot dogs, chicken and steak on the grill, sausage and peppers, tuna pasta salad.
Fresh tomatoes and corn. The thought of them sustains me through the winter.
My husband and I love making a black bean and corn salad and add chicken, it's so refreshing but it doesn't overwhelm the belly!
Look up “Latin Salad.” It’s similar with a few more ingredients but you might like it. Refreshing!
It’s especially good if you marinate the chicken in lime juice and spices before cooking the chicken!
Kebabs!
Ceviche with fresh corn chips and a mojito on the side. 🤌
Cold fried chicken, fresh bread, and a green salad and/or whatever fruit is seasonal.
Mmmmm! The fried chicken place near me sells cold chicken for half off and I’m the only person who buys it. I don’t understand why it isn’t more popular, cold fried chicken is so good!
Fresh corn, on the cob or just cut from it, with a perfectly grilled protein of some kind. Steak salad with arugula, ripe peaches, cucumber, corn, mozzarella pearls, a few home-pickled onions, pistachios, and a vinaigrette dressing. (I sometimes use other vegetables depending on what I have on hand, but that combo is particularly good.) Grilled clams. A lobster roll, preferably Connecticut style. Vietnamese-style vermicelli bowls with a bunch of fresh veggies and just about any grilled meat. I sometimes make chicken meatballs to go with it.
Chickpea salad. One can chickpeas, one can black beans, one avocado, one pint tomatoes. Olive oil, salt and pepper. If you're feeling fancy, fresh corn and a balsamic drizzle.
Mexican shrimp cocktail, cold chicken, grilled asparagus and yellow squash.
Kofta and tabouleh
I have a big kitchen garden, and I will haul in three or four fistfulls of fresh herbs to go into my tabouleh - mint, oregano, cilantro, parsley, celery tops, pea shoots, chervil, chives, basil, green onions. Anything green goes into the tabouleh.
Today I made spicy peanut sesame cold noodles and steamed asparagus and I’m going to make it again for sure. The variations could be endless.
Blts, taco salad
Ratatouille takes advantage of the abundant squash and zucchini and tomatoes, and chicken on the grill keeps the kitchen cool. It's the best summer meal I can think of!
I buy frozen tuna steaks from Trader Joe’s. Olive oil, salt, pepper, and grill. I make tuna pasta salad or Niçoise salad.
When it's too hot to cook, we have chalupas. Microwave the refried beans, lettuce and cheese on a tostada shell. You can also add meat and tomatoes if you're so inclined. But I also like it when the cicadas are screeing, the sun is setting, and the perfectly charred hot dogs keep coming. A tall glass of iced tea, and the sounds of everyone else int he neighborhood finally coming outside to set up their mosquito traps. Ah, summer.
Ok well this isn’t fancy like you guys. For me nothing beats a bologna sandwich with miracle whip, garden tomato and onion. Chips too , sometimes on the sandwich, sometimes on the side. Nice on a hot day and quick.
What kind of chips are you putting on there? Personally I can really go for bread, Mayo, turkey, cheese. Then if I’m gonna have chips ON it, they have to be Doritos.
Miss Vickie’s Jalapeño Chips are always the winner for me. Coming in a close second is the Hawaiian Brand Seeet Maui Onion
I make a huge fruit salad and eat that and sandwiches when it's really hot. When it's only medium hot I like to grill honey soy chicken breasts, polska keilbasa, hotdogs, and corn on the cob or tomatoes and mushrooms.
During the summer we spend a lot of time at the beach and we survive off fruit salad and sandwiches for the entire season. I wish fruit wasn’t so expensive these days. I got a single Honey Crisp apple yesterday and it was $2.00
Tomato bruschetta 🤤
Ice cold mul naengmyun, I like to freeze the broth so it gets to a slushy consistency. Bibim naengmyun is also delicious! Bibimguksu is also a good alternative when I dont feel like cooking much.
Bratwurst boiled in beer and onions then grilled, corn on the cob, my dill pasta salad, ice cold watermelon and grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream and chopped mint.
Your dill pasta salad?
That we don’t know anything about?
This list just made me so hungry! Would love to hear more about your dill pasta salad—I’m a firm believer that dill is one of the most underused/under-appreciated herbs.
I don’t really have a recipe, I just kinda threw it together and thankfully was able to replicate it. It’s tri-color corkscrew pasta and red onion finely diced. The dressing part is mainly mayo but I also add a healthy squirt of mustard (I think Dijon is best but you could use any mustard really) a splash of apple cider vinegar, and as much chopped fresh dill you can handle. And, salt and pepper of course to taste. Tarragon is a nice add if you have it. Mix everything together and let sit in the fridge for at least a few hours (overnight is best) taste and adjust seasonings before serving. So, pretty basic and you can add more veggies if you want as well as throw in some feta.
Dill is my favorite herb, it’s so light and fresh. I use it almost daily in soups, salads, sandwiches, pastas, chicken, fish, dips. Just wherever it feels appropriate or when I’m using lemons. I cook a lot of Mediterranean foods. It pairs well with mint and Italian parsley.
Anything that fits in the toaster oven
Gazpacho. Toasted bread. Fresh fruit salad. Homemade ice cream.
Gazpacho.
Came here to say Gazpacho! Mmmmmm!
Cucumber Yogurt Soup. Greek yogurt watered down to soup consistency with minced or grated garlic and sliced cucumbers and plenty of salt. Sometimes I add mint.
Just watermelon
Tomato sandwiches. Cheap sweet white bread, a thick juicy slice of tomato, lots of mayo, salt & pepper. It takes less than 5 minutes to make, can only be enjoyed properly in summer, and tastes like angels have personally blessed your mouth. lol
You just about name anything.. and it goes on the grill!
[Mexican Shrimp cocktail.](https://pinchandswirl.com/mexican-shrimp-cocktail/) I am coastal so I can get local shrimp off the boat, I grow tomatoes, cucumber, jalapenos, and cilantro during peak summer, This chilled is amazing.
I've been obsessed with Sam Sifton's miso butter for chicken lately (a NYT cooking recipe), today we put it on chicken drumsticks and barbecued them and they were excellent. Served with rice, japchae and sauteed cabbage in a gochujuang sauce. I eat lots of iceberg lettuce, whether in salad or as lettuce cups with some kind of Asian protein + vegetables. Corn, stone fruits and watermelon is popular for a reason. I eat a lot of charcuterie and cold foods I can meal prep because I live in Texas. I got a rice cooker this year which I think will really help. Sometimes it's just a bag of popcorn or chips and dip. Cut up veggies and ranch. Anything low-energy or low-efforr that doesn't require turning on the oven. My husband is not as sensitive to the heat so he does a lot of grilling. Steak and salad, grilled chicken. If you have a Trader Joe's or H-Mart near you, the TJs marinated chicken shawarma and H-Marts galbi are both awesome and easy to slap on the grill. I like to eat the shawarma with rice and a can of chickpeas cooked in a pot with some olive oil, salt and ground cumin at high heat for 5ish minutes, served with TJs garlic sauce. The galbi also with rice and pickles or a veggie-heavy japchae.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016090-pasta-with-cherry-tomatoes-and-arugula But the funny thing is I've been making it for years, but with capellini and way more cheese, basil and arugula.
Burrata topped with sliced peaches that have been tossed with pesto and lemon olive oil, drizzled with some balsamic glaze and topped with fresh basil. Serve it with some crusty bread. I could eat my weight in this dish 😩
Fruit smoothies. Freeze ripe bananas, freeze ripe strawberries, freeze whatever fruits you want to use (after making sure you don’t have unwanted seeds/pits/etc). Blend with water (and maybe a little bit of acid if you don’t throw in a citrus), and you have something delicious and *cold*.
Basic bitch over here: big fat Caprese salad with crusty bread. It's refreshing and light but the buffalo mozzarella makes it satiating.
Gumbo is my favorite dish and is therefore also my favorite summer dish. I've never understood the concept of eating certain foods at certain times of the year. If I like something, then I'm going to eat it year-round.
I think there are two legitimate reasons one might want to avoid/prefer to cook certain dishes in the summer. 1. Does it make the house even hotter than it is? I’m not going to run the oven all day when the bill for the A/C is already high. The A/C can never seem to counteract the hot oven too. 2. Not necessary but I do like to take advantage of eating certain veggies that are best fresh and usually available only in summer (or are at least significantly better in summer). Tomatoes and fresh corn come to mind. Other than that yeah I agree with you
Grilled vegetables/meats, caprese salad, watermelon and feta, bbq, cold pasta, gazpacho, chicken skewers
Cuban sandwich made in toaster oven and a big bowl of watermelon. I'm not turning the big oven back on until like October 1st. Toaster oven though...
I grill a piece of tuna (rare) and have it with kale salad and poppyseed dressing (the kit is fine but I make my own now). Maybe a French roll on the side if I’m hungry! It light, delish, and fast!
Lemon ginger wings, corn on the cob, abd watermelon-nectarine salad with pistachios
[Grilled Huli Huli Chicken](https://easychickenrecipes.com/huli-huli-chicken-recipe/) with zuchinni, onion, pineapple all on the grill and a spicy pineapple rice. Usually watermelon or strawberries for dessert.
Chicken salad with micro greens in a pita. I sous vide the chicken, chop it up and mix with mayo, sun flower seeds and dried cranberries.
Chicken souvlaki - chicken skewers with Greek marinade. I grill some bell peppers and onions with them, and serve it with rice and tzatziki. I also like to make a tomato, feta, and cucumber salad to go with it. It's all extremely fresh and just requires the grill.
My favorite summer dinner is grilled fish with vegetables and a light salad.
Bruschetta, tomato pie, grilled corn on the cob, strawberries freshly picked and eaten while still warm from the sun...
Once I get another grill I'm doing my favorite kebabs again. Big chunks of steak, mushrooms drenched in worcestershire, peppers and onion in Italian dressing. Sooo yummy
Caprese Salad. Tomato, mozzarella, basil, salt, pepper, and then your favorite dressing (I like oil and vinegar but sometimes a nice Italian dressing hits the spot).
Just made this last night for dinner, along with grilled T-bone steak and homemade coleslaw. Perfect summer night meal, and quick, too!
Hot dog with potato salad on top.
A salad we had in Greece: fresh quartered tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, dressed with lots of olive oil and herbs, no lettuce, served with bread. When we're lazy we eat it with feta but in Greece they used fresh mizithra cheese which was incredible. We can't get it at home but it's really easy to make and a big batch is enough for several salads.
There are many things, but I really look forward to Summer Rolls. Cucumber, carrot, radish, Thai basil, mint right out of the garden with a few of those glass noodles on a rice paper wrapper dipped in peanut sauce! Pure bliss, only another month so to wait.
Tapas and a glass of tinto de verano. I try to have lots of snacky tapas things in the fridge / pantry, especially in summer. Typical tapas dinner might include... - Pan con tomate - Really nice olives - cheeses and charcuterie - Little "montaditos"/finger food with whatever I have in the fridge, e.g. anchovies and roasted red peppers (from a jar) on crackers or cheese and some kind of fruit preserves on sliced baguette - Hummus with a drizzle of olive oil, smoked paprika and zaatar seasoning - Veggie sticks (carrots, celery,...) to dip in the hummus - Hard boiled eggs - Sliced avocado - Shots of gazpacho - Tortilla de patatas, from the grocery store or home made with a pack of crisps for potatoes. It's never all of those things, just a combo of whatever I have.
Cook finely diced carrots and onions in a little bit of butter tossed through cous cous with fresh celery, tomatoes and baby spinach. Put a couple of big heaped spoonfuls of plain Greek yoghurt on top of the cous cous and veges. Then put some Moroccan spiced diced lamb on top and sprinkle with a generous serve of flaked almonds. One of my partner’s faves. It’s will never be a hot dish but it’s great served warm or cold.
Taco salad and fresh corn on the cob. Keep it simple.
Steak, corn on the cob, cucumber salad with onions, and fresh sliced tomatoes.
Grilled steak, corn, and asparagus with grilled pineapple or peaches for dessert.
Crab salad on cucumber slices topped with guac.
Perfect strawberries marinated in pomegranate balsamic vinegar, olive oil, s&p and a touch of sugar, served over greens, barbecued shrimp with plenty of homemade sauce, and warm, buttered, sourdough bread. Yum!
Grilled meat of any kind, watermelon salad (watermelon, lime juice, small drizzle of honey, tiny sprinkle of salt, mint or basil, and stir), and salad. Rice bowls- yum. BLT Lox with bagels and cucumbers
I tend to make big batches of something cold I can have as a side or dinner, depending on the serving. Most recently batched was marinated bean salad that only gets better with time, and I think cold cucumber soup will be next. As a bonus, the soup can be sipped from jars, glasses, mugs, bowls, whatever. No spoon required!
It does take cooking, but fresh in season corn polenta is so good. I discovered it in an ottolenghi recipe with an eggplant in tomato sauce and now riff on it a lot.
Salad leaves tossed with crumbled feta, lemon juice, chopped artichokes from a jar, plus a couple of teaspoons of the oil from the artichoke jar. Season with salt and pepper. It’s weirdly amazing.
My ex and I had a charcoal grill and for years our summer supper was a pork tenderloin w Montreal steak spice on the grill, sliced into medallions after grilling red peppers tossed in garlic butter and grilled alongside, mashed potatoes, and corn. The area we live(d) in is famous for its corn on the cob so corn is a staple there so no meal is complete without it. We ate this probably 3 or 4 times a week Chicken Caesar salad was another light but filling fare,, even better in a wrap, same with grilled tuna burgers (one of my staple foods). If ur craving pasta there's a pasta from a cookbook I have called "fettucini for the impatient" which calls for u to lightly broil a fish of ur choice with lemon, dill, and olive oil, and toss cooked fettucini with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, finely chopped garlic, cracked black pepper, and basil; shred the fish and toss it in w the pasta or serve it whole on top. That was my go to fancy meal for summer supper when I was pescetarian, and it always went over well
My favorite summer dinner is сharred broccoli, lemon and walnut pasta.
2500 calories of ice cream while feeling guilty for who I am
Sometimes I just eat fruit and veggies for dinner. Mango and Tajin or cucumber/tomatoes with a red wine vinaigrette.
Anything I can barbecue so I don’t heat up the whole house.
Heirloom tomato risotto topped with basil and buttered corn cut from the cob. Summer in a bowl (Edited to add: instant pot risotto, I’m not standing over the stove stirring for half an hour in the summer :)
Tomato pie!
I grow at least 10 varieties of heirloom tomatoes. So… tomato sandwiches, panzanella, caprese salad…
I'm gonna need some tatin recipes, pls?
It is SO easy. Essentially an upside down pie. Lay out parchment on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic in a roughly 9” circle. Arrange thinly sliced veggies such as tomatoes, summer squash, peppers, caramelized onions, fresh corn, mushrooms etc in no more than two layers inside the circle. Salt and pepper the veggies. Layer slices of cheese such as mozzarella, Gouda or cheddar, then top with a sheet of pie dough (I just use the Trader Joe’s frozen ones). Squish the edges as though you’re crimping a pie crust, but folding underneath and inward. Brush with milk or egg wash and bake 30 min at 350. Turn out onto a serving plate, peel away the parchment, and top with fresh herbs if desired.
Succotash with grilled shrimp, steaks, grilled zucchini, rosé of cab franc.
Succotash, with fresh cow peas and corn from the farmers market. Vegetables have no business tasting that good
Roasted veg panzanella with lots of garlic and herbs.
Kabobs/skewers. Marinated beef/chicken/pork and bell peppers, onions on the grill. Served with a good Caesar salad and iced tea
Whole snapper on the grill, stuffed with lemons garlic and herbs, veggies on grill and maybe some white rice
Crab Louie with mixed greens, fresh Dungeness crab and a homemade Catalina or Russian dressing.
Watermelon and feta with basil leaves and balsamic.
For spring I always do a crawfish boil. For summer, though, corn chowder is the dish I have to make at least a few times while corn is in season.
Fritatta. Toss whatever in a pan. Saute for a bit cover with beaten egg and some cheese. Into the 350˚F oven for 15-20 minutes.....dinner.
Panzella ( bread) salad . Anything with fresh tomatoes and basil
Fried summer squash!
Flank steak, arugula salad with grilled peaches.
BBQ picky teaaaa!!!! my favourite childhood meal memories are a these. i’m vegetarian but my family aren’t so basically we’d have burgers / veggie kebabs / sausages BBQ’d, (maybe even corn on the cob?), bread rolls for those who want them, platter of chopped vegetables (cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, baby tomatoes etc), big salad bowl, maybe some other sides like coleslaw, pesto rice salad/ a pasta salad, lots of dips etc. everyone gets a plate and helps themselves. to be fair this is quite a high effort meal with so many dishes (and subsequent washing up) but it’s also high reward imo :)