5 Recipes for when it’s too hot to cook
Aug 8, 2011 Appetizers, Beef, Chicken, Dips and Spreads, Food Things, Mexican, Salads, Snacks
Well, it’s officially been the hottest summer in Oklahoma since before I was born. Brian, Hurley and I are surviving, thankful for a working air conditioner and lots of iced tea. Hurley runs around outside after the sun goes down, and sometimes spends half the night outside playing. Brian’s routine hasn’t changed much, and since the grass hasn’t been growing because of the drought he hasn’t had to go outside and mow the lawn. I’ve pretty much given up on running with Hurley until the weather gets back down to highs in the 90′s, but other than those things the main thing that the heat as been affecting is dinner.
The stove and oven put off enough heat in 30 minutes to make life miserable for the evening. I’m sure we aren’t the only ones with this problem. I should have posted this a few weeks ago at the beginning of this long, hot string, but I’m sure there are still plenty of hot days ahead.
Here are some of my favorite recipes for when it’s too hot to cook. These recipes require no grilling, stove, or oven. Now you should have no excuse to go out to eat every night.
1. Sandwiches are a great choice, and this one is one of my favorites. This is a Roast Beef Sandwich with Cranberries that I wrote about a few years ago, but you can easily substitute the roast beef for turkey and it works very well. All ingredients are cold and refreshing.
(photo courtesy of Bon Appetit)
2. This Wild Arugula Salad looks amazing, and if you use store bought croutons you don’t have to use your oven at all.
3. The third recipe I have is Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce from Mark Bittman’s Food Matters Cookbook. These are presented as an appetizer in restaurants, but I think you’ll find that a few of these are quite substantial as a meal, and they are so good for you. Sorry I don’t have a picture, but just read the recipe and you’ll see how wonderful these are.
4. This might be my favorite recipe from this last year, and even though I’ve made it at least 8 times I don’t have a single picture of it anywhere. There could be two reasons for this. #1, I generally am so excited to eat it once it’s done that I forget to take a picture before it’s gone, or #2, I decide not to take a picture because it’s sort of ugly. I can’t ever get it to bring a good presentation, but the combination of flavors is so amazing that I promise you won’t be disappointed. This recipe uses a slow-cooker, which doesn’t generate a lot of heat but produces a wonderful meal.
Slow Cooked Chicken with Tomatillos, Potatoes, Jalapenos, and Fresh Herbs from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Everyday
Ingredients:
1 medium white onion, cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds
salt
4 medium (about 1 pound) red-skinned or Yukon gold potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (1.5-2 lbs)
1 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves or 1/3 cup (loosely packed) fresh epazote leaves
1 1/4 pounds tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/4 cup slicked canned pickled jalapenos
2 tbs jalapeno pickling juiceDirections
Spread the onion over the bottom of a slow-cooker. Sprinkle with salt. Continue with layers of the potato slices, chicken thighs, cilantro, and then tomatillos, sprinkling salt evenly over each layer before moving on to the next. Scatter the jalapeno slickes over everything, then drizzle with the picking juice. Cover and slow-cook on high for 6 hours. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with cilantro.
5. Guacamole is probably my favorite no-cook food. I know it’s an appetizer, but use it as the base on tostadas and you’re on your way to a delicious no-cook meal. Tostadas are a great way to clean out the fridge of any leftover taco meat, chorizo, or baked chicken. Sprinkle on some cheese, sour cream, salas, and guacamole, or whatever else you have in your fridge. I generally like tostadas with a base of black beans, and you can microwave those for a minute or two and spread them on the tostada before topping.
I hope everyone stays cool, whether you’re in Oklahoma or somewhere else fantastic. For now, I’ll keep drinking lots of iced tea and dreaming about moving to Alaska.
Perfect Guacamole
May 3, 2010 Appetizers, Dips and Spreads, Food Things, Mexican
I love people who love guacamole. Sometimes when I hear an acquaintance say that they like guacamole I secretly think about being their best friend. I can envision cutting up tomatoes and garlic with them and laughing because we are so excited about what is about to go into our mouths. It’s weird, but I’m not lying. That actually happens.
There used to be only one way I would make guacamole and I didn’t really know any other way. I would mix up avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos, and red onion and splash a little hot sauce in. It was fine back when that was the way, but my friends, I have a new way. Someone I don’t know (but I want to become best friends with more than anyone else) taught me how to make the perfect guacamole for any mood. YES- Rick Bayless taught me how to make guacamole in 3 ways. Simple, Herby, or Luxurious.
Since it’s almost Cinco de Mayo, I thought this would be the perfect time to post these recipes. I have to tell you, if you like Mexican food Rick Bayless’s book Mexican Everyday is by far the best Mexican cookbook I’ve ever read. I’ve tried several things from it and every single recipe is awesome. A while back I made his tortilla soup and shared it with all of you. It’s amazing.
This guacamole is amazing too. Here is a picture of the salsa spread we had a a party, and I want to point out that the guacamole is going fast.
So, thanks to Rick Bayless here is a guacamole recipe that can be changed to fit any mood. I personally love it Luxurious.
Guacamole Three Ways: Simple, Herby, or Luxurious
Ingredients:
- 2 medium ripe avocados
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped or crushed through a garlic press
- salt
To make it herby, add:
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- about 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
To make it luxurious, also add:
- Fresh hot green chile to taste (Use 1 serrano or 1/2 to 1 jalepeno) finely chopped
- 1/4 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 medium tomato, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
Directions:
Cut the avocados in half, running your knife around the pit from stem to blossom end and back up again. Twist the halves in opposite directions to free the pit, and pull the halves apart. Dislodge the pit, then scoop the avocado flesh into a medium bowl.
Mash the avocado with a large fork or potato masher. Sir in the garlic and about 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus any other sets of ingredients you’ve chosen. If your list includes white onion, rinse it first under cold water, then shake well to rid it of excess moisture before adding to the avocado. (This reduces the risk of having the onion flavor overwhelm the guacamole.) Taste and season with additional salt if appropriate. If not using immediately, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface of the guacamole and refrigerate- preferably for no more than a few hours.
Tags: guacamole, mexican appetizer, Rick Bayless
Savory Yogurt Cheesecake with Caramelized Onions
Aug 17, 2009 Appetizers, Dips and Spreads, Food Things, Yummy
About a year ago I bought the Cooking Light Complete Cookbook. It’s funny that they call it the “Complete Cookbook”, because I know the magazine still exists. I’m sure after a while they will come out with another edition (if they haven’t already), and this will be out of date. It does have some great recipes in it. The problem is, they want me to use ingredients that are fat-free or reduced fat, and that is the only thing that really makes them “light”. Most of the time what will happen is I’ll start to make a recipe and realize that I already have a lot of the ingredients in their more fattening form, so I use those ingredients instead of what they want me to use…so they probably aren’t that light anymore. It’s alright though, because they are good, and if I ever want to make a low-fat pasta or cookie I have the recipe to do it. I just more often than not don’t.
Tags: appetizer, Caramelized onions, Cooking Light