Summer Meals: What Are You Cooking Tonight?

OK, it's hot out. It's really hot. The kitchen looks not as appealing as it did in the cold, dark winter. And yet there is a flood of fresh, beautiful produce in the markets (scapes, anyone?). We are thinking about salads, cold pasta salads, chilled soups, and grilled chicken.

So we want to be inspired. What are you cooking tonight and this week, and how are you making use of the new produce in the markets?

(Image: Flickr member Auntie P licensed under Creative Commons)

Comments (26)

I'm planning on making Chinese long beans in that lovely brown sauce you get at Chinese restaurants and tossing them with chicken leftover from the roast this weekend and serving all of the above over rice.

Then, next weekend, I plan to make jam!

tonight i'm making a small omelette - with onions, green peppers, mushrooms, tomatos, and feta, mmm. and watermelon for dessert.

Getting CSA produce every week is forcing me to be creative AND healthy. I've been cooking up a storm:

http://lifewiththegylcemicindexdiet.wordpress.com/

It's 50 degrees in Salt Lake City, so I'm making chicken & potato soup.

a new recipe...moorish pork kabobs. pork shoulder rubbed with cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, tumeric and oregano. they smell good so far!

Not to warm in SF, but I am making a pasta salad with broccoli, chicken, and red onion. Tossed with Bragg's healthy organic vinaigrette and sprinkled with shaved Parmesan.

I am making a big batch so I can take some to Dolores Park Movie Night tomorrow for my contribution to the picnic during the movie.

It's not as local as it should be, but I am craving Bea's chilled avocado, orange and lime soup, so that's on the menu. And we've got a salad with fruit. I have no interest in turning on the stove tonight -- it's way too hot.

something for a scratchy throat!? :-(

Tonight, it's spinach salad with orange/honey vinagrette, dried cranberries, candied pecans and a touch of Wensleydale cheese. I'm also making a key lime pie, baked and then chilled in the fridge for that smooth, cool summertime flavor.

*typo: vinaigrette!! (was just too busy dreaming about that chilled key lime pie...)

A chickpea salad with bulgur, cherry tomatoes, red onion, a generous grating of Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper is chilling in the fridge.

I can't wait.

Tonight its trout w/a caper and brown butter sauce, sauteed zucchini and brown rice. Tomorrow it's penne w/pesto and roasted (japanese) eggplant.

We are having leftover grilled chicken thighs with cold sesame/peanut noodles (made with snap peas, carrots, green onions and bean sprouts). I put chili-garlic sauce and cilantro on mine too.

Mmmmm, everybody's dinners sound delish!

We made a bunch of salads on the weekend and have been eating various combinations of leftovers and new additions: cold soba noodle, mushroom, and tofu salad, rocket-cashew-pear-parmesan salad, mango-red-pepper-red-onion-lime salsa, potato-herb-egg salad, greek salad, green-bean-radish salad.

Carne Asada on the grille with cumin/lime scented rice and a roasted tomatillo salsa. All done on the grill.

My solution to cooking in the heat is having two crockpots outside on the patio. The other day I stewed some chicken with chiles, red bell peppers and tomatoes. Tomorrow I'm thinking it might be time for Indian, maybe saag chicken in one and chole in the other.

good thinking on the outdoor crockpots catlike.

I'm not a huge deep fryer but I'm thinking of getting a little electric version to put outside on the patio in the nice weather. I wouldn't attempt to deep fry in the house.

Fattoush! It's so cooling and refreshing, and it makes such good use of the cucumbers and tomatoes flooding the farmers' markets right now. Here's my favorite version of the salad: http://pennythoughts.wordpress.com/2008/03/24/cucumbers-tomatoes-and-lemons-oh-my/

Here's what I made tonight!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/2571450465/

Saute of fresh corn, squashes, tomato, green onions, cilantro and lightly fried okra.

It's 12 degrees up here in Vancouver. I'm not sure how to convert those to Yankee degrees, so I'll just say it's COLD. We made chicken pot pie. It was an act of self defense.

I made a 2-4 minute microwaved tilapia with tomatoes, garlic scape pesto and Parmesan cheese. www.cooking-shopping-crafts-etc.blogspot.com

Quinoa with caramelized shallots, red peppers and celery salad, seitan thrown on top, and mint iced tea.

Spaghetti with turkey Italian sausage and a salad made with romaine lettuce from the garden. No tomatoes, though.

we're ordering LOCAL, organic produce every week that's delivered. it's amazing. you don't know what you'll get, so it's like an adventure to come up with it. last night, it was a variation on the salad nicoise theme. check out my blog for what i'm whipping up with the local goods and pantry items: http://www.sustainablediet.blogspot.com/
YUM!

Hot? Not in Seattle it ain't! Tonight's dinner is baked chicken with apricot sauce, carrots au beurre, and sauteed mushrooms, zucchini and crook-neck squash.