Simple Summer Food
because even when it's too hot to cook,
you still have to eat!
you still have to eat!
It's hard to get motivated to prepare meals when the weather is hot and humid, and it's even harder when your appetite seems to have gone off to look for a better clime..
But we know it's important to keep eating well, so I've put together a few recipes and a few links that will help us all to renew our interest in good food and also to prepare meals in a way that won't add any more degrees to the already hot days!
I've started with a few recipes for long, cool drinks and some frosty treats to enjoy while browsing through the other sites looking for meal ideas....
Cranberry Apple Spritzer
>1c. Chilled cranberry-apple juice drink (found in all grocery stores)
>2c. Chilled dry white wine (can substitute non alcoholic) or apple juice
>1c. Chilled sparkling water
Mix all ingredients and serve over ice. Makes 4 servings.
Mama's Lemonade
>4 lemons
>5 cups of cold water
>½ cup of hot water
>1 cup of sugar
>Ice for serving
>1 lemon thinly sliced for serving
>Sprigs of lemon mint
Cut lemons in half and squeeze the lemon juice into a pitcher. Separately add the sugar to the hot water and mix (this helps the sugar dissolve); then add this sugar syrup to the pitcher. Finally, add the cold water and the sliced lemon to the pitcher and stir everything. Pour into a glass of ice; garnish with the sprig of lemon mint and serve. Makes 4 servings.
Raspberry Iced-Tea
>2c. fresh or frozen red raspberries
>4 or 5 tea bags
>5c. boiling water
>Ice cubes
Place raspberries and tea bags in a bowl (preferably a glass bowl). Pour the boiling water over the raspberries and tea bags. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and strain the raspberries from the mixture. An easy way to do this is by pouring the mixture through a wire strainer. Discard the berries. Cool several hours and serve over ice.
Fruit Cup Slush
>1 large can diced apricots
>1 large can crushed pineapple
>2 (10 oz) boxes frozen strawberries
>1 cup sugar
>4 bananas
Drain apricots and pineapple into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add enough water to the juices to make 2 cups. Add one cup sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Cool and pour over the strawberries, bananas, apricots and pineapple.
Pour into a large container and freeze. Thaw about one hour before serving. Mash it to a slush consistency before serving.
Five Fruit Salad
> 1 cup seedless grapes
> 1/2 cup each peeled, sliced and quartered orange, cubed cantaloupe, sliced banana and pineapple chunks
> 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
> 1 teaspoon lime juice
> 2 teaspoons chopped mint leaves
> 1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel
Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Makes 4 servings.
or-
super simple!
Frozen Grapes
(these are great-
almost the consistency of a popsicle)
Wash 1-2 pounds of grapes, separated from the stem. (I like a combo of white and red). Pat dry with paper towel. Place in bowl with lid. Sprinkle with a small package of strawberry jello, either sugar-free or regular. Freeze 2 hours and enjoy!!!!
Banana Split Salad
(you have to splurge sometimes!)
>1 lg container of coolwhip
>1 can Eagle Brand milk
>1 oz crushed pineapple
>1 can cherry pie filling
>3 lg bananas, chopped
>1/2 cup pecans
Mix well and chill!
But we know it's important to keep eating well, so I've put together a few recipes and a few links that will help us all to renew our interest in good food and also to prepare meals in a way that won't add any more degrees to the already hot days!
I've started with a few recipes for long, cool drinks and some frosty treats to enjoy while browsing through the other sites looking for meal ideas....
Cranberry Apple Spritzer
>1c. Chilled cranberry-apple juice drink (found in all grocery stores)
>2c. Chilled dry white wine (can substitute non alcoholic) or apple juice
>1c. Chilled sparkling water
Mix all ingredients and serve over ice. Makes 4 servings.
Mama's Lemonade
>4 lemons
>5 cups of cold water
>½ cup of hot water
>1 cup of sugar
>Ice for serving
>1 lemon thinly sliced for serving
>Sprigs of lemon mint
Cut lemons in half and squeeze the lemon juice into a pitcher. Separately add the sugar to the hot water and mix (this helps the sugar dissolve); then add this sugar syrup to the pitcher. Finally, add the cold water and the sliced lemon to the pitcher and stir everything. Pour into a glass of ice; garnish with the sprig of lemon mint and serve. Makes 4 servings.
Raspberry Iced-Tea
>2c. fresh or frozen red raspberries
>4 or 5 tea bags
>5c. boiling water
>Ice cubes
Place raspberries and tea bags in a bowl (preferably a glass bowl). Pour the boiling water over the raspberries and tea bags. Cover and let stand about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags and strain the raspberries from the mixture. An easy way to do this is by pouring the mixture through a wire strainer. Discard the berries. Cool several hours and serve over ice.
Fruit Cup Slush
>1 large can diced apricots
>1 large can crushed pineapple
>2 (10 oz) boxes frozen strawberries
>1 cup sugar
>4 bananas
Drain apricots and pineapple into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add enough water to the juices to make 2 cups. Add one cup sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Cool and pour over the strawberries, bananas, apricots and pineapple.
Pour into a large container and freeze. Thaw about one hour before serving. Mash it to a slush consistency before serving.
Five Fruit Salad
> 1 cup seedless grapes
> 1/2 cup each peeled, sliced and quartered orange, cubed cantaloupe, sliced banana and pineapple chunks
> 1/4 cup orange juice concentrate
> 1 teaspoon lime juice
> 2 teaspoons chopped mint leaves
> 1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel
Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Makes 4 servings.
or-
super simple!
Frozen Grapes
(these are great-
almost the consistency of a popsicle)
Wash 1-2 pounds of grapes, separated from the stem. (I like a combo of white and red). Pat dry with paper towel. Place in bowl with lid. Sprinkle with a small package of strawberry jello, either sugar-free or regular. Freeze 2 hours and enjoy!!!!
Banana Split Salad
(you have to splurge sometimes!)
>1 lg container of coolwhip
>1 can Eagle Brand milk
>1 oz crushed pineapple
>1 can cherry pie filling
>3 lg bananas, chopped
>1/2 cup pecans
Mix well and chill!
Links to more simple, super, summer food
From allrecipes.com
The Ultimate Guide to summer-
Has lots of ideas for great summer meals, barbecues, special holiday menus,
Parties, showers, even ideas for using the produce from the local farmer's market
here's some
Quick and Easy Sandwiches, Rolls, Pitas and Subs for Summer meals
Check out the Summer Celebrations page from Kraft foods!
more treats here-
No bake cookies, candies and desserts!
This One is a Treasure Trove
Old Fashioned Kitchen at Old Fashioned Living.com
not only are there the recipes you would expect to find,
they also have recipes for cooking dandelion greens and fiddlehead ferns,
making jams and jellies, pickle and relish recipes, how to churn butter!,
and super articles like "traditional foods for a quilting bee" (with recipes)
and other menus and recipes for more modern get-togethers
Really a must see site!
and finally-
Pages and pages of "real life" crock pot recipes-
("real life" =turning ingredients you are likely to have on your shopping list into food
that you and your family are likely to eat)
from my Hero-The FlyLady!
and what I love about the crock pot is the "hot from the oven"meals without the hot oven!
soup recipes
beef recipes
pork recipes
chicken recipes
Eat well, enjoy, you deserve it!
From allrecipes.com
The Ultimate Guide to summer-
Has lots of ideas for great summer meals, barbecues, special holiday menus,
Parties, showers, even ideas for using the produce from the local farmer's market
here's some
Quick and Easy Sandwiches, Rolls, Pitas and Subs for Summer meals
Check out the Summer Celebrations page from Kraft foods!
more treats here-
No bake cookies, candies and desserts!
This One is a Treasure Trove
Old Fashioned Kitchen at Old Fashioned Living.com
not only are there the recipes you would expect to find,
they also have recipes for cooking dandelion greens and fiddlehead ferns,
making jams and jellies, pickle and relish recipes, how to churn butter!,
and super articles like "traditional foods for a quilting bee" (with recipes)
and other menus and recipes for more modern get-togethers
Really a must see site!
and finally-
Pages and pages of "real life" crock pot recipes-
("real life" =turning ingredients you are likely to have on your shopping list into food
that you and your family are likely to eat)
from my Hero-The FlyLady!
and what I love about the crock pot is the "hot from the oven"meals without the hot oven!
soup recipes
beef recipes
pork recipes
chicken recipes
Eat well, enjoy, you deserve it!