Summer is here! And it’s hot out! Which means I’m in the mood to cook and eat different foods than during the rest of the year. There’s also an abundance of fruits and veggies in season during the summer months. And I’m excited to cook and eat most of them (except green peppers)! At the same time, there are plenty of days it’s so darn hot that I don’t want to stand over a hot stove or grill.
Most of the time, I love to cook and that includes weeknight dinners. Don’t get me wrong, there are also nights I don’t feel like cooking and we eat plenty of Trader Joe’s Mandarin Chicken or take out!
We each define our “go-to” meals differently. In my mind, a “go-to” meal is anything that takes me less than 30-45 minutes to make. Some of my “go-to” meals here and in my previous “go-to” meals post may fall into different categories for you. In one of Anna’s previous posts about her family’s “go-to”meals, she wrote about how she and her husband, Dan, categorize meals: go-to meals, make ahead/slow cooker meals, standard meals, and special occasion meals. I love how they organize their meals!
My Summertime “Go-to” Meals
- Orzo salad with shrimp, olives, feta, and lemon; tomato and cucumber salad
- Pasta with tomatoes, basil, ricotta salata and red wine vinaigrette; mixed green salad, baguette
- Peanut sesame noodles with chicken; sliced cucumber and avocado
- Crispy shrimp (or peel and eat shrimp), green beans with vinaigrette and corn on the cob
- Corn on the cob, green beans, deviled eggs, baguette
- Pasta with zucchini and summer corn and cilantro, mixed green salad, cut fruit
- Zucchini cakes, fruit salad, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, baguette
- Pulled pork sandwiches, cabbage salad and green beans
- Grilled fish or chicken with crisp veggie salad and farro or couscous
- Meats, cheeses, olives, cornichons, bread and crackers, fruit salad and raw veggies
- Pasta with sautéed zucchini, yellow squash, grape tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with a salad of sliced cucumber and avocado
- BLTs (or any sandwhich), watermelon slices and potato chips
- Roast chicken, lentil salad, farro and asparagus
- Tuna niscoise salad, bread
- Tomato basil pie, green beans and fruit
- Mushroom, leek frittata (or any combination of veggies), raw veggies and bread
- Shrimp or fish tacos, cabbage slaw, chips and guacamole
- Pasta with pesto, salad and bread
What are your summertime “go-to” meals?
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