Summer Meals

[Erudite]

I'm working on my summer menu, in hopes of creating 28 meals that my family can enjoy through the summer and I can go back to shopping once a month as I used to. But summer is my bugaboo. I've got sandwiches and BBQ and mexican food.

What kinds of meals do you do for your family (and they like) during the summer??

[Monab17]

I left a message on your spark people disicussion. But basically anything we can eat cold we eat a lot of. Pasta salads, green salads, sandwiches and the try to grill and thing that needs to be cooked so we don't heat up the house. The kids really love the here stuff add what you want meals.

[Erudite]

Hey, Mona! Welcome, welcome! I'm so glad you joined us!

I know what you mean about "add what you want" meals. Those are my kids' favorites too. Thanks for the ideas!

[Meticulous madness]

We love hamburgers atleast once a month. Then I use the leftover buns a few days later for shredded BBQ chicken (ckn breasts thrown in the crock pot for a few hours with BBQ sauce added at the beginning, and a bit at the end).

We're all about the pasta and potato salads, too! And we compliment nearly every meal with lots of fruit. Slice up anything on hand, and make a yummy dip out of yogurt and light whip cream. Very "summery" and light.

I posted a tortellini recipe here that my family loves (especially in warmer weather for some reason). It's meatless. Sometimes meatless meals are really nice for the summer!

Tortilla-wrap sandwiches (turkey avocado, chicken salad or tuna - mmmmm). I love tuna on saltine crackers, too. My DH thought that was bizarre when we first were married, but I've converted him. You just have to try it. I seem to go through more croissants in the summer, for these same sandwiches (and eggs'n'cheese sandwiches, too).

My meals are definitely not low fat. I should really try to be better. But, honestly...for my family...just not eating out a few times a week is such an improvement!

We've really been into fondue lately (cheese dip for an appetizer with apples, bread and cauliflower, and low-fat chicken stock-plus for the main dish base of shrimp, chicken, steak or whatever). I'm not so sure that's a great "summer" thing, but it's been a lot of fun and the kids enjoy it.

We also LOVE to do dutch oven. Just the basic chicken, rice and veggies - with cobblers for dessert. You can cook up in the mountains, or in the backyard. It's fabulous!

I think green salads with chicken in it, or sweet pork (Cafe Rio style salads) are fabulous in warmer weather! Cook a bunch of the meat at one time and use it later for enchiladas or tacos (or use this for the BBQ chicken/beef sandwiches I mentoned at the beginning). I'm all about convenience in the summer.

I like breakfast for dinner. Pancakes, waffles, eggs/bacon, omelets. Mmmm.

I love your meal planning, ER. I'm getting motivated to do the same thing.

---------- Post added at 12:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:03 AM ----------

WELCOME Mona!

Glad to have you here with us.

[Erudite]

MM...great ideas! With this I was able to cross off two more borderline winter meals and add yours in. I picked up "wraps" today at the store and we'll see how weird the kids think I am when I serve them as dinner! And those extra buns are totally going for Crockpot BBQ chicken. It's kind of exciting to have it all there and just waiting for me to fix!

[missypoohsticks]

I make a vegetable strata. It's a great way to use the veggies from the garden, and you can switch it up a little bit by adding different veggies. Here's the recipe:
1 zucchini (about 10 oz), sliced
1 yellow squash (about 10 oz), sliced
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1/4 C water
4 eggs
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
2 slices white bread, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tomato, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a medium baking dish. Place zucchini, squash, and onion in 1/4 cup water in a waucepan and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Beat eggs in a medium bowl and add drained vegeables, cheese, bread, tomato, salt and pepper flakes and stir well. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake until set, about 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Now, I totally skip the boiling in water part and just cook it for 40-45 minutes instead. (One less pan to clean!) I have made it with just zucchini and no yellow squash, I have added mushrooms to it and I have also added some browned sausage to it. It is VERY versatile and my family LOVES it!!! I also use a multigrain artisan bread instead of the white bread. (The ones that you get from the food co-op for those of you that participate.)

[5ft Diva]

This sounds yummy, MPS!

[Meticulous madness]

It DOES sound yummy, MPS! I am totally trying that out when the garden is ripe and ready!

Have you used your WRAPS yet, ER? I just wondered what your family thought about them.

I found an easy crock pot sweet pork recipe that I am going to give a try. My other recipe is kind of tedious and time consuming. Summer, to me, is all about convenience. So, we'll see. If it's any good, I'll post it. There's also a rice/bean combo that you can make with it. It comes from a freezer meal book, and I'm anxious to see how it pans out.

[5ft Diva]

Ooooohhhh, do share!