I’m surrendering {waves white flag} to summer. Softball, swimming, harvest… and do I have to turn my oven on in the humid 90-95° heat?!
I think not.
Aside from baking bread early in the morning a couple times a week, I plan to keep my oven off as much as possible for the sake of my electric bill and my sanity. Oh, and three full meals a day? Not happenin’ around here in the summer. We’ll go for two good meals and some healthy fillers between ball games, swimming, and trips to the wheat field.
Sunday, 6/14
- pizza omelet scramble (no time for actual omelets), muffins
- beef stroganoff, green beans, homemade bread (A mere 2 hours after we ate lunch, the girls and I attended a Pampered Chef Bridal Shower. I knew there would be food, but I wasn’t planning on chicken fajitas, fruit tray, veggie tray, cheese/summer sausage/crackers tray, and dessert. Um… we don’t need supper tonight.)
As for the rest of the week…
Breakfasts
- homemade granola
- oatmeal (usually with bananas and raisins, sometimes blueberries)
- blueberry pancakes with scrambled eggs
- waffles with scrambled eggs
- fried eggs and toast
Lunch or Dinner
- skillet enchiladas (recipe coming!), lettuce, sour cream
- Ranch Chicken and Bacon Pasta Salad
- turkey sausage stromboli
- California Chicken Wraps
- loaded tostadas
Fill-ins for light Supper or snacks
- smoothies
- veggies and dip
- fresh fruit
- sandwiches
- leftovers
- popcorn
I’m not the only one to lose all desire for big meals and lots of hot cooking in the summer, am I? Anyone?
For hundreds of (hopefully cool) menu ideas, look no further than Organizing Junkie.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
It has been cool here but things are starting to eat up. Soon, I will be posting mostly salads and grilling:-)
I SO dislike using my oven during the summer and we eat many cold or light meals during this hot season. We have a garden so I make a vinegar based Tomato, Onion, Cucumber salad many nights as a side dish AND can’t forget smoothies after a light dinner. Have fun and here’s a thumbs up to keeping the house cool!
You know tonight Scott made pasta and from a big lunch and the heat of the day, I hardly ate a thing. I think we may follow your example too.
We switch to grilling 1 meat and veggies and redo it for the next night as a sandwich or with a grain. Like 1st nite:Chicken grilled and doubled then grilled veggies 2nd nite: I’ll make chicken fahitas, chicken with grilled veggie couscous. Couscous takes 5 minutes and is great for the summer.
I’ve always heard you should bake in the evening in the summer b/c your house is getting cooler and in the morning in the winter so the oven helps to heat your house for the day. I’m with you, though – with summer outside play and things like cleaning strawberries taking up my kitchen time, I’m looking to the freezer a lot this week!
We have a 30 – 40 degree difference between our highest and lowest temp each day. So, I move dinner later in the evening in the summer. This allows me to take advantage of the longer days to work outside, as well as cook after it has started to cool down.
Oooh, stromboli sounds fab!
It’s not got too hot here yet. Well maybe one or two days where I decided I was not using the oven until after dark, but literally only one or two days so far.
I like your idea of 2 larger meals… however, that would never fly around here. My hubby thinks that there is a crisis if we don’t have 3. BUT… I can sneak in lighter fare during the summer months. Good ideas!!
Hi Amy!
This is the first time I’ve ever commented, but I’ve read your blog for a while now and I truly love it. Thanks for all your recipes, they are wonderful! I live in Texas and well, let’s just say that 95 degrees would be a cool front here! 
I made mistake of using my oven a couple of nights ago and the air conditioner ran for 7 hours straight! I’m with you on the oven-less meals! I just wish I could persuade my family to only have two meals a day. Sigh ;( If you have any suggestions, I’ll take ‘em! 
Things have just started to get really hot around here but I am with you on the two meals a day. We have been having a brunch then dinner with snacks in between.
Great dinner ideas.