Those Cooling Dinner Dishes

 It is hellishly hot througho9ut the world. Europe is roasting. The US isn't far behind temp wise. What happens when even eating feels like a chore? have cold,refreshing meals. These take the edge off those steamy sinner time suppers. A bite or sip of something cooling can be revitalizing.

A cup or bowl of gazpacho is the way to go. This chilled soup is the perfect dinner on a ninety degree day. The Spanush make this flavorful soup when the summer heat becomes unbearable.This is one of my favorites and it;s only rotation two to three times  a week during the summer. It's an easy blend of tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, onions or onion powder combined with a bit of water , olive oil and a good red or white wine vinegar. I chill mine for at least two to three hours before serving. This leaves the afternoon free to do anything else. Vichysoisse is another cold soup,perfect for a Summer Sunday meal.Keep in mind that it can be served hot too when the cooler weather arrives. It's usually cooked over a stove top for thirty-five minutes however it's easier to cook in a crock pot during a heat wave.It;s cutting potatoes and leeks into bite sized pieces along with onions, carrots and celery Add one can of cream of mushroom soup and another can of cream of celery for thickness and richness. Evaporated milk and four chicken bouillon cubes are also added. along with butter. Cook for two to three hours on high and then chill for about an hour. Add parsley flakes for decorations.

Never discount canned meats and fish. Canned chicken breast makes for an excellent salad , especially when it'ts combine with mayo and a good sprinkling of tarragon flakes.This is perfect on toasted brioche rolls or croissants. Keep in mind that you can also stuff tomatoes with this mix too. Just core tomatoes and gill with this . You vcan add almonds for crunch and texture . This can also work for lettuce cups too. Just use any big leafed lettuce and fill. Both the tomatoes and lettuce can also be filled with seafood as well. Use canned or fresh crab  and mix with chopped celery , mayo and just the teeniest bit of white sugar. You could add a dash of Old Bay seasoning too. Shrimp, and lobster too make for luxurious fillings. If you make shrimp or lobster salad, then use either to make a great seafood roll for a fun and lush dinner. You could toast the buttered hot dog rolls in the air fryer before stuffing them. Another fun and cool dinner idea is a sushi bowl/It's a lot less work than rolling and cutting the pieces. It starts with rice which can be bought precooked  and fish. Use already cooked shrimp or crab from your grocery store or fish market.  Add a layer of nori or black seaweed, and then fill in with julienned carrots, celery and sliced avocado Cucumber is also included for cool freshness. Give the bowls  good dousing or rice wine vinegar ir sushi vinegar which is rice vinegar and sugar mixed together with salt.

It's summer. The world is on fire - almost literally. Create col suppers that are refreshing and delicious.

Your New Year Your Food

 It;'s New Year's Eve tomorrow and that means fancy parties and fancy foods. Yet supposedly just want a cozy celebration with either you or with a companion - whether animal or human. It;'s your New Year - your food.

It's a time when you can just splurge on whatever foods you want to eat.Lidl has a wide assortment of extravagant foods at affordable prices. Take a look at their Preferred Selcetion choices. A small Culver duck is only $34.99 and comes with a packet of orange sauce (which you can spruce up with orange juice and brown sugar). They also offer a shrimp ring for only $6.99  and some stores also have lobster. Other stores like Acme and Stop and Shop also have excellent seafood if you so choose. Indulge in crab legs with butter sauce or some coconut shrimp. You could also have petite filet mignons  again, many stores such as Walmart offer them for under twenty dollars. Serve with steamed broccoli or carrots for a simple yet elegant meal. Crack open a bottle of Prosecco or a good wine for a great drink. It's also a good night for cocktails and mocktails. try one you;'ve been dying to taste. Have two bottles of seltzer and a bottle of cranberry juice. These make the best bases for both alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks.

Of course since it';s a small party fun food can abound. Think hot dogs and or hamburgers. Barbecue if your climate is warm enough. Try the famed Chicago dragged through the garden dogs.This is a hot dog, sharing a bun with fresh sliced tomatoes, pickles , chopped onions , small pickled peppers called sport ones along with neon green relish and mustard (Ketchup is strictly not allowed) Chili dogs are another fun dinner. You could also serve bacon cheese burgers, air fried to perfection.What about sides with these?. Frozen onion rings or fries that can easily be crisped up in the air fryer too. Another tasty treat are wings. You can have them extra hot Buffalo style or with lemon pepper.Nuggets are fun along with popcorn shrimp. These are nibbles that you can have with good craftsman soda or beer. Think Wild Bill's or Abita's root beer or a good woodsy birch beer such as Boylan's Beers, could be IPAs or APAs.As for dessert- again indulge in what you want. It could be cookies or a sundae with homemade hot fudge and decadent ice cream such as Lidl's. 

It's your New Year's . Celebrate with the foods you want. It could be fancy .It could be just fun. Ring in the New Year with great flavors and great tastes.

Making The Most Of Lenten Fridays

 Lenten Fridays can be a bit of a cooking challenge for observant home chefs. Meat is off the table so what do you do?  Go meatless for one day. There's enough recipes out there that are perfect for the weeks leading up to Christian Easter.

Eating less meat is good anyway. It's a chance to infuse more veggies into the diet. A simple but flavorful meal is ratatouille. This is a classic French Provencale dish of eggplant, tomatoes and onions. It can be varied to include bell peppers and squash coins. Its zinged up with such herbs as thyme and basil. Garlic is a must because it amps up the flavor. What's great is that you can make a lot for a Friday dinner and have some left over for A Saturday or Sunday meal. Make it special with a just from the oven focaccio or a loaf of garlic bread. You could even make a ratatouille pizza for something different. It's putting  all the veggies on the dough and adding sauce and shredded mozzarella.Pizza is another tasty idea, even without the pepperoni. You can add shrimp or make it more luxe with lobster. Shred and put boiled tail meat on the dough along with the rest of the ingredients. Another way to go is healthy with spinach and kale. You could also have it with just onions and scallions for a different , more allium flavor.

If you're tired of pizza then think vegan shepherd's pie. If you're wondering about the filling.don't. You can use the plant based Beyond Beef for the filling. Add some carrots and peas along with tomato sauce. The topping is mashed potatoes used as a crisp crust. Dot with butter for a more flavorful topping. You can also do a vegan beef or chicken pot pie. All it takes is Beyond Beef mixed with different veggies like tomatoes and zucchini , baking potatoes and white mushrooms. Tamari and rice wine vinegar give it zing. Veggie broth makes the gravy that is a pot pie's signature feature. Two sheets of Pillsbury Crescent dough rolls  create the flaky top. You can also make Beyond Burgers too. They're just as good as the real thing. You can go totally vegan by adding slices of vegan cheddar for a tasty cheeseburger. Make it a fun Friday night meal by adding French fries. Another vegan meat idea is Beyond Beef meatballs with spaghetti. It's an easy make because they come already made. You can also make them into tasty subs, another fun Friday night dinner.

Lenten Friday's don't have to be fraught. There are so many different veggie, fish and plant based meat recipes out there. You can choose any of these for a great and meatless way to end the week.