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.

Old Fashioned Slow Cooking

Many home chefs bemoan the fact that they don't have enough time to cook a tasty and filling meal for their families. There is a solution to that - get a slow cooker and a cookbook dedicated to this kitchen  must . Anyone can create all sorts of recipes from savory to sweet with it,

Cookbook author Phyllis Good realized and compiled a thorough one entitled Fix-It And Forget It:Slow Cooker Magic (Good Books/Skyhorse Publishing).This is more like one of those church cookbooks where everyone contributes a recipe, except the congregation is the entire United States.I like this cookbook, it's down home cooking in a slow cooker. There are no fancy ingredients or even fancy equipment .Eveything can be easily bought at your grocery store or farmer's market. Slow cookers are mostly for beef and pork, namely  meatballs. There are plenty of recipes featuring them here. The book is divided into simple sections from beef and pork to veggies to even lasagnas There are also side dishes and veggie dishes for vegetarian. The dessert section is surprisingly big, with all sorts of yummy treats and there is also a breakfast section loaded with both sweet and savory AM starters.. There's also  a page about what to sub in when you're in a pinch which will come in handy.

The recipes are varied , yet have two things in common, they're rib sticking and delicious.They're perfect for the chill fall days ahead as well as for the upcoming holidays. There are recipes for a warming three cheese broccoli soup along with a hearty corn chowder.Use those newly bought pumpkins and squashes for the tasty soups with recipes from Gladys Koth in Kansas to Ms. Good;s own butternut squash soup.  Meat lovers will enjoy meat and potato loaf and slow cooker beef Stroganoff, rich with both cream cheese and sour cream. Try Theresa Leppert's Amazing Turkey  which is a buttery turkey  wit rich drippings. The sides are very good too. Use the last of the season's tomatoes for baked stuff tomatoes that are filled with Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and a variety of herbs. There is the classic green bean casserole by Beverly Hummel which is the perfect holiday side. to ny turley and ham. Slow cookers also produce desserts and there are some wonderful recipes featuring them as well.This season's apples wil  go well in Kendra Dreps' apple cobbler or Judi Mano apple crisp recipes. For a fun weekend treat try Jeanne Allen's Toffee Treasure Cake. slow cookers can be used for chocolate fondues too.

Phyliis Good's Fix It And Forget It Slow Cooker Magic is the perfect cookbook for busy home chefs. It's filled with a cornucopia of good dinner and dessert recipes along with ones for breakfast and parties. Buy it to day and start your slow cooking feast!