Megan McCamy
The heat got us eating stuff that is quick & easy. Appetites just disappear once the temps hit 100F!
Here are a few:
Yogurt & cucumber- grated cucumber mixed into yogurt with a biggish pinch of salt. A delicious side dish. Add some grated garlic for more zing.
Grilled cheese with sauerkraut- mustard, Jarlsberg cheese, plus a really delicious condiment called With A-ttitude from Creole Me Up (a Haitian food co out of Portland). Butter outside of sandwich and cook on medium heat frypan until melted/golden brown.
Hotdogs!!! Yes, when it is hot the hotdogs get cleared out of the freezer! Cook dogs in gently simmering water. Buns or folded bread. Mustard, warm sauerkraut, maybe some pickle. If extra hungry from a hike or swim, replace sauerkraut with beans, add grated cheese, salsa, and voila! Chili Dogs!!
We did a few clean-out-the-fridge pasta dishes- cook up whatever pasta or egg noodles you have kicking around, add olive oil, grated zucchini, s&p, then any or all of the following: capers, olives, sardines, hard cheese, tomatoes, peppers, etc.
And I guess, like hotdogs, mayonnaise is not always the healthiest choice, but for me summer and mayonnaise-ie sandwiches just go together. So, we did a fair share of canned fish sandwiches with LOTS of red onion, celery, maybe some olives and capers, a squeeze of lemon, s&p.
Have as a sandwich, or a dollop over a big leafy salad.
Speaking of salads: YES. The garden lettuce grew beautifully this year and we are still plucking off leaves as it stretches upwards to bloom. Lots of mustardy-lemon vinaigrettes, or balsamic vinegar dressings. Add blue cheese or Romano cheese for a richer one meal salad.
There. That is pretty much what we have eaten the last few weeks!