Cool Summer Cooking:

Summer is finally here, bringing with it both fresh produce and lots of very warm weather. With temperatures rising it's time to think about planning foods that don't heat up your kitchen and raise your air conditioning bill.

The grill is always an excellent choice in summer. Along with steaks, burgers, and dogs, try some new ideas to keep appetites satisfied!

-Packet cooking. Measure out foot long pieces of extra-heavy aluminum foil. Cut up your favorite veggies, toss in some beans, tempeh, or tofu for protein, and fold the foil to make a packet. Leave one side of the packet open, and pour in several tablespoons of your favorite sauce.( My current favorite, Orange Miso, is a slight variation on the sauce a friend introduced me to.) Seal packet, and toss on the grill until the veggies are done (about 10-15 minutes). Serve alone, or over rice or noodles.

You can use packets for desserts, too. Sliced fruit and berries stewed in a packet with port and cinnamon makes a delightful shortcake or ice cream topping. Packet cook some pears and hazelnuts with maple syrup, cinnamon, and a bit of butter, then spoon over Brie.

-Grilled fruit. There's nothing sweeter in the summer than grilled fruits of all kinds. Grilling caramelizes the natural sugars in fruit perfectly. Grilled pineapple spears are everyone's favorite; but, I also love grilled peaches and nectarines. Slice the stone fruits in half and remove stones. If desired, marinade in a dry or sweet white wine. Brush with butter (or leave plain), and put on the grill sliced-side down. Allow to cook until the sugars are caramelized on the cut surface, and the fruit has softened a bit. Serve on their own, or put in a glass tumbler with marscapone cheese and top with a bit of chilled dry white wine for a truly elegant dessert.

Another wonderful way to keep the heat out of the kitchen this summer is to use your slow cooker. Most people save their slow cookers for winter, but we use ours even more in the summer. There are so many things you can do with a slow cooker besides soups, many of which are perfect summer foods.

-Barbecue and homemade sloppy joes. Slow cooked pork or chicken barbecue is easy in the slow cooker. Just toss in all your normal ingredients, and let it simmer all day. Side with some baked beans, slaw, and grilled sweet corn for a traditional summer meal without raising your thermostat. You can do the same thing with sloppy joes.

-Indian cuisine. Ever get tired of driving an hour to eat good Indian? Make it in your slow cooker at home. Most Indian dishes are best when they've had a chance to stew a while, making them perfect for slow cooking. There are many places to find recipes online, but my favorite is A Year of Slow Cooking. Look for her Indian chicken recipe, which is the base for my own recipe (I add more spices, as well as onions and veggies). My partner has perfected Saag, another interesting Indian dish made with greens. Put the chicken or Saag over brown basmati rice made in the rice cooker, serve with naan and a thick mango-yogurt drink called "lassi" for a complete Indian meal without the drive, or the hot kitchen! Visit Eclectic Edibles for my own lassi recipe to go with your Indian dinner.

Sources:

A Year of Slow Cooking, at http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Eclectic Edibles