Cooking whenwarm out

I like making pasta salads when it's hot out. The bonus is they are even better the next day when you need some leftovers for lunches. This recipe for Mexican pasta salad is usually pretty popular at my house... MEXICAN PASTA SALAD 12 oz. corkscrew pasta, cooked & cooled (I've used elbows, wagon wheels, and bowties before) 4 oz. green chilies, chopped (I just get a can) 16 oz. red kidney beans, drained 1/2 green pepper, chopped 1 (8 oz.) can corn, drained 1/2 c. celery, chopped 1/4 onion, chopped 2 tsp. fresh chopped parsley optional: diced cheddar cheese Mix above ingreditents together and set aside. Mix together: 1 tsp. chili powder 1/2 tsp. cumin 1/2 to 1 c. mayonnaise Pour over first mixture. Chill overnight. One chopped tomato can be added just before serving. Enjoy!

If it is a warm day, one of the things I don't like to do is cook in the house. I usually find myself cooking alfresco. You know, out on the grill. My husband and I like to barbecue regularly even in the colder months. But I have to say when it is warm I don't cook too long in the kitchen. Sometimes a nice cool salad or some sandwiches can take the place of cooking, and of course there is always ordering a pizza!

Since I love FLAMES and cooking outdoors, it's a natural for me to seek recipes that have BIG FLAVOR to match my love of open spaces and cooking in them! :) You will never get bored, once you start thinking BIG, and learn how translate normally sedate indoor flavors into BIG OUTDOOR FLAVORS! :) Here's a link to a whole bunch of 'em, 3000 or more, I think... please enjoy! :) http://www.alanskitchen.com/default.html

I like to make a cucumber salad. It is more than cucumbers. It is a mixture of cucumbers, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, and any other veggie that you want to throw in the sounds good. Then, you pour a whole bunch of ranch dressing and mix it up with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Chill for a few hours to let marinade...and there you go. A good side cool dish for burgers or hot dogs from the grill. :)

Ofen when it's really hot out I'll cook up things on the griddle for dinner. We'll have breakfast for dinner. Things like pancakes or eggs can be nice for at night. It allows you something that is solid and hot but it's not as heavy as other foods or as hot to cook. It helps because you don't have to heat up the oven. I also have done grilled cheese and ham sandwiches this way. Crock pots are also nice for those hot days. It can cook the meal again without heating up the house. I've done BBQ chicken in it, pot roast, beef stew, a variety of things. I agree it makes a difference when you are boiling from the heat. The last thing you want to do is turn on the oven at that time.

When it's really warm outside I avoid grilling and bbq (there's no need to add to the heat!). I happen to be from Greece and we have some pretty warm days there during summer. Some of the foods we make during these days are what we call oily (I know it doesn't sound good) plates. This is mainly vegetables plates like ratatouilles or stuffed vegetables prepared in the oven. The good thing about those plates is that you can make a whole pan of it and keep in the fridge. Trust me they taste even better when it's hot outside and you eat them right from the fridge cool! These are my favorite plates for summer time (especially after the beach when you're obviously tired and hungry) You can check my recipes of those plates here: http://www.squidoo.com/greekcuisine/#module1504494 and http://www.squidoo.com/greekcuisine/#module1504495

if it's warm out we usally cook on the grill.. hamburgers, steak, steak fajias, summer potatoes, chicken

We grill a lot, and tend to have a lot of veggie dishes. It gets so hot here, no one wants to eat. I make a lot of pasta salads, or grill kabobs with a salad on the side. Sometimes we just have sandwiches. It just depends on the kind of mood we are in.

We do a lot of cooking out on the grill when it is warm out. If it gets too hot, we sometimes just have a sandwich night. We get the sub rolls and a variety of different kinds of cold cuts and some cheese. We also get chips or cheesies. Its really nice but it is bad if you are watching your sodium intake.lol.

I dont like to cook when it gets too warm. We often cook on the grill outside. I love the way food tastes when cooking on the grill. And if I have to cook in the kitchen I usually cook something where I dont have to turn the oven on. I dont like heating the house up.

We mostly grill out when its warm out- Pork chops on the grill, hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, I love shish kabobs-- I put beef, pineapples, peppers, tomatoes-- We also do alot of sub nights-- Make your own sub sandwiches.. Yummy! Everyone likes a different kind so we buy lots of lunch meat and the fixings. Served with chips. We eat alot of baked beans and cold salads-- macaroni, potato, pasta, tossed We order pizza usually once a week- Grill boneless chicken and have it-- then the next night we have chicken salads. Hope I gave you some ideas!

I really like eating cold vegetable soups, like gazpacho. To make gazpacho, take fresh, uncooked vegetables such as tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper (seeded) and combine with fresh parsely and lemon juice and blend it up. I'm sure a quick search will reveal tons of gazpacho recipes. It's especially nice to have add-ons to the gazpacho like cut up hard boiled egg and soft crutons.

Beckyomg, when it is warm out side I usually prepare cool salads or cold sandwhiches and i also enjoy French fries because they are relatively easy to prepare and are delicious.

I am big on using the grill on nice warm evenings. Sat night was steaks, last night burgers and hot dogs, and tonight will be chicken on the grill. Ordering pizza or making big salads for dinner works great on warm nights also.

We like lighter things that don't take a long time to cook..like roasts, chickens, etc. The crockpot does wonders in the summer. Salads and fruit are also excellent, although we tend to eat those year round. Good luck finding new things to make this summer season.

my hubby loves to cook on the grill so if its nice he does the main cooking. i get up in the morning when i know its gonna be real warm and make a tuna salad or pasta salad. corn on the cob is really good on the grill to. one of my favorites is veggies in foil with italin dressing done on the grill with sliced potatos. very easy and yummy. plus we have our potatos and veggie all in one. another thing i do alot in the summer is use the slow cooker alot. i can put the meat in and turn it on and i am done other then a side and veggie if i don't add them to it. my hubby loves food done in the slow cooker and there is so many ways to do things in a slow cooker.

it is never cold hee where i live. it is all the 12 months hot or warm. so i now i m developed the habbit of working in the kitchen when it is hot or even when there is no electricity. its so hot near the gas when there is no electricity that in a second only i start sweating like anything. i generally cook fried rice with yoghurt, salad. mushroom saute in butter with garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. sandwiches, cold coffee, toasts or pizza.

when it is quite warm and humid out I have no ambition to cook and little ambition to eat even. As we do not have air conditioning... we tend to eat a lot of cold salads and sandwiches during the warmer months.

I like to grill in the warmer weather but like you I get tired of the same old food. I bought a slower cooker last year. I can cook meals in the slow cooker that I usually would use the oven for. It doesn't heat up the house is the only difference.

When it is hot I will stay up late to cook a big pan of potatoes and make a huge batch of potato salad! It is great alone or with sandwiches or BBQ! Makes it really nice to have it and can just make up a quick sandwich or hot dogs, or burgers and grub out without having to cook. You can get a bowl of potato salad and a handfulof ruffles and just eat. No cooking! It's nice,.