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Summer Food Recipes

It's Still Too Hot to Cook

By , About.com Guide

Tuna Waldorf Salad

Tuna Waldorf Salad

Linda Larsen
When authorities ask that you not turn on the oven during the day, you know that it's too hot outside. With heat indices well over 100 degrees, it's time to give the oven, grill, and microwave a rest. Turn to these delicious and easy summer food recipes that use not one bit of heat.

When it's this hot, be careful with yourself! If you don't have air conditioning, try to spend some time in a place that does have it. A good idea is to spend lots of time browsing in the supermarket. You can cool off and browse the frozen, refrigerated, and canned food aisles to get inspiration for your own cool recipes.

So stay cool, make these delicious salads, and think about fall!

Summer Food Recipes

  • Tuna Waldorf Salad
    This delicious and easy salad recipe has the best texture, flavor, and crunch factor. Serve it on some cool mixed greens with some iced tea for the perfect lunch.
  • Pesto Shrimp and Bean Salad
    I love beans of all kinds, and the three beans in this simple salad add fabulous texture and flavor to shrimp and vegetables.
  • Deli Potato Salad
    Stir some deli chicken or refrigerated cooked chicken into this potato salad for a cool and easy main dish.
  • Artichoke and Chickpea Salad
    Stir some chopped ham into this simple salad and serve with some crackers and sparkling water.
  • Seven Layer Slaw
    Add chopped smoked turkey from the deli, or lump crabmeat from the seafood aisle of the meat department, and this cool salad will fill you up.
  • Feta Cheese and Rice Salad
    Buy rice from your local Asian take-out place, then thaw the sugar snap peas under warm water, and you don't have to heat up your kitchen cooking. I love this easy and delicious salad.
  • Chicken Waldorf Sandwiches
    This cool and creamy salad is perfect sandwiched between slices of rich raisin bread. You could use canned tuna or salmon if you'd like.
  • Vegetable Couscous Salad
    Well, you do have to boil water to cook the couscous, but do that in a teapot to help minimize the heat effect.
  • Frozen Banana Salad
    I feel cool just thinking about this easy salad. It's sweet, creamy, and delicious.
  • Wild Rice Chicken Sandwich Spread
    Lots of really good chewy and crisp breads plus some sandwich spreads will help take the edge off anybody's hunger in this heat.
  • Turkey Hummus Sandwiches
    Look for prepared hummus in the refrigerated aisle or at the deli. These simple sandwiches have a lot of flavor.
  • Cannellini Bean Spread Wrap Sandwiches
    Cannellini beans to the rescue again! These delicious sandwiches are quick and easy too.
  • Mini Hero Sandwiches
    Put out the makings of this sandwich and let everybody assemble their own.
  • Spinach Pesto Sandwich Spread
    Adding spinach to pesto makes the pesto bright green and adds nutrition while cutting the fat content. What more could you want?
  • Freeze Ahead Tuna Sandwiches
    You don't have to freeze these sandwiches, you can eat them right away. But they're a good choice to have tucked into the freeze when it's too hot to even think about working!
  • Olive Cheese Sandwich Spread
    If you love olives, this is the sandwich spread for you! It's delicious and super easy.
  • Tartufo
    This delicious and easy dessert is fun to make. I love to serve a few in stemmed goblets, drizzled with a bit of caramel or chocolate sauce.
  • Coffee Almond Tart
    Frozen desserts are one of the best parts of summer. And the combination in this dessert is superb.
  • Frozen Yogurt with Fruit
    For a healthy and delicious treat, it's hard to beat this recipe! Have your kids help you make it.
  • Frozen Strawberry Margarita Dessert
    This easy dessert is fancy enough for company. Make two and store one for next week!

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