From Linda Larsen,
Your Guide to Busy Cooks.
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When a long holiday weekend looms in the summer, having meals planned and food in the house by Friday means you can devote your weekend to having fun, whether it's at the lake, in a park, or just in your own backyard.

I've mixed recipes that need no cooking at all with those you cook on your grill along with a few crockpot recipes. In the summer, cooking outside, using your crockpot, or simply assembling food are the best bets to stay cool. Use seasonal produce since farmer's markets are exploding with fresh fruits and vegetables.

Be sure to follow Food Safety Rules. When it's over 80 degrees outside, potentially hazardous foods (meats, dairy products) can only be left out of refrigeration for one hour, not the two you usually hear about. And remember, a cooler can only keep things cold. It can't chill foods, so discard that food once you get home.

Enjoy this weekend, and don't forget to fly your flag!

Saturday Breakfast

• Cherry Oat Muffins
• Pear Bread
  A selection of quick breads makes a delicious quick breakfast on a hot day.
• orange juice, coffee, milk

Saturday Lunch

• Chicken Waldorf Sandwiches
  Waldorf salad is a classic that works very well as a sandwich spread.
• fresh fruit
• pop and fizzy water

Saturday Night Supper

• Crockpot Sticky Chicken
  This easy crockpot recipe won't heat up your kitchen and you can eat as soon as you get home.
• Orange Cream Salad
  This beautiful and delicious salad should be made ahead of time; just pull it out of the fridge and cut into squares.
• purchased breadsticks
• simple green salad
• White Chocolate Chunk Wedges
  These easy and delicious brownies are perfect to eat while dangling your feet in a pool or stream.

Sunday Brunch

• Southwest Crockpot Breakfast
  Just throw the ingredients in the crockpot, turn it on, and wake up to a fabulously easy breakfast.
• Orange juice, milk, coffee
• Marinated Fruit Salad
  You can make this salad the night before too; the longer it marinates the more succulent the fruit becomes.
• Petite Caramel Rolls
  Okay, so this recipe uses the oven. It's worth it for these fabulous rolls!

Sunday Dinner

• Hot and Spicy Pecans
  These crisp pecans can be made a few days ahead of time; store in a tightly covered container.
• Beer Can Chicken
  This fun recipe makes the moistest chicken you will ever eat.
• Gazpacho
  The contrast between the crisp and tender hot grilled chicken and this easy soup is really wonderful.
• Melon Medley
  This beautiful salad is refreshing, cool, and sweet.
• crusty french rolls
• Red, White, and Blue Trifle
  End your holiday weekend with this beautiful and delicious no cook recipe.

Monday Breakfast

• Frozen Banana Salad
  On a hot summer morning, nothing refreshes more than a frozen salad for breakfast. You could use just about any fresh fruit in this easy recipe.
• Bakery muffins
• Orange juice and coffee

Monday Lunch

• No Cook Mexican Chicken Salad
  This beautiful and delicious no cook salad is perfect to eat on a picnic or for lunch on the porch.
• grape bunches and fresh cherries
• Ranger Crispy Cookies
  Get your kids to help you make a big batch of these cookies for great munching all weekend long.

Monday Dinner

• Crab Spread
  Serve this delicious spread with crusty french bread or water crackers.
• Flank Steak with Nectarines
  This is a very special recipe; festive and delicious. If you can't find ripe nectarines, use peaches or pears.
• Strawberry Asparagus Salad
  I love this beautiful, simple recipe; it complements the main dish perfectly.
• Grilled Cheese Bread
  Make this bread ahead of time and refrigerate it. Then just throw it on the grill while you're cooking the flank steaks.
• Blueberry Shortbread Parfaits
  This classic recipe can be made with any fresh summer fruit.

Tuesday Breakfast

• Texas Melon Soup
  Yes, soup for breakfast! This cool and creamy soup is so easy to make and the perfect hot weather breakfast.
• Quick Coffeecake
  This easy coffeecake takes about 10 minutes to put together. Make it the night before and it will taste even better.
• grapefruit juice, coffee, milk

Tuesday Lunch

• Cobb Salad Wraps
  Use any cooked chopped meat in this delicious sandwich recipe. Let each person assemble their own for even less work for you!
• baby carrots
• sliced strawberries
• Salted Peanut Chews
  These easy bar cookies seem so festive and summery to me. Try them!

Fourth of July Dinner

• Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes
  These are the perfect appetizer; beautiful, delicious, and even fun to make!
• Patriotic Fruit Salad
  If you really want to get fancy, you could arrange these ingredients like a composed salad, making an American flag.
• My Mom's Potato Salad
  Still the winner after all these years. I adore this salad recipe.
• All American Burgers
  Of course you must serve burgers for the Fourth of July.
• Strawberry Shortcake
  The Fourth of July always means strawberry shortcake to me. This recipe uses only five ingredients!
• Root Beer Floats
  My family always had these delicious floats on the Fourth of July.