We’re in the dog days of summer, and many of us are dealing with some pretty uncomfortable heat. The last thing you want right now is to be sweating bullets in a hot kitchen. I mean, what if it trickles down your nose and lands in that pot of chili. That’s upsetting, and no one will want to come over for dinner ever again. So what do you do when it’s too hot to cook? Any time you have to turn on the oven or the burners, you’re just bumping up the temperature in your home. One option is to do some grilling outside. Another is to check out some “no-cook” recipes to spice up the menu while you cool down in the kitchen. If you shop accordingly, any of these recipes can fit in your grocery budget. You can enjoy a nice meal while working on debt management.
ACCC hopes you enjoy these no-cook meals for summer!
No-Cook Recipes to Keep Cool this Summer
Try these recipes so you can leave the oven turned off, beat the heat, and still enjoy a delicious meal.
Crab Rolls
Ingredients
1/2 pound lump or “special” crab meat, or chopped cooked shrimp
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 radishes chopped
1 stalk celery chopped, plus 2 tablespoons celery leaves
1/2 Granny Smith apple cored and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice kosher salt and black pepper 4 hot dog buns, split pickles and sweet potato chips, for serving
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the crab, mayonnaise, radishes, celery, celery leaves, apple, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Dividing evenly, fill the buns with the crab mixture. Serve with the pickles and chips.
Zucchini and Bean Salad with Bulgur
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
kosher salt and black pepper
2 medium zucchini (about 1 pound), halved and thinly sliced
1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped salted roasted almonds
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup bulgur
1 cup goat cheese, crumbled (4 ounces)
Directions
Whisk together the oil, vinegar, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add the zucchini, beans, shallot, almonds, and dill and toss to combine. Let stand, tossing occasionally, until the zucchini softens slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place the bulgur in a separate large heatproof bowl. Add 2 cups boiling water, cover, and let stand until tender, 12 to 15 minutes; drain. Serve the bulgur topped with the zucchini salad and sprinkled with the goat cheese.
Charcuterie Board
Ingredients:
1 small head green leaf lettuce
1/3 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
1/3 pound thinly sliced soppressata (dried Italian salami)
1/3 pound thinly sliced turkey
6 ounces cheese (such as provolone, Asiago, or Parmesan)
1/4 cup jarred cocktail onions
1 cup gherkins or cornichons
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 12-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
1 large baguette, sliced into rounds
Directions
Arrange the lettuce, prosciutto, soppressata, turkey, cheese, onions, gherkins, and mustard on a platter. Serve with the artichoke hearts and baguette slices.
Roast Beef Roll-ups
Ingredients
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
4 large flour tortillas
1 head romaine lettuce, tough ribs removed
8 ounces thinly sliced deli roast beef
4 ounces cheddar, thinly sliced
Directions
In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and horseradish. Spread evenly over each tortilla. Layer the tortillas with the lettuce, roast beef, and Cheddar and roll up.
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