Easy Weeknight Summer Meals

It's hot,  the a/c is running and you don't want to stand in front of a hot stove or oven. You know the "What's for dinner?" chorus will be starting soon. Here are some ideas for easy summer dinners.

Plan Ahead
If you grill on the weekend, grill extra food. After my husband BBQs dinner on a Sunday evening we will  grill boneless skinless chicken breast to be made into week night meals.

Meal ideas: grilled chicken on a salad blend, chicken salad sandwiches, spring rolls, lettuce wraps

Pressure Cooking

We purchased an Instant Pot about 9 months ago and we use it every day. You get a nice hot meal in a reduced amount of time without heating up your kitchen. If you don't have a pressure cooker, use your crock pot instead. 

Meal ideas: one pot spaghetti and meal sauce, meatloaf w/ potatoes, tomato soup, beans (with rice made in a rice cooker), roast (veggies cook w/ roast), or lasagna 

Indoor Grill

We have a Foreman Grill which gets a lot of use during the summer and not so much the rest of the year.  This cooking method will not heat up the house and you can set a timer to not be cooped up in the kitchen.  If you have the Foreman Grill with the various types of plates you can make a breakfast dinner. 

Meal ideas: paninis/grilled sandwiches (grilled cheese, ham & swiss, etc), hamburgers, grilled chicken, grilled fish, or grilled veggies. 

Raid the fridge

We all have them - leftovers.  This is a good way to clean out our fridge and give everyone a choice of what they want for dinner or create sandwiches or roll ups.

Sides

For side dishes, stick to easy to prepare items: steamed veggies, salad, fruit, yogurt

What are your go to ideas during the hot dog days of summer? Leave me a comment below.