Summer Kitchen Tips

Here in the U.S. we are approaching our HOT days!!!  I know many of you are enjoying fall/winter, but hopefully these ideas will help you in some way too.
There are so many little tips and tricks we can use to make life a little easier.  We all like easier!!!
Hope you find one or two you can use.

• Hull fresh strawberries with a plastic straw.  Push the straw up through the bottom of strawberry to the upper stem area and the stem and hull pop right out.
• Add a pinch of sugar to  water when boiling corn on the cob.  It tends to enhance the sweetness of the corn
• Add crushed garlic, chopped fresh herbs, lemon juice, horseradish,  relish, ketchup, mustard, etc. to mayonnaise to jazz up the flavor,  NO need to go buy something else.
• Make a cool low fat smoothie - fruit juice, yogurt, and fruit - blend with 4 or 5 ice cubes.  YUM
• A quick appetizer - a block of cream cheese topped with hot pepper jelly OR any jelly and serve with crackers.  Yummy and refreshing and EASY.  Makes a super easy treat for unexpected guests
• Freeze grape juice, cranberry juice, or any flavor juice in ice cube trays to add to tea or lemonade.  Freeze tea or Kool-aid to in trays to use in drinks to keep them from getting watered down.  Add fruit, herbs or even fresh flowers to cubes for a festive addition to drinks.

• Fill peppers - large or small - with leftover spaghetti/sauce add cheese and grill until warmed through and melted
• Slice peaches, add some sugar and bit of 'fruit fresh' (or lemon juice) and place in individual size baggies and freeze.  To eat - remove from freezer and eat when partially  thawed.  Such a refreshing treat
• Make a fruit pizza - a large sugar cookie - topped with cream cheese/sugar and top with any fruit you have.  These are so good.  You can make INDIVIDUAL FRUIT PIZZAS - a sugar cookie - a dollop of yogurt and sliced fruit!   What a fun treat

• Make a root beer (or any flavor) float.  Super cool and yummy treat
• Pudding shake - 1 1/2 C milk and 1/2 C premade pudding blended together makes for a smooth and creamy drink/dessert
• Before cubing an angel food cake for layering or dipping - freeze it and partially thaw - then cut.  You get more cake and fewer crumbs
• Salads - chicken, tuna, ham, egg, veggie of all types, fruit, pasta......  There are so many wonderful salads and combinations to make that makes for a cool and filling meal
• Grill whatever you can!  Veggies, meat, Ka-bobs, fruit.  There is no limit to what you can grill.  Peach halves or fresh pineapple slices are incredible when grilled - top with ice cream!  I love veggies grilled and meat/fish just taste better.

Grilled stuffed peppers

Grilled zucchini steaks - Mmmmmmm

• Eat what is in season - saves money, eat healthy - you grow, farm markets, etc.
• Tortillas are your friend.  One of my summer favorites are roll-ups!!  Use meat, veggies, salad, fruit, etc. and roll it up in a tortilla.  Meat and veggies are a great replacement for a plain old sandwich and less calories.  These are easy to eat and refreshing.

• Make breakfast roll-ups with pancakes - spread with jelly or peanut butter or yogurt and add sliced fruit - roll and eat on the go.  

Cool meals and desserts are always a must in my house.  There are so many ideas to eat well and yummy and stay cool.  I love any trick that helps me in the kitchen and makes my world a bit easier.  Have fun with food and keep summer kitchen life simple.

Remember - a meal CAN be whatever fills you up!!!!  It doesn't have to be many courses.

Do you have any special tricks or ideas to share?

ENJOY