7 Tips That Make Summer Cooking a Breeze
Move over meat-based casseroles. So long lengthy recipes with 15 ingredients. Sayonara simmering sauces. This time of year, we’re not just looking for, but insisting on, easy-to-prepare, light dishes for quick dinners or entertaining. To simplify the process, I’ve compiled a list of the food items and cooking accessories to make Summer ’17 a breeze.
1. I usually save the best for last, but in this case, I couldn’t wait to share the news. If you haven’t tasted Blue Bell Ice Cream’s Bride’s Cake and Groom’s Cake flavors, run, don’t walk, to the nearest supermarket and grab one of each. Sometimes, the product description says it best. Bride’s Cake is “a luscious almond ice cream with white cake pieces surrounded by a rich amaretto cream cheese icing swirl.” Delectable Groom’s Cake is “luscious chocolate ice cream with chocolate cake pieces and chocolate coated strawberry hearts, surrounded by swirls of strawberry sauce and chocolate icing.” Need I say more?
2. Everyone loves grilling and barbecuing, but cleaning a charred grill with burnt particles of meat? Not so much. I’m so terrified of food-borne illness from leftover pieces of meat that I disinfect my grill grate in the dishwasher. I found an easier way to alleviate my fears and speed up clean-up time. A non-stick grilling tray is the way to go if, like me, you hate cleaning the grill. Simply pile your meat or vegetables on top, place directly on the grill and fire away. The tray can be popped into the dishwasher, leaving minimal mess on the grill itself. Check kitchen stores and grilling sections of supermarkets for one.
Charcoal Companion Porcelain-Coated Grilling Grid
3. Summer is filled with burgers, ribs, potato salad, and ice cream (see #1), but we have to eat healthy sometimes. Bird’s Eye new SuperFoods, Organic, and Protein blends of vegetables in convenient, steam-and-open bags make getting our veggies easier than ever. Some of my favorites are Southwest and Italian blends in the Protein category and Superfoods’ Chick Pea and Spinach. Recipes to transform the blends into pasta salads and other summer dishes can be found on Bird’s Eye’s website.