Dinner Ideas for Hot Summer Nights

Grilled Deliciousness Grilled Chicken Plater image by Igor from Fotolia.com

Standing over a hot oven or stove in the midst of the hot summer heat can be excruciating. Enjoy your summer and have your dinner, too, with a few simple summer dinner ideas. Get creative on the grill with various cuts of meat and a variety of seasonal veggies. Think cold as you prepare a refreshing summer feast for your family.

Grilled Salad

Grilled salad may seem a bit strange, but its the perfect way to throw together a delicious summer meal. Marinate chicken in your favorite salad dressing. Italian, raspberry vinaigrette or honey mustard are all delicious options. Throw the chicken on the grill and cook thoroughly and evenly. Add to a bed of romaine lettuce or spinach with your favorite cut veggies.

Vegetarians and veggie friendly eaters can get that delicious smokey taste into their salad by throwing some seasonal produce on the grill. Cut eggplant, zucchini, summer squash or other comparable vegetables into medium sized slices (not too small that they will fall apart on the grill and not so big that they don't cook evenly). Grill until vegetables are tender and juicy; then add to a bed of your chosen lettuce with other cold veggies.

For an extra grilled treat, soak un-shucked ears of corn in water for about an hour. Then place directly on the grill, turning until cooked evenly. Enjoy the fresh, crisp taste of grilled corn straight from the cob or cut up into your salad.

Summer Pasta

Making pasta is a fast and simple way to create a delicious meal. Boil the pasta of your choice. Add grilled chicken and vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, spinach, artichoke hearts, peppers or squash, to drained pasta. Choose tomato sauce or whip up a lemon butter sauce to coat your summery creation. The most important part of summer pasta is to combine flavors that you love. For better results use seasonal produce. Tip: vegetables like peppers and squash will taste better when sauteed first.

Chilled Soup

Keeping a container of chilled soup in your freezer can be a quick and cooling fix for a summer dinner. Make the soup ahead of time in large portions, then freeze. On sizzling summer nights, when the heat makes us joyfully lazy, simply take soup out of your freezer to thaw, and eat cold. With recipes on CooksRecipes.com (see the Resources section) for avocado, cold cucumber, chunky gazpacho and cold tomato soups, there are plenty of options to find the chilled soup that soothes you. With a little foresight, you can have a simple and refreshing summer dinner.

Kabobs

Kabobs are a fun and delicious summer treat. Marinate the meat of your choice: chicken, beef, lamb or raw shrimp. Soak wood skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent from scorching, advises Gourmet.com. Cut various veggies and fruits like onion, peppers, pineapple, cherry tomatoes or squash. Grill until meat is cooked thoroughly and produce is tender.

References

• Gourmet: Chicken, Mushroom, and Bok Choy Kebabs

Resources

• Cooks Recipes: Chilled Soup Recipes
• AZ Central: 25 Easy Summer Dinner Ideas
• Kaboose: Summer Recipes