By Janet Peterson

It’s summertime! Ah--–sweet summer when the world is brighter and our lives less scheduled. Vacations excite and recreation invites. Families may be no less busy, but days are not centered around school hours and late afternoon lessons and sport practices. Long summer evenings extend time outdoors for everyone from toddlers to teens to those working full-time. Life takes on a more relaxed pace. The long summer day activities are focused on fun: hot days spent cooling off in the water—at the pool, beach, or lake; outings to parks and picnics in the mountains; visits to museums, zoos, and resorts; playing in the backyard; polishing golf and tennis games; reading books and seeing new movies; watching parades and rodeos; hanging out with friends and planning family get-togethers.

Summer eating is more relaxed and more fun as well. Lighter foods appeal, and easy recipes fit the bill. No one wants to heat up the kitchen on a warm summer night, but with nearly universal air conditioning and quick recipes, great food can be prepared without searing the cook. Outdoor grilling is synonymous with summer.

Stopping by fast-food places and dining out is pleasant every now and then but shouldn’t take the place of regular home cooking. Cooking dinner is a wonderful opportunity to bring your family together, create happy food memories, and enjoy more relaxed meals whether it’s in your own backyard, kitchen, or a more exotic setting.     One family so enjoys family-prepared dinners that cooking is even part of their travels. The father writes: “This evening meal is a ritual so firmly established that it alters our way of vacationing. When we travel, we rent an apartment rather than stay in a hotel so that I can cook the evening meal. We have discovered that trips to local markets for food are a great part of our fun and these have come to be rituals within rituals. On our annual trip to Mexico, for example, one day is set aside for a trip to the sea to catch a fresh tuna for dinner. The rituals surrounding food are an essential part of our family's life." (Mary Pipher, The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Famlies,  New York: Ballantine Books, 1996, 246.)

Summer provides a festive array of fresh fruits and vegetables. The taste of local raspberries, tree-ripened peaches, just-picked corn on the cob, and garden tomatoes simply cannot be matched. Summer presents an open invitation to experiment on the grill. Whether it’s traditional hamburgers or barbecue chicken or more adventurous sea bass or buffalo steaks, somehow food cooked outdoors tastes even better. You don’t have to go camping to enjoy a Dutch oven dinner; you can bring those camp flavors right to your own backyard.  Summer also offers salads as satisfying dinners. All kinds of flavor combinations with various cooked meats or fish, fruits, veggies, and greens make salads lighter and cooler summer fare.

Summer dining is casual whether it’s served on the deck, patio, or kitchen. Picnics, prepared ahead and eaten at a park table, on a blanket spread on a lawn or sandy beach, or by a cool mountain stream are delightful dinner experiences. Many families have developed food traditions that belong only to summer outings, such as Grandma’s Potato Salad or Aunt Pat’s homemade ice cream.

More significant than what food is served and where it’s eaten is who is around the table—your family. Families need to be well fed in all seasons, including summer. Meal planning can be simplified but not set aside.  Because the dinner hour rolls around every 24 hours, it offers quality family time every single day. Mary Pipher, author of The Shelter of Each Other: Rebuilding Our Families, suggests that "As adults, people remember three kinds of family events with great pleasure‑--meals, vacations and time outdoors" (59). Summer dining often combines all three!

Make summer dinners memorable for your family with scrumptious food that is quickly and simply prepared. Yes, it’s summertime and the cookin’ is easy.

Sample these made-for-summer recipes from Remedies for the “I Don’t Cook” Syndrome. For more recipes, dinner ideas, and ways to strengthen your family, visit idontcook.net.

CILANTRO, CHICKEN, AND BLACK BEAN SALAD
Janet Peterson

click to enlarge

Very popular with our family the first time I prepared this salad.

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (11-ounce) Mexican-style corn, drained
1 medium red pepper, cut in thin strips
1/2 cup chopped green onions
¼ cup sliced black olives (jalapeno flavored, optional)
4 cups lettuce, torn (romaine, red leaf, green leaf, or iceberg)
1½ cups cooked or grilled chicken, cut into strips

Dressing

1 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1½ teaspoons sugar
1clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon salt, optional
¼ teaspoon pepper

In a large salad bowl, combine black beans, corn, red pepper, green onions, and chicken.

Combine oil, lime juice, cilantro, sugar, garlic, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk or mix to blend. Pour dressing over bean mixture. Place lettuce on individual plates or a large serving platter. Put bean and chicken mixture on top of lettuce.

Serves 6.

RED POTATO AND GREEN BEAN SALAD
Lisa Huntsman

This recipe is easy to make, look “gourmet-ish” and tastes great.

1½ pounds small red potatoes, quartered, cooked, and cooled
¾ pound fresh green beans, cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces
1 small red onion, diced
¼ cup minced fresh basil or equivalent dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Dressing

¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
dash of Worcestershire sauce
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Cook green beans in a pot of salted, boiling water until crisp-tender, aout 5 minutes. Drain and put into bowl of ice water to cool. Drain. Combine beans, potatoes, onions, and basil in a large bowl.

Blend vinegar, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and oil in a small bowl. Add dressing to salad; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8-10.

SKILLET TOMATOES AND ZUCCHINI
Demetria Davis

A new way to serve your garden vegetables. Be sure to use flavored croutons.

2 tablespoons butter
2 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon basil leaves
dash pepper
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1 cup seasoned croutons

Melt butter in a large skillet. Add zucchini and onion. Cook over medium heat until crisp-tender. Gently stir in tomatoes and salt, basil, and pepper. Cover; cook 3-5 minutes until tomatoes are tender. Removed from heat; sprinkle with cheese and croutons. Cover; let stand 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.

Microwave

Place butter in a 2½-quart casserole or 9-inch square dish. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Add zucchini and onion. Cook on high for 3 minutes. Stir. Gently stir in tomatoes and seasonings. Cover and cook on high for 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and croutons. Cover. Let stand 3 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Serves 4.

PARMESAN POTATO PACKETS
Janet Peterson

You don’t even have to peel these potatoes.

2 pounds new red or white potatoes, unpeeled and cubed
½ cup chopped green onions
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Put potatoes, onions, and oil in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Put mixture on a 20-inch square piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, combine cheese, oregano, garlic salt, and pepper. Sprinkle over potatoes.  Fold foil and seal tightly.

Grill, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Serves 8.

ORANGE SHERBET DESSERT
Sheri Caldwell

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
1 pint orange sherbet, softened
2 to 3 bananas, diced
2 cups cashews, salt rinsed off and chopped

Transfer sherbet and ice cream to a large bowl or large plastic container with lid.  Add bananas and cashews. Serve immediately or return to freezer. Allow to soften before serving.

Serves 8-10.