I love warm weather. I also love cooking. But those two don’t go hand in hand. Whether it’s been a long day at work, ballgames in the heat or you’re simply heading to an outdoor party, check out 3 of my favorite (and ridiculously easy!) recipes to whip up as the dog days of summer quickly sneak up here in Oklahoma!
Disclaimer: the nutrition facts on following recipe cards may or may not be accurate, and were not hand calculated by a dietary professional. They were computer generated with entered ingredients.
1. Fruit Skewers — Who doesn’t love some of the season’s freshest produce?? I generally snag mine at Crest, but have heard great things about Aldi’s deals and delectable finds. For the warmer months, 10 points to Gryffendor if you can find ALL of your faves at your local Farmer’s Market! Whatever your family loves to eat, this might be the easiest snack or side dish you’ve ever “made”:) Get the kiddos involved after the cutting is done–fair warning, some fruit might not make it to the skewer!
- You can be the master of your own skewers, but for this particular day I chose--
- Pineapple
- Cantaloupe
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Watermelon
- Grapes
- Marshmallows
- Wooden or Metal kabob skewers
- Cut fruit to your preferred size
- Load on to skewer in any order that pleases you
- Refrigerate until ready to serve
- Enjoy!
- Add a little more "dessert" quality to this dish by drizzling with chocolate...everything is fancy with a bit of Hershey's, right??
- 2.5 lbs frozen, boneless/skinless chicken breast
- 2 8oz packages of cream cheese
- 2 Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packets
- (Substitute fun: use 1 pkg ranch seasoning and 1 pkg of your favorite taco seasoning to make this a great dish for enchiladas or quesadillas!)
- Place chicken at bottom of crock pot; Throw cream cheese and seasoning packets on top; cover and cook on low for 6 hours
- Shred chicken, stir well, re-cover, continue cooking for 1 additional hour
- Serve on buns, tortillas, chips, crackers or straight from the bowl
- This dish is so easy, and fun to dress up any way you like! Add taco seasoning for enchilada stuffing or crumbled bacon for a delicious, filling dip with Pretzel Thins or Bagel Chips. I personally love topping a baked potato from the grill with it!
- Make clean up a breeze: don't forget your Reynolds plastic crock pot liner--after you've scraped the pot clean of chicken, just toss the liner and move on with your life:)
- 2 cups diced dill pickles (I use 5 of the Best Maid pickles--perfect size!)
- 1 8oz package softened cream cheese (I use the Greek substitute)
- 1/3 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup pickle juice
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning (plus an extra sprinkle for the top garnishment if you feel so inclined)
- 1 2oz pkg Buddig Ham
- 1 tsp coarse ground pepper (garnishment on top)
- 2 tsp finely chopped garlic (optional)
- Chop ham and onion; dice pickles and place in their own bowl
- Combine all ingredients (except diced pickles) in large bowl; smooth with mixer.
- Add pickles and stir in with spatula or large spoon; refrigerate for 3 hours before serving
- STUFF YOUR FACE
- We convinced my mom to make this at Christmas, and even the most resistant guests loved it! Best with Pretzel Thins, Wheat Thins or whole wheat crackers!