Easy simple lunches for hot summers
6 years ago
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Comments (14)Jo, That looks wonderful. I wish I would have looked at this thread before now, because my grandson's 7th birthday was today and I would have certainly made it. Although, I had two of the grandkids last night and probably wouldn't have had time. LOL My daughter bought a cupcake football cake. Just cupcakes put together in the shape of a football and then frosted all over the time. Oh well, she works full time and has 5 children, convenience is the name of the game for her. Karen...See Morewarming up hot Jewish holiday lunch --
Comments (23)I use microwave ovens a lot but unless you have several large ones, they would take too long to heat food for a crowd. For regular ovens that can hold a low temperature, fully-cooked foods can be kept for hours at 170. Moist foods will hold even longer than dry ones -- just cover them to prevent drying out. But figure an hour or longer to warm it up from refrigerator temperature (depends on how big/solid the pieces -- surface-to-volume ratio and density to the scientifically trained). Remember, you are not trying to recook the food, but warm up the interior without hurting the exterior, so while higher temperatures will heat faster, they'll also recook the foods. If your oven can't hold a low temp, or if the food will be out for serving for a long time, consider a warming device like a Salton hot tray. Food safety is about keeping foods hot (or cold) -- what you don't want is perishable food sitting out at room temperature. Most home-cooked foods are not heated for the long time period or elevated temperatures required to sterilize them, so it's safest to keep them hot or cold. And don't knock cold foods -- I happen to love cold chicken and sliced brisket (but with ketchup or another cold sauce rather than gravy) on a hot day. (Okay, the potato kugel would probably be better hot.) If the chicken (or any other food) is in a flavorful sauce and isn't supposed to be crisp, make it at least a day ahead for best flavor. For stew-like dishes, no reason not to make them as much as two or three days ahead, but the longer they'll sit, the lighter the hand with seasoning. The way I handle after-services meals is to have appetizers ready-to-go in the fridge. That way guests can get comfortable while we serve drinks and wait for everyone to arrive. I serve mainly vegetable salads and pickled vegetables since they are on just about everyone's diet but don't spoil the dinner. If people are likely to be very hungry or dinner will be delayed, gefilte fish, herring salad, deviled eggs or some kind of egg spread are satisfying but light first courses for meat meals. Cold soups are nice, but I reserve any that can't be sipped from a cup without the help of a spoon for served seated dinners. As far as menu suggestions go, our guests really enjoy guacamole -- a family tradition since DH is from Texas, but "good eats" to almost everyone....See MoreLong, hot, summer car trip and cats
Comments (9)Can you travel at night? That's what I did when I moved 24 hours (drove 16 alone the first day with a cat). It is cool enough at night that if you have to leave them for 10 minutes to run into a truck stop to potty, you can crack the windows an inch or two and be quick about it. The key to traveling alone at night is to plan your stops in places that are active and safe at night and stop before your tank is empty, that way if you don't like the looks of the place, you can go to the next one. I like big truck stops, last time I stopped at one of those in the middle of the night, it may as well have been day- for the people who were there, it was their daytime. That old cat I use to put in a small dog harness and let her hang out wherever she saw fit. The cats I have now don't respect the driver's space, so they have to go in carriers. They don't much like their carriers, but do a little better if you drape a sheet over the sides of the carrier so they can only see out the front; it seems to give them an added sense of security. Take food and drinks with you. That way you can find a shady place to sit and eat while you run the AC. 8 hours is not that long of a drive (in the scope of your life), your biggest issue will likely be potty breaks. Take a cat friendly cleaner too (I use diluted vinegar), paper towels, some extra cloth towels (to use in the carriers), and a few plastic [garbage] bags. If you're prepared, then maybe no one will vomit or have some other kind of accident. If it's even a little warm outside and the sun is shining, then don't leave the cats alone at all, the heat will build so quickly- try sitting in your car in the sun for a while and you will see exactly how fast that is. Even in the winter, a car parked in the sun will build a bit of heat. A couple years ago for my birthday DH built me a solar cook box, which is a really cool sun powered oven, but it works exactly the same as a closed up car! Not good! Hope your trip is a good one....See MoreA Cool Lunch for A Hot Summer Day
Comments (2)That sounds amazing! I have never tried a cold soup, but I should, it sounds awesome. I wonder if it would be good heated for another, cooler day. Thank you fr the inspiration!...See More
6 years ago
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