Gosh but it’s hot in here. Out here. Around here. Everyone’s persnickety and stuff. I don’t want to cook, boil water, fire up a grill or god forbid, BROIL anything at all.
I want cool soothing tasty foods. And, I want 'em now.
Ideas?
Cartooniverse
Sandwiches and coleslaw. That’s what we made one evening last week when it was really hot here. I’ve got a food processor, so shredding the carrots and cabbage was a breeze.
Stay cool.
frozen waffles, fresh from the freezer----- hhhmmm… waffles
Hmmmm…cold cut sandwiches, ice cream, jello, fruit tray, veggies and ranch dip, did I mention BEER? or a nice cold wine? BBQ foods are good, grilled veggies with a nice big old burger or bratwurst. Potato salad, 3 bean salad, the list is nearly endless…it just seems like the heat wave has lasted forever!
Cold fried chicken. Gazpacho. Cesar salad. Cold salmon. Guacamole. Tomato, basil and mozzarella salad. And gallons of iced tea with lemon, no sugar.
ICE CREAM!!!
Or, tossed salad, cold peeled shrimp, fresh 'maters from the garden, finished off with ICE CREAM!!!
Beef Jerky
Seriously, I vote for chicken salad on croissants with a garden ripe tomato and fresh crisp lettuce or BLT’s on homemade whole wheat with mayo. Fruit salad, pringles, and homemade lemonaid.
Just the other night, I had a ceviche tostada. I didn’t fix it; it was at a mexican restaurant. That is surely a good thing, since I don’t really trust myself with the handling of raw fish so far from the coast.
Ceviche is a mexican whitefish dish that is “cooked” with the chemical reaction of the acids in lime juice. Mine also had cucumber and cilantro in it this time, but I’ve had it in a kind of tomato-ey sauce too. Delicious, and it’s also good prepared with shrimp. My boyfriend was jealous, and was snitching shrimp when he thought I wasn’t looking.
Oh, and beer!
Fruit salad and corn bread.
Also good – yougurt, grapenuts, and some fresh fruit sliced in.
Personally, I lose my appetite completely when it’s hot.
However, if you MUST eat: a good spinach salad is the way to go.
Also, my mother used to make a nice, refreshing salad using cut up ring bologna from the German deli, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, bell peppers, and small cubes of swiss cheese. The dressing consisted of a vinegar and oil base. The vinegar, however, is not the vinegar you buy at here at your local grocer. It was a vinegar she bought at the german deli that had to be diluted. After she mixed the vinegar, oil, and water, she seasoned it with salt and pepper, and added sugar.
After all the other ingredients were added, she chilled the salad.
We had german rolls or bread pretzels on the side.
I know the above sounds very strange, but it was good, and very refreshing on a hot day.
When it’s really, intolerably hot and nobody feels like preparing anything, I like to stop by the Whole Foods deli counter. They always have a wide assortment of yummy cold foods there- and they’re healthy too!
Some of my faves: edamame salad, spinach cakes, eggless tofu salad (sounds weird but is actually quite good), wild wheatberry salad, quinoa cakes. No, I’m not vegetarian; I just like health food 
A cheaper, at-home option is the classic cold-cut sandwich with a big green salad. Root beer float for dessert!
How about some spicy gazpacho, with a dab of sour cream and a hunk of sour dough french bread? Will you have some ice tea with that? Lemonade, maybe?
On preview I see that JonScribe already has you fixed up with some gazpacho. I’ve got nothing to add then
…except mine’s better!
Favorite summer sandwiches, all served on focaccia bread:
Roasted red pepper and mozzarella, with pesto.
Cold, thinly sliced roast beef with provolone cheese and horseraddish mustard.
Tuna salad with thin slices of cucumber and swiss cheese.
I don’t cook in the summer – people dining at my house from June - August get served the above, along with salad with creamy raspberry vinaigrette dressing, and ice cream for dessert.
Salads. 
Slight hijack–not cold food, but I’m in Albuquerque and its finally cooled down (it’s 93).
I use the crock pot to cook in the heat. It doesn’t put out too much heat and if even that little bit of heat is too much, I put it outside (no animals in my neighborhood except two legged ones).
Nothing like a pulled pork sammich or BBQ beef sammich made in a crock.
This week, we’ve already gone through a big batch of homemade gazpacho, and I made an Asian noodle salad tonight. (I did have to boil the noodles, but the meal is served cold.) Hummus is easy to make, and requires no cooking. Green salads are always good, and when I’m by myself, I’ll often just eat fresh fruit for dinner.
I Can’t believe that no one mentioned watermelon, especially the kind with booze!
** Vegetarian Appetizer **
Pocket Bread with Vegetables
Guacamole
Mexican Avocado Dip
**Hearts of Palm with Creamy Vinaegrette **
Dinner Salad
**Ensalada de la Bandera **
*Mexican Flag Salad *
Tuna Salad
Seafood Spread
Mixed Seafood Cocktail
Shellfish Medley
Carrot and Raisin Salad
Refreshing Summer Salad
Coleslaw
From “The Pantry”
Greek Salad
Feta Cheese and Vegetables with Oil Dressing
Ambrosia Fruit Salad
Yoghurt and Fruit Dessert
Tahini Vegetable Relish
Falafel Topping
Rice, artichoke hearts and chicken salad—RiceAroni on the stovetop, add cooked chicken, marinated hearts and a little mayo…let chill in fridge and eat for days!
Cold fried chicken and coleslaw.
Salad nicoise.
Cobb salad.
Barley pop.