August 2018 - EASTERN OREGON PARENT - 7
Easy cooking ideas for those lazy days of summer
By SUZANNE KENNEDY
Summertime is my least favorite
time to cook. And that’s saying
something, because I am not a fan
of cooking during any season. I’m
constantly looking for shortcuts
and searching for ways to get out
of cooking make my job easier. I’ve
pulled together what I consider to
be a good variety of easy meals. By
easy, I mean short prep time and
quick cleanup.
Sausage and Peppers
Ingredients: You’ll need beef
sausage links (polska kielbasa if you
like), bell peppers (all colors), on-
ion, garlic, orzo pasta, grape toma-
toes if you have them, and an apple
(any variety) for some sweetness,
if you want. For my family of six, I
use two packages of sausage, three
whole peppers, one apple, half an
onion, a scoop of minced garlic,
about ten grape tomatoes, and half
a box of orzo.
Directions: Chop everything into
bite-size pieces. In a large skillet,
cook sausage until almost done
(we like ours slightly crispy), add-
ing onion and garlic about halfway
through. While the sausage is cook-
ing, start the orzo. When the meat
is done, add the peppers, apples,
and grape tomatoes. Add the pasta
and serve it in a bowl.
Cleanup: The only things you
have to wash are the cutting boards
and one skillet.
Sloppy Joes
Directions: Use one pound of
ground beef and one can of tomato
paste per package of sloppy joe mix
(follow directions on the packet),
with hamburger buns, of course.
Serve with raw baby carrots and
ranch dip, and maybe some chips.
If you are a better parent than I am,
Nutrition
water, and oil together. Then add
everything else and throw it in the
fridge to chill.
Cleanup: Just the cutting board
and the blender for this one.
make your own sloppy joe mix. One
pot cleanup!
BLTs/BLT Pasta Salad
Directions: BLTs are a no-brainer.
Bacon (cooked in the oven for less
mess and better taste), lettuce, and
tomatoes. We like to add avocado
and cheese to give it a little more
nutritional value. Light mayo or
Miracle Whip, depending on which
team you root for, and toast up
some of your favorite bread. Clean
up the bacon grease. Done and
done.
We had these the other night
and I ran out of bread when I got to
my sandwich. I’m just lazy enough
not to want to go to the outside
fridge, so I made mine into a salad.
Had I really wanted to do it up, I
would have used cherry or grape
tomatoes instead of chopped, shred-
ded cheese, and added some red
onion. Ranch dressing does just fine.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Directions: Another amazingly
easy dinner. I use about 1.5 pounds
of unseasoned pork tenderloin, and
throw it in the slow cooker for the
day. At the end of the timed cycle,
add whatever barbecue sauce
you like and let that heat through.
Scoop onto buns and serve with a
side green salad. One pot cleanup!
Gazpacho
This is a summertime favorite of
mine. Imagine salsa as a soup.
Ingredients: 2 cans of petite
diced tomatoes, ½ cup water, 2
Tbs extra-virgin olive oil, 1 seedless
cucumber (or with seeds – who
cares?), 1 yellow bell pepper, 1
small onion, all diced. 2 cloves
minced garlic, 2 Tbs red or white
wine vinegar, 2 Tbs parsley, basil, or
cilantro, and salt and pepper.
Directions: Puree the tomatoes,
Simple Spaghetti Carbonara
I must confess, I haven’t tried
this one yet, but my friend’s daugh-
ter loves it.
Ingredients: 1 lb. spaghetti, 6 oz.
bacon, 4 eggs, 1 cup heavy cream, 1
cup Parmesan cheese, pepper.
Directions: Mix eggs, cream,
cheese, and pepper. Cook bacon
separately, chop into bits, and add
to mixture. Cook spaghetti, then
drain and add to mixture.
Cleanup: Bacon stuff and pasta
pot.
Enjoy, but most importantly, take
it easy!
________
Suzanne Kennedy is a former middle
school teacher who lives in Pend-
leton with her husband and four
children.