Summer Food Ideas

Whenever boneless chicken breasts go on sale at my grocery store I buy 4 packages. I cut them thin, then spray them with Pam, sprinkle Montreal chicken spices on both sides and grill lightly. Then once cooled off they all go in freezer ziploc bags and in the freezer. That way they're available for meals - on a buger roll with catsup or BBQ sauce, sliced over a green salad, chopped in a pasta salad or cold rice salad (vinagrette dressing, chopped onions, peppers, cilantro or basil), mixed with mayo, almonds & apples, made in a quesadilla in the microwave (cheese, salsa) and the list goes on.

I love gazpacho - you can throw cocktail shrimp in it to change it up;
ceviche - basically pickled fish - tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, celery, peppers and vinagrette with chopped whitefish or scallops or shrimp (or all)
italian hero sandwiches (ham, salami, pepperoni, proscuitto, mozzarella, provolone, roasted red peppers, sliced onion, tomoto and vinagrette sprinkled instead of mayo/mustard
veggie&cheese salad - carrots, peppers, onions, tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, cheeses (pepper jack, cheddar, smoked mozzarella) cut in cubes and marnated in vinagrette - served with crackers or foccacia bread (sliced italian bread spread with olive oil & herbs - then toasted)

poached or grilled fish is also a great option - make a fruit salsa - use peaches or mango, even pinapple or strawberries - cut up tomatoes, onions, yellow/orange or red peppers, fruit - add salt, pepper cilantro and chile. Mix altogether and allow to marinate. You can serve this on top of or on the side of chicken or fish.

My basic recipe for really yummy vinagrette is use the 4 season decanter for oil & vinagat porportions - but use balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil (trader joes or costco has them both well-priced) add salt and pepper (be generous with the salt since it will be distributed over a lot of salad) and add a small amount of sugar to cut the acidity of the vinegar. Makes wonderful dressing - learned it from a little old Italian lady from Brooklyn.

Good luck!

I think you arent getting much response because this question gets asked alot. people probably dont want to repeat them selves. But you can search in the blue search bar and find all the previous answers.

We do a lot of tacos, taco salad, rotisserie chicken, make your own pizzas, and pasta. Since you're in Grand Prairie, I'll tell you all the local places.
I pick up fried chicken at Popeyes on Tuesday nights. it's 2 piece for 99c on Tuesday, so, I buy $10 worth of chicken and have cold fried chicken in the fridge all week. I sometimes pick up $5 Hot N Ready Pizzas from Little Caesars when I dont feel like heating the house up. Also, Chick Fil A has Family night on Tuesdays. For every meal, you can get a free kids meal. They usually have a craft or activity going and the kids get to play on the air conditioned indoor equipment. The best value in town is Rio Bravo on 303 in between Belt Line and Carrier. They have chicken fajitas for $3.99, steak for $4.99. All day and night. The whole meal for $3.99. I can call in 2 orders of fajitas with extra rice and for $8 I have enough food for all 4 of us. You can't make fajitas at home for $8! We like to eat there in the restaraunt too. They have Karaoke. I dont speak spanish, so, I have no idea what they're saying, but it's really fun.

This 24 hour picnic salad is amazing!!!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1285...

I love gazpacho too but your kids may not like it.

Have you ever made tuna salad with minced apples? It is SO good that way--no celery or onions....just tuna, mayo & diced apple.