Thursday, July 19, 2018

Too Hot to Turn on the Stove

I love discovering new recipes and DH is a good guinea pig so that makes it fun to cook, but this summer has been a scorcher and that takes a lot of the fun out of cooking. We had a short reprieve from the 100+ temps last week, but they have returned with a vengeance. 116°  today


and that's not even a heat index although our humidity is low compared to a lot of ya'll. We're talking 20%, which makes a difference, but when you work outside, it's just brutal, no matter what the humidity is. DH comes in at noon and is literally drenched. He's very sweet and says he doesn't want to create extra laundry, but I fuss at him and convince him to just change.

Our air-conditioner isn't cooling as it ought to. It won't drop below 78° when it's over 100° outside. We just had the coils replaced so something isn't right and our heating cooling fella isn't picking up when we call. Maybe he didn't like what I fixed for dunner last time he was here. 

So, all of this rambling has to do with the heat. I don't want to turn on the dryer so everything gets hung out on the line:



I am sewing blocks together, but pressing will have to wait because I don't want to spend time with my iron


And turning on the oven and stove after 8 a.m. is something I am desperately trying to avoid. Hence, there has been a lot of grilling going on around here. I have grilled salmon, burgers, shish-kabobs, skirt steak for fajitas, chicken and today it was steak:

                       

And that basket of vegetables was SOO good, thus I'm sharing the recipe with ya'll today.

                                         

The mason jar has kosher salt in it. I had Baby Portobellos and Zucchini to use and when I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I thought it sounded promising:
I am linking to her recipe if you want details. I am more of a rustic cook and I just chopped and dumped - it's that kind of recipe. 

Grilled Zucchini and Mushrooms

Sliced Zucchini
Sliced Baby Portobello Mushrooms
Sliced onion
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Pepper
Kosher Salt

*Just add the zucchini, mushrooms, and onions to your grill basket. Add some Balsamic Vinegar, olive oil, pepper, and salt. No, I didn't measure. I just splashed some on. Toss. Grill for about 20 minutes - tossing occasionally. That's it! And of course, you can add whatever's on hand that you need to use. The original recipe also calls for yellow squash, but I didn't have any. DH suggested we try it with fresh green chile and we're both addicted to green chile so that WILL happen, but we both just LOVED this. It paired perfectly with steak. Add a sliced homegrown tomato and we had the perfect dinner:

                           

This would have been really good with a sip of wine had it not been noon, but we eat our big meal at noon and something really light for supper and had we had wine, we would have fallen asleep and missed our mineral delivery:

                         

On the menu for tomorrow: grilled pork chops and sweet potatoes. Heck. At this rate, I may not turn on my oven until October!

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love, love your blocks. So cheery. Here in the NE we had a reprieve from 96 degrees and 70% humidity. A blue sky gorgeous day. I would not do too well in your "dry" heat. You grilling looks yummy. Enjoy your summer.

Dotti in CT

Ranch Wife said...

Thank you, Dotti. You are showing up as a non-reply blogger and I don't have your email address. Thus, I am unable to reply to your comment. Hoping you see this here. I love the way these blocks are coming together too. I don't need another king sized quilt, but this one keeps growing. :)
And I would wilt in 70% humidity. :)

Sherrill said...

UGH!!! I thought our record-breaking 108 was hot! Not even touchin yours! That recipe really does sound good--I don't grill but passed along to my niece so she can make it for me one of these days. HA! Yes humidity would probably make it unbearable. I assume the minerals are for the cattle? Stay cool, girl!

Dorian said...

Oh boy, I wont complain about my 95 degrees. lol...anything over 85 is too hot for me anymore, I don't care what the thermometer says... hot is hot!! Thankfully our humidity is not bad either. Your blocks are looking good Karin, so bright and cheerful!

Donna said...

I love your quilt too! I think I have a lot of the same fabrics or very close to it! I will take your dry heat any day! We went to Arizona once to the Grand Canyon and it was really hot but there wasn't any humidity and my hubby and I loved it! We both grew up in the midwest and hate the humidity!

Shelly said...

Our temps haven't been as brutal as yours, but our AC isn't really keeping up, either. We, too, eat our big meal at noon, and something light for supper. It's too hot to eat heavy of an evening. We've been known to just have ice cream for supper! And like you, I refuse to turn the oven on, so all we've done is grill -- but I love it, and I think we're actually eating healthier. And no dryer here, either. My clothesline gets a workout during the times the goats can't reach it -- I have to use some planning strategy to time it right so that the clothes don't get eaten off the line! I'm glad we don't have to get our mineral in that large of a batch!

Alycia~Quiltygirl said...

We are so with you - we think ice cream for dinner would be best - its not supposed to get 100 in colorado...something broke! Love the zucchini recipe!! Stay cool!

Gwynette in NW Arkansas said...

Think about the -10 degrees this winter!! The humidity here is a strangler, but burns off by early afternoon some days. Getting to the point now, I try to stay in and quilt! Have to get out and water my flowers early morning. Love the recipe....it's just the type of food we love!!!

Unknown said...

In Kansas City, we have been hot as well as humid. I don't have to work outside, so I consider myself lucky. I will have to try your veggie dish out. We too eat heavy at noon, then light for supper.

I was born in Albuquerque, we visit relatives every two years. When I visit, I love the desert, but after about a week, I'm ready to go back to the green of New Mexico. I love ready your blog and seeing the pictures. Gives me a glimpse of the desert.

Ranch Mom said...

Air conditioning is of upmost importance this time of year. Maybe cookies are in order:) The bench on our porch is full of sweat soaked jeans, shirts and socks at noon everyday. I got tickled at the picture of your clothesline. Mine is also full of chambray and denim:)

Tired Teacher said...

Grilling is the only way to avoid heating up the house. I can see why older homes had summer kitchens. Thanks for the recipe!

Caitlin said...

Dear Mother dearest,

Your outdoor thermometer has seen better days. Perhaps a new one is in your future. :)

Love, Sprout.

Karen said...

I love your recipes! Is there a link where you list them? I looked for a search but can’t find that either.

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