When It's Too Hot to Cook

With the weather warming up {yay!} I start to look for meals/recipes that don't require me to turn on the oven/stove and be counterproductive to our air conditioning running.  I've made a go-to list of meals and thought I would share it.

And I use the term "meals" loosely. A big chunk are "appetizer" like recipes, but if you eat a dinner size portion of it, it qualifies as dinner . . . at least that is what I tell myself.  {Plus you can add a garden salad or cut up fruit to round it out!} For example, Seven Layer Dip.  It's technically an appetizer, but it's filling, has protein, carbs and vegetables, so I classify it as dinner!  Here's what I make when the temp gets above 90.

~Appetizers for Dinner~

White Bean Dip & Pita Chips

Chile Cheese Spirals

Trader Joe's Lentil Bruschetta Dip

Cucumber Feta Salsa

Seven Layer Dip

Spinach Dip

~Sandwiches~

Pressed Mediterranean Sandwiches

Chicken Salad Sandwiches {Classic, Fancy, Pecan, Fruity Curry, Duke's}

Turkey Cranberry Croissant

Submarine Sandwiches

~Salads~

Asian Chicken Salad

Veggie Bean Salad

Southwestern Chopped Chicken Salad

Olive Garden Salad

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Mediterranean Chopped Salad

~Pasta Salads~

BLT Pasta Salad

Confetti Pasta Salad

Also I try to think about what you can prep the night before {when its cooler}, like cooking pasta or chicken breasts when you won't need them served warm.  Also, I utilize other appliances - the grill, slow cooker, and toaster oven {I have one baking dish that fits in perfectly if I really want to cook something}.

Do you have any no cook meals that I need to try? Please leave a comment below!

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Linking up at: Momfessionals

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The Antelope in the Living Room {book review + a reading tip!}

Yes, I DID just finish a book yesterday. And while I WISH I could say that I finished this book in one day . . . I didn't. 

{How can I learn to read faster? There are so many books on my to read list!} 

I had this book, The Antelope in the Living Room, on my phone {on my Kindle app} and I read it over the past 2 months while trying to fall asleep or when I was awake in the middle of the night, unable to sleep.

After I read Melanie Shankle's first book, Sparkly Green Earrings, I couldn't wait to start this one. It was exactly what I was hoping for, an easy, lighthearted book where you feel like your talking with Melanie on the phone. She shares her life in a funny but inspiring way, weaving God's grace and encouragement throughout. I give this book 4.5 stars!

Reading Tip: I've learned something HUGE about reading. Ready for it? If you don't like it, don't read it. Crazy, right? You will most likely never see me rating a book 1 or 2 stars, because I won't waste my time.

 I read a few blog posts that said how much they LOVED The Husband's Secret and so I got it at my library. I read a few chapters when I finally thought to myself, "WHY am I reading this?" Maybe it IS a good story, but the language and a few comments made me uncomfortable, so I closed the book and moved on. 

On the other end of the scale, a couple of months ago I got the book Gods & Kings I read a few chapters but could NOT get into it. I was bored so I closed that one and moved on as well. It very well may be a good book {it had great reviews on Amazon}, but it wasn't for me. I'm not in school anymore and don't have "required reading" so I am going to spend time reading what I enjoy! 

What books have YOU enjoyed reading lately?

~

I've read 11 books so far this year {ONE away from my goal}! Here are the others:

Beyond a Doubt - Colleen Coble

And the Shofar Blew - Francine Rivers

The Power of Blessing - David Timms

Emily Ever After - Anne Dayton & May Vanderbilt

Without A Trace - Colleen Coble

Sparkly Green Earrings - Melanie Shankle

Take Four - Karen Kingsbury

The Lipstick Gospel - Stephanie May Wilson

A Little Salty to Cut The Sweet - Sophie Hudson

She's Gonna Blow - Julie Ann Barnhill
~
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Beyond a Doubt {book review}

First of all - Isn't that little lady on the right just adorable? I love her so much.

Beyond a Doubt by Colleen Coble is the 2nd book in the Rock Harbor series, and I have to say that I liked this book even MORE than the first. The storyline is a murder mystery with twists. It expands on the original characters that I liked and leaves a good cliff hanger at the end. Plus I LOVE a good clean book. It's a Christian book so there are great biblical morals/ideas/thoughts weaved effortlessly throughout. 

On a scale of 1-5, I would rate this a 4. Can't wait to get book #3 to see what happens next!

Here are the 9 other books I've read so far this year!

And the Shofar Blew - Francine Rivers

The Power of Blessing - David Timms

Emily Ever After - Anne Dayton & May Vanderbilt

Without A Trace - Colleen Coble

Sparkly Green Earrings - Melanie Shankle

Take Four - Karen Kingsbury

The Lipstick Gospel - Stephanie May Wilson

A Little Salty to Cut The Sweet - Sophie Hudson

She's Gonna Blow - Julie Ann Barnhill

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