Repeat after me, it's not hot, it's not hot, it's...

I bring you flowers from my garden today instead of food as the very thought of cooking anything right now makes me break out into a sweat.  Okay, maybe that's the 90 degree heat and 85% humidity in my non-air-conditioned kitchen that's making me sweat.

Like my old Italian grandmother I do any cooking required in the relative cool of the early morning, my Mom's macaroni salad, sautéed zucchini in vinaigrette, husband's favourite trifle, watermelon and feta salad, and for the rest of the day I sit with shades drawn and work on my summer recipes for create a cook and dusting off my keyboard every 30 minutes from the pollen that is sifting its way in through the skylights and the screens.

Summer means 5 days a week with the 11-13 year olds, cooking from 9:30 PM to 3:30 PM with a 1 hour break for lunch and a stroll outside.  Right now I'm working on week 2: Weeknight Meals and on Thursday they will take a field trip to Test Kitchen to look around and then likely test a recipe in the kitchens.

So far we will be making:

·    Chili Con Carne w/ Chili Cheddar Shortbreads
·    Watermelon Salsa
·    Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
·    Texas Quesadilla
·    Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Tarragon-Mustard Pan Sauce
·    Individual Cheesecakes with Strawberry Glaze
·    Yeasted Dinner Rolls
·    Green Beans and Fennel with Tarragon Mustard Cream Dressing
·    Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Palmiers
·    Chicken wrapped in Phylo with Southwestern Pesto and a Garlic Cream Sauce
·    Roasted Corn, Jicama and Mango salad with Citrus Dressing
·    Spanish Style Rice
·    Tres Leches Cake
·    Pan Seared Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
·    Oven Roasted Chips
·    Farfalle with Chicken, Tomatoes, Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

But Friday is still up in the air, I need some other recipes to go with the farfalle and I need a green vegetable dish to round out the steak and chips on Thursday afternoon.

It is rather hard to look at recipes and think, "ooooo, I'd love that!", when all you want to do is sit in a large cool puddle of water with a frosty beverage.

Right I'm off to make a nice iced coffee.....

Comments

[kitchen hand]

I had a clematis in my last house and have been meaning to put one in here. They are just magnificent.