Home > Table Talk > Archives > 2007 > August > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USStaying cool in the kitchen
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Last night I turned the oven up to 450 degrees to preheat to make cornbread, a process that involved placing a cast-iron skillet in the oven to get hot, taking it out (and letting the heat out into the kitchen), adding butter, putting it back in the oven (letting out more heat), pulling it out once the butter melted (more heat), adding the cornbread batter and then opening the oven door again to return it for baking. Then, of course, pulling it out after 20 minutes and letting that hot skillet warm up another corner of the kitchen.
Somewhere in the middle of this, as I cranked up the air conditioner, it occurred to me that this wasn’t an ideal way to beat the heat — although crumbling some of the cornbread into buttermilk for dessert was a nice, cool treat.
What do you cook when it gets this hot? With another 100+ day predicted, I’m planning on salad and microwaved leftovers tonight.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Food
Comments
By One
August 23, 2007 10:19 AM | Link to this
Definitely something cool and light! Salads are great (add a little meat, though!). Anything that is a quick fix……..fajitas, burgers and a side (fresh veggie like broccoli, or fries), spaghetti or lasagna (need the oven for lasagna), chicken tenders and a side……..I could do this for a while there are so many choices. Eat light!
By One
August 23, 2007 10:30 AM | Link to this
Oh, and I forgot to mention that we don’t eat beef. So all of my ground meat dishes (burgers, spaghetti, lasagna, chili, etc.) are made with ground chicken…..much less fat, and much, much leaner!! Happy eating!
By Amy
August 23, 2007 1:25 PM | Link to this
We have had air conditioning issues so we have NOT wanted to cook, but have chosen to grill outside A LOT, cooking on the side burner when I needed to saute or boil. When we have to cook inside I have avoided turning on the oven at all. Anything like pastas (Spaghetti, stroganoff, sauted chicken & pasta) or nacho meat with all the cool fixings. That only heats up a little bit. IDEAS ARE WELCOME!
By Drew
August 23, 2007 1:33 PM | Link to this
Grilling, huh Amy?! Grilling season ended for me at the end of July (and at the beginning of the August heat). I’m sure it will pick up again come September, but for now it’s lots of quick cooking meals like tacos, and one pot dishes. Try what I’ll call a summer style braise: Instead of adding lots of root veggies, red wine and stocks, use white beans, white wine (or water), and tomatoes. Spoon over a base of polenta or grits and you have a nice summer one pot dish.
By JJ
August 23, 2007 2:48 PM | Link to this
Just recently I discovered that if I turn the fan on in the vent hood while cooking, it reduces the heat in my kitchen. I cooked a pork roast Sunday afternoon for 2 hours, ran the fan, and you couldn’t even tell I had the oven on.
Other than that, I do alot of grilling outdoors. My deck is shaded by about 1:00 in the afternoon, so it’s pleasant out there. We often dine on the deck too.
By Becky
August 23, 2007 3:07 PM | Link to this
I don’t cook at all when it starts to get hot..We eat out every meal usually from the beginnging od May until the end of Sept. I offer to grill, but my husband says that it’s to hot. The heat from cooking bothers him a lot more than it does me..
By Cooky Cooker
August 23, 2007 3:11 PM | Link to this
Okay all you kitchen wizards, don’t choke, it’s only a little heat. First things first. Use a table-top oscillating fan and place it on a surface across the kitchen from your stove. Blow towards the stove. It pushes the hot air to the back of the stove and keeps you cool too.
I grill outside whenever possible. My deck is shaded too and it’s so easy to throw a few chicken breasts, steaks or chops on the grill and let them do their thing. Throw your sides on their too. I have lots of different shapes and sizes of grill baskets for veggies. Also, half a peach, plum or nectarine, pit them and place the cut sides down on the grill for a few minutes. Serve with a bit of ice cream or cool whip for dessert. Done. You’ve just made your entire meal on the grill.
Another helper on hot days is the toaster oven. They heat up much quicker and cook just as fast as the stove. Lizzy-Lee, throw that batter in a 6 part muffin tin and the cornbread will be ready before you can say “more please!” I too love it dipped in buttermilk! You’d be amazed at what all you can cook in a toaster oven.
The only way to beat the heat in the kitchen, and the rest of the house, is to keep the cooled A/C air moving. Fans, fans, fans!
By JJ
August 23, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this
Becky Doesn’t that get old after a while? So for 5 months out of the year, you go out to dinner every single night? That’s got to be very expensive, not to mention very bad for your health. What you spend on dinner every night could go towards your a/c bill.
I would get very sick of dining out every single night. But then again, I absolutely love to cook…..
Just wondering……
By tc
August 23, 2007 3:18 PM | Link to this
A lot of crock pot dishes & eating out has been a pretty normal routine around our house. Throw a some chicken tenders with chicken broth, rice & veggies in it and it makes a great meal for two nights.
By Becky
August 23, 2007 3:30 PM | Link to this
JJ, it does..I don’t really like it..It’s not every year that we go out that much, just this one..Actually my husband goes out of town a lot & when he’s not home, I usually cook something in the microwave, eat a sandwhich or ahve a bowl of cereal..When we do eat out, we both eat a lot of salads & grilled chicken..
By Jan
August 23, 2007 3:34 PM | Link to this
I bought two Nesco roasters last year. We use one or both of them nearly every day. Plug it up on the back porch and cook whatever you want. No heat in the kitchen at all. Yesterday we had pork chops and roast vegetables.
By Penguinmom
August 23, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this
We use the microwave as much as possible. We cook our ground beef in the microwave in a steamer. It drains the fat away and cooks it quickly with all the mess contained in the dish. Last night I simmered the taco meat in the microwave. Too many people don’t realize that if you reduce the power level on the microwave, you can cook a lot more dishes in the microwave. It doesn’t have to be on High all the time. Cooking on medium or low may take just a little bit longer but it keeps the food from getting overdone on the edges and makes it much moister as well.
We try to not use the oven unless it’s absolutely necessary. It limits some of the meals we have but right now, the heat isn’t worth it.
We grill out some but not when it’s super hot and buggy like it has been recently.
By Fulton County Mom
August 27, 2007 9:24 AM | Link to this
If it can be cooked in a saute pan, microwave,crock pot or toaster oven I cook it in summer. Before you bash what I say figure this: I can cook rice or vegtables in nuke-steamed and healthy. I can cook meat in a toaster oven or crock pot. Some things like Chicken, shrimp, or sauces in a saute pan. Occasionally I fry sausage for weekend brunch.
Beats the daylights out of heating up the house. Plus since I cannot bake more than a tiny cupcake in the toaster oven I have no desire to eat sweets!