Quick and Easy Recipes for a Summer Day

Now that summer is officially here, the weather is warmer, and kids will soon be home from school, who wants to spend a lot of time in the kitchen?  If you are like me, you don’t want that, nor do you want to heat up your kitchen with foods cooking a long time on the burners / elements or in the oven.

Here are a couple of recipes that are quick and easy to prepare.  The first one is from Stacey of SWDesigns .  It is for a yummy soup.

CHICKEN SALSA SOUP

Ingredients:

2 cups of diced cooked chicken

2 teaspoons of cooking oil

1/2 teaspoon of chopped garlic

1/4 cup of chopped onions

1 teaspoon of chili powder

2 cans of chicken broth  (15 ounces each)

1 cup of water

1 can of black beans - drained ( 15 ounces)

1 can of fiesta corn - this is a blend of corn and peppers ( 15 ounces)

1 cup of cooked macaroni noodles - drained

1 cup of diced tomatoes with green chilies  - your choice of mild or zesty (15 ounces)

Shredded cheese and green onions for garnish

Directions:

1.  In a large pan, add the oil, chicken, garlic, onions and chili powder.  Saute over medium heat  until the onions begin to brown.

2.  In a large soup pot, combine the chicken broth, water, macaroni noodles, black beans, corn and diced tomatoes.

3.  Add the chicken mixture to the soup, and cook over medium heat  4 or 5 minutes, or until soup is thoroughly heated, stirring frequently.

4.   Spoon into individual serving bowls and top with shredded cheese and sliced green onions.
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How about grilling?  I love grilled dishes because they are always tasty and are quick and easy to prepare, with the added advantage of not adding extra heat to the kitchen.  This next one I found on one of my favorite recipe sites:  Allrecipes

EASY GRILLED CHICKEN TERIYAKI

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions:

1.  Place chicken, teriyaki sauce, lemon juice, garlic, and sesame oil in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal bag, and shake to coat. Place in refrigerator for 24 hours, turning every so often.

2.  Preheat grill for high heat.

3.  Lightly oil the grill grate. Remove chicken from bag, discarding any remaining marinade. Grill for 6 to 8 minutes each side, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.

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Makes me want to go out and fire up the barbecue grill right now!  Enjoy these recipes and let us know how they tasted.

Arlene Holtz
http://www.SpiritEssenceArt.com

 

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