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It's too hot to cook, but this easy dinner will keep you cool in the kitchen

I used to have all the time in the world to make dinner. See, I was a freelance food writer, and it was my job to obsess about what to cook, how to cook it and how to frame it for an Instagram post. Then I did something crazy - took a full-time legit job as editorial director at cookbook publisher Clarkson Potter. And now ... those languid days of dinner dreaming are gone, baby, gone.

Even though I cook all the time, I am now one of those single moms who think - on my commute home - about the fastest way to get dinner on the table for my two hungry boys. Typically, I might turn to a baking sheet to roast, braise or bake my way to a one-pan dinner in one clean swoop, as it is efficient, easy and the subject of my next book.

Avocado-Crab Rolls. Avocado makes a creamy and pretty mayo alternative in this 10-minute recipe, letting the taste of the crabmeat shine through. Jennifer Chase for The Washington Post

But the weather is steamy, so no-cook dinner, here I come! No stove top, no grill - recipes that are the holy grail of sticky nights like these. Not only will you stay cool and composed, but you also can have the whole meal on the table in 40 minutes, including a no-bake dessert. (Spoiler alert: You do need to melt chocolate in the microwave.)

No-Bake Coconutter Fudge Bars. Chopped dried cherries enhance the chocolaty flavor and richness of this easy dessert or snack. Jennifer Chase for The Washington Post

Here's a menu's worth of dead-simple yet sophisticated recipes to see you through the hottest of days.

Raquel Pelzel's “Sheet Pan Suppers: Meatless” will be released in October.

A full menu of no-cook dishes

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