Some cool meals to enjoy making and eating on hot days

As the mercury climbs and pushes the A/C to the limit, the last thing we want to do is turn on the oven and heat up the kitchen. We're still sticky from a hot car ride home from work or the pool and now we have to get dinner on the table.

Before you pick up the phone to order takeout or put cold cereal out for supper, let me point out that you probably have the tools and ingredients on hand to pull together a delicious meal without breaking a sweat.

Look on your counter. That microwave that you use to reheat your coffee or steam vegetables can be your best friend in the summer, according to the folks from Addison-based Pampered Chef. You can get oven-baked results using a covered stoneware baker that retains heat and moisture and can even cook a whole chicken in 30 minutes.

If that wasn't enough of a reason to push the buttons on your microwave, the appliance uses less energy. According to Energy Star, you can reduce your energy usage by up to 80 percent by cooking with a microwave rather than a conventional stove.

Your blender, too, can be used to whip up cool soups like gazpacho or avocado bisque that don't need to simmer on the stove.

For the bisque, simply whirl a peeled and pitted avocado, 2 cups of buttermilk, the whites of four scallions and the zest and a bit of juice from a fresh lime or lemon in a blender. Blend in 16 ice cubes. Chop a second avocado, toss it in a bowl with a bit of the citrus juice along with some chopped tomato and feta cheese and use that as a garnish. The complete recipe is at rachaelraymag.com.

Look in your pantry. Canned beans add protein to salads or tacos, or even a taco-style salad. Canned corned and artichoke hearts and jarred red peppers add flavor and color to a variety of dishes.

Fresh vegetables, as well, don't need to be cooked before they hit the table. I often saute zucchini slices in butter, but recently started making a side dish with the raw, fresh-from-the-garden squash.

With a vegetable peeler or mandoline, slice long planks, or ribbons. Toss with bottled dressing or mix up a quick basil vinaigrette to drizzle over the squash. Add yellow summer squash and carrot curls for an even more vibrant side dish.

Think twice before you boil corn or steam broccoli or green beans. One of my sons likes to gnaw raw corn right off the cobs. You can scrape raw kernels or chop green beans into big salads. With raw vegetables, I find smaller, thinner pieces are easier to chew and digest.

Look in the fridge. Don't forget about those leftovers. Cooked chicken, beef, pork and fish (chilled lobster, yum!) can all be added to pasta dishes, salads and wraps. Don't reheat last night's tortellini Alfredo; toss it with diced ham and some chopped veggies for a refreshed and refreshing dish. Pad thai from the local Thai restaurant, too, can be mixed with broccoli slaw and soy-ginger dressing to create a cool new dish.

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>Recipes</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> </div> <div class="recipeLink"> <ul class="moreLinks"> <li><a href="/story/?id=308340" class="mediaItem">Grilled Chicken Penne Alfresco</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=308339" class="mediaItem">Mini Glazed Lemon Cakes</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=308338" class="mediaItem">Sun-Dried Tomato and Parmesan Couscous</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=308337" class="mediaItem">Zucchini Ribbons</a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=308336" class="mediaItem">Cool Beans Taco Salad</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>