Guest guest Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 I live in the deep southern US where the summer lasts from late March often to mid October. Down here, folks have not always had air conditioning, and many still do not. Here are some suggestions for surviving the dog days of summer. Survival tip one: Cook when it is cool. Early mornings are generally the coolest times of the day. If your meal plans include things that will increase the thermal load in the house, cook them in the early morning and reheat in the microwave at meal time. My southern relatives always did this, and they were able to live without air conditioning. Survival tip two: Your crockpot is your friend. If your crockpot is languishing on the shelf, dust it off and use it. If you don't have one, it truly is worth it. No Excuses. If I could cook for 7 kids, 2 adults and work 2 jobs as I did at one time, and STILL get up in time to cook breakfast, get kids off to school/work and food in crockpot, You Can Too. Survival tip three: There is no commandment that says you MUST have a huge evening meal. Sandwiches, salads and cool soups are good eating. Survival tip four: Once a week, when it is cool, of course, cut up veggies that will hold (celery, onions, carrots, leeks, broccoli florets, squash, etc.) store in the fridge in plastic or glass containers. One of my favorite dinners is putting containers of cut up veggies on the counter with a big bowl of salad greens and dressing and letting everyone make their own. I cut celery in sticks for munching and dice for salads and cooking, same with carrots and squash, leeks, etc. Do this year round. It saves a lot of time. Survival tip five: Forget you have a stove. Think thermal load. The more heat you put in the room, the greater work your air conditioner (if you have air conditioning) has to do to return the area to the set temperature. Use crockpots, electric skillets, electric griddle, grill, toaster oven, and my favorites, the electric wok and rice cooker. (Darling people, if I can make do with no stove for the past three years, YOU CAN DO THIS.) Survival tip six: Plan ahead. Standing in front of the refrigerator wondering what you can make for dinner isn't really the smartest thing. This goes for year round as well. Survival tip seven: Cook ahead when you can. Once a week I make brown rice, cook several types of dried beans. My rice cooker cooks 10 cups (after cooking size, not 10 cups dry rice). I do it twice, dividing the cooked rice into 20 baggies of cooked brown rice. Those baggies go into the freezer and I pull out what I need, reheat and eat. I do the same with beans and lentils but divide the beans into two cup portions, freezing them or if really desperate for time or my body gives out, they WILL store, covered, in the fridge for a week. (Toss after a week.) This is a year round survival tip. Survival tip seven part two: Many casserole dishes freeze well without changes in texture, taste. Generally, white potato dishes don't do very well, IMO, but things like Enchilada Bake, Eggplant Parmesan, Veggie Lasagna freeze nicely and can be pulled out of the freezer and cooked. Whenever you make something like the above casseroles, double the recipe. Serve one, freeze one. This survival tip works year round. Lecture over. Jeanne in Georgia PS: Just to terrify most of you....Put your books and calculators away. Take out four sheets of paper and your pencils. Prove the following. 2+2=4. Show all work. You have 30 minutes. This will constitute one quarter of your semester grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 Jeanne that is so funny that you mentioned how long summer lasts... just last night I was saying that I really need to move. I have been so hot here lately in ATL and we still have four months of summer to go! I am about to melt into a puddle on the street! Whitney --- treazure noname <treazured wrote: > I live in the deep southern US where the summer > lasts from late March often to mid October. Down > here, folks have not always had air conditioning, > and many still do not. Here are some suggestions > for surviving the dog days of summer. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 In Seattle it's been 70's mostly & a friend from Arizona is visiting & yesterday, when the temp dipped a little toward evening, she said it was 'nippy' I used to live in Cal. & those high temps are no fun. A rub of cool water & white vinegar is very refreshing, especially across the back of the neck. Peace, Diane , whitney <starrypryncess wrote: > > Jeanne that is so funny that you mentioned how long > summer lasts... just last night I was saying that I > really need to move. I have been so hot here lately in > ATL and we still have four months of summer to go! I > am about to melt into a puddle on the street! > > Whitney > > --- treazure noname <treazured wrote: > > > I live in the deep southern US where the summer > > lasts from late March often to mid October. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 Honey, those high temps in Cali are *nothing* compared to east coast humidity! And I bet the evening *was* quite " nippy " up there in Seattle! Thia <-- in Virginia, but has spent time in all but 9 of the US states. On 7/17/06, strayfeather1 <otherbox2001 wrote: > > In Seattle it's been 70's mostly & a friend from Arizona is visiting & > yesterday, when the temp dipped a little toward evening, she said it > was 'nippy' > I used to live in Cal. & those high temps are no fun. A rub of cool > water & white vinegar is very refreshing, especially across the back > of the neck. > Peace, > Diane > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 A misting bottle filled with water and some vinegar will be very refreshing, especially if you are sitting in the air from a fan!! Marilyn Daub mcdaub Vanceburg, KY My Cats Knead Me!! - strayfeather1 Monday, July 17, 2006 11:32 AM Re: Kitchen survival for the summer In Seattle it's been 70's mostly & a friend from Arizona is visiting & yesterday, when the temp dipped a little toward evening, she said it was 'nippy' I used to live in Cal. & those high temps are no fun. A rub of cool water & white vinegar is very refreshing, especially across the back of the neck. Peace, Diane , whitney <starrypryncess wrote: > > Jeanne that is so funny that you mentioned how long > summer lasts... just last night I was saying that I > really need to move. I have been so hot here lately in > ATL and we still have four months of summer to go! I > am about to melt into a puddle on the street! > > Whitney > > --- treazure noname <treazured wrote: > > > I live in the deep southern US where the summer > > lasts from late March often to mid October. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 Here in *nippy* Seattle, I even go so far as to put my crockpot out on the back patio while it is on! Jennifer in Seattle treazure noname <treazured wrote: I live in the deep southern US where the summer lasts from late March often to mid October. Down here, folks have not always had air conditioning, and many still do not. Here are some suggestions for surviving the dog days of summer. Survival tip one: Cook when it is cool. Early mornings are generally the coolest times of the day. If your meal plans include things that will increase the thermal load in the house, cook them in the early morning and reheat in the microwave at meal time. My southern relatives always did this, and they were able to live without air conditioning. Survival tip two: Your crockpot is your friend. If your crockpot is languishing on the shelf, dust it off and use it. If you don't have one, it truly is worth it. No Excuses. If I could cook for 7 kids, 2 adults and work 2 jobs as I did at one time, and STILL get up in time to cook breakfast, get kids off to school/work and food in crockpot, You Can Too. Survival tip three: There is no commandment that says you MUST have a huge evening meal. Sandwiches, salads and cool soups are good eating. Survival tip four: Once a week, when it is cool, of course, cut up veggies that will hold (celery, onions, carrots, leeks, broccoli florets, squash, etc.) store in the fridge in plastic or glass containers. One of my favorite dinners is putting containers of cut up veggies on the counter with a big bowl of salad greens and dressing and letting everyone make their own. I cut celery in sticks for munching and dice for salads and cooking, same with carrots and squash, leeks, etc. Do this year round. It saves a lot of time. Survival tip five: Forget you have a stove. Think thermal load. The more heat you put in the room, the greater work your air conditioner (if you have air conditioning) has to do to return the area to the set temperature. Use crockpots, electric skillets, electric griddle, grill, toaster oven, and my favorites, the electric wok and rice cooker. (Darling people, if I can make do with no stove for the past three years, YOU CAN DO THIS.) Survival tip six: Plan ahead. Standing in front of the refrigerator wondering what you can make for dinner isn't really the smartest thing. This goes for year round as well. Survival tip seven: Cook ahead when you can. Once a week I make brown rice, cook several types of dried beans. My rice cooker cooks 10 cups (after cooking size, not 10 cups dry rice). I do it twice, dividing the cooked rice into 20 baggies of cooked brown rice. Those baggies go into the freezer and I pull out what I need, reheat and eat. I do the same with beans and lentils but divide the beans into two cup portions, freezing them or if really desperate for time or my body gives out, they WILL store, covered, in the fridge for a week. (Toss after a week.) This is a year round survival tip. Survival tip seven part two: Many casserole dishes freeze well without changes in texture, taste. Generally, white potato dishes don't do very well, IMO, but things like Enchilada Bake, Eggplant Parmesan, Veggie Lasagna freeze nicely and can be pulled out of the freezer and cooked. Whenever you make something like the above casseroles, double the recipe. Serve one, freeze one. This survival tip works year round. Lecture over. Jeanne in Georgia PS: Just to terrify most of you....Put your books and calculators away. Take out four sheets of paper and your pencils. Prove the following. 2+2=4. Show all work. You have 30 minutes. This will constitute one quarter of your semester grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 Don't move down here then. Four to five hours away from Hotlanta and we average 10 degrees hotter than ya'll year round. My pool temp yesterday afternoon was an all time high of 96. *shudder* Since my body temp is usually 96 to 97 it felt really very strange. Jeanne roasting along with her ammminals whitney <starrypryncess wrote: Jeanne that is so funny that you mentioned how long summer lasts... just last night I was saying that I really need to move. I have been so hot here lately in ATL and we still have four months of summer to go! I am about to melt into a puddle on the street! Whitney --- treazure noname <treazured wrote: > I live in the deep southern US where the summer > lasts from late March often to mid October. Down > here, folks have not always had air conditioning, > and many still do not. Here are some suggestions > for surviving the dog days of summer. > > Talk is cheap. Use Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 17, 2006 Report Share Posted July 17, 2006 Hello, 90s here today (WV) and only a ceiling fan to keep me from roasting in the kitchen or any other room for that matter. Today we had lunch out at a pizza place (buffet)...just veggie pizz and a green salad for me (kept me full most of the afternoon and evening). At home, I just don't feel like even making a salad, but the fridge cool air feels pretty good sometimes...smiles. This evening I had some frozen blueberries (frozen individually on a baking sheet) and those were pretty delicious and cooling (even my dog liked a couple..hehe). Drinking ice water seems to keep me from getting too hungy. Maybe the heat will subside tomorrow. M.A. > --- treazure noname <treazured wrote: > > > I live in the deep southern US where the summer > > lasts from late March often to mid October. Mary Anne Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail Beta. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Hi, Where in WV? I am originally from Wheeling. Whitney --- MaryAnne Crites <suzyq_26201 wrote: > Hello, > > 90s here today (WV) and only a ceiling fan to keep > me from roasting in the kitchen or any other room > for that matter. Today we had lunch out at a pizza > place (buffet)...just veggie pizz and a green salad > for me (kept me full most of the afternoon and > evening). At home, I just don't feel like even > making a salad, but the fridge cool air feels pretty > good sometimes...smiles. This evening I had some > frozen blueberries (frozen individually on a baking > sheet) and those were pretty delicious and cooling > (even my dog liked a couple..hehe). Drinking ice > water seems to keep me from getting too hungy. > Maybe the heat will subside tomorrow. > > M.A. > > > --- treazure noname <treazured wrote: > > > > > I live in the deep southern US where the summer > > > lasts from late March often to mid October. Mary Anne > > > > Everyone is raving about the all-new Mail > Beta. > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Thanks for all the great tips! It's been in the 90s here as well I have a summer kitchen set up on the back patio - camping stove and mini propane grill at the ready. I make a big bowl of salad at the beginning of the week - makes for a quick and easy lunch to pack on work days. I really like the rice idea...one of those " Doh! Why didn't I think of that " things! ~ Wishing everyone nights cool enough for good rest, Cyndy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 I'm in Connecticut where it has been in the upper 90's the past few days. I think we may have topped 100 yesterday. I felt like I was melting this morning while I walked to the train from home and to work from the train. gayle otherbox2001 Mon, 17 Jul 2006 11:32 AM Re: Kitchen survival for the summer In Seattle it's been 70's mostly & a friend from Arizona is visiting & yesterday, when the temp dipped a little toward evening, she said it was 'nippy' I used to live in Cal. & those high temps are no fun. A rub of cool water & white vinegar is very refreshing, especially across the back of the neck. Peace, Diane , whitney <starrypryncess wrote: > > Jeanne that is so funny that you mentioned how long > summer lasts... just last night I was saying that I > really need to move. I have been so hot here lately in > ATL and we still have four months of summer to go! I > am about to melt into a puddle on the street! > > Whitney > > --- treazure noname <treazured wrote: > > > I live in the deep southern US where the summer > > lasts from late March often to mid October. ______________________ Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Gayle, follow the tropical depression off the coast of NC that will probably become a named tropical storm tonight. I would imagine it will hit New England if it doesn't change its course. Marilyn Daub mcdaub Vanceburg, KY My Cats Knead Me!! - glpveg4life Tuesday, July 18, 2006 2:12 PM Re: Re: Kitchen survival for the summer I'm in Connecticut where it has been in the upper 90's the past few days. I think we may have topped 100 yesterday. I felt like I was melting this morning while I walked to the train from home and to work from the train. gayle otherbox2001 Mon, 17 Jul 2006 11:32 AM Re: Kitchen survival for the summer In Seattle it's been 70's mostly & a friend from Arizona is visiting & yesterday, when the temp dipped a little toward evening, she said it was 'nippy' I used to live in Cal. & those high temps are no fun. A rub of cool water & white vinegar is very refreshing, especially across the back of the neck. Peace, Diane , whitney <starrypryncess wrote: > > Jeanne that is so funny that you mentioned how long > summer lasts... just last night I was saying that I > really need to move. I have been so hot here lately in > ATL and we still have four months of summer to go! I > am about to melt into a puddle on the street! > > Whitney > > --- treazure noname <treazured wrote: > > > I live in the deep southern US where the summer > > lasts from late March often to mid October. ________ Check out AOL.com today. Breaking news, video search, pictures, email and IM. All on demand. Always Free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Y'all outta come up here where the high yesterday was 63. A hot day is in the 70's and a scorcher is in the 80's, which is rare. GB , treazure noname <treazured wrote: > > Don't move down here then. Four to five hours away from Hotlanta and we average 10 degrees hotter than ya'll year round. My pool temp yesterday afternoon was an all time high of 96. *shudder* Since my body temp is usually 96 to 97 it felt really very strange. Jeanne roasting along with her ammminals > > > Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs.Try it free. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 18, 2006 Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 Groan, my roses would love it there. Do you have rain, too? In the middle of a bad drought here and my roses are gasping. Think I am going to score some black market water for them. Jeanne in Georgia Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs.Try it free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Sounds like a Scottish summer, GB. We are in the middle of an almost unprecedented heatwave this week and temperatures have gone into the 80s for the last few days. We are definitely not equipped for this type of heat. Christie , " greatyoga " <greatyoga wrote: > > Y'all outta come up here where the high yesterday was 63. A hot day > is in the 70's and a scorcher is in the 80's, which is rare. > > GB > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 I guess the people in the lower 48 are sending it to you. It must be cool some place in the world. GB , " christie_0131 " <christie0131 wrote: > > Sounds like a Scottish summer, GB. We are in the middle of an almost > unprecedented heatwave this week and temperatures have gone into the > 80s for the last few days. We are definitely not equipped for this > type of heat. > Christie > > , " greatyoga " <greatyoga@> > wrote: > > > > Y'all outta come up here where the high yesterday was 63. A hot day > > is in the 70's and a scorcher is in the 80's, which is rare. > > > > GB > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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