101 summer meals in 10 minutesIt's way too hot to light up the stove for more than a quick boil or saute. Yet the family still clamors for food every single night. What's up with that?

Luckily The New York Times has 101 suggestions on what to make for dinner when you're short on time and patience. (This heat does make one snappy.)

From vegetarian fare to red meat, I'm bookmarking this list and making a grocery list. Ahhh, summer cooking just got a heck of a lot cooler.

The top 10 easy, breezy summer recipes:

1. Make 6-minute eggs: Simmer gently, run under cold water until cool, then peel. Serve over steamed asparagus.

2. Toss a cup of chopped mixed herbs with a few tablespoons of olive oil in a hot pan. Serve over angel-hair pasta, diluting the sauce if necessary with pasta cooking water.

3. Cut 8 sea scallops into four horizontal slices each. Arrange on plates. Sprinkle with lime juice, salt, and crushed chilies; serve after 5 minutes.

4. Open a can of white beans and combine with olive oil, salt, small or chopped shrimp, minced garlic, and thyme leaves in a pan. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp are done; garnish with more olive oil.

5. Put 3 pounds of washed mussels in a pot with half a cup of white wine, garlic cloves, basil leaves, and chopped tomatoes. Steam until mussels open. Serve with bread.

6. Heat a quarter-inch of olive oil in a skillet. Dredge flounder or sole fillets in flour and fry until crisp, about 2 minutes a side. Serve on sliced bread with tartar sauce.

7. Make pesto: Put a couple cups of basil leaves, a garlic clove, salt, pepper, and olive oil as necessary in a blender (walnuts and Parmesan are optional). Serve over pasta (dilute with oil or water as necessary) or grilled fish or meat.

8. Put a few dozen washed littlenecks in a large, hot skillet with olive oil. When clams begin to open, add a tablespoon or two of chopped garlic. When most or all are opened, add parsley. Serve alone, with bread or over angel-hair pasta.

9. Pan-grill a skirt steak 3 or 4 minutes a side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, slice, and serve over romaine or any other green salad, drizzled with olive oil and lemon.

10. Smear mackerel fillets with mustard, then sprinkle with chopped herbs (fresh tarragon is good), salt, pepper, and bread crumbs. Bake in a 425-degree oven for about 8 minutes.

 

Image via kthread/Flickr