In A Food Mood/Top Ten List All In One!

It's summer and I am feeling a bit lazy. So this week I am combining my Monday and Tuesday posts and doing a top ten list of easy summer dinners. I cook a lot less in the summer so that we can spend longer days at the pool and not rush home to make dinner. The kids like this and say they'd rather do that than have a big homecooked meal. So here's what we eat during the summer that's quick and easy to throw together either in the morning, or when you walk in the door, depending on the suggestion.

1. Grill chicken, slice, and toss with your fave bottled marinara sauce. Serve over penne pasta with parmesan cheese on top.

2. Shred a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and serve over bagged salad with a variety of toppings. Make some french bread to round out the meal.

3. Do a baked potato bar. My kids love bacon bits, sour cream, cheese, bottled gravy, and cooked frozen chopped broccoli on top.

4. Stick some chicken breasts in the crockpot and pour a bottle of barbecue sauce over top. Cook all day. Just before serving, shred with two forks and serve on buns as sandwiches with chips and cut up melon.

5. Another rotisserie chicken idea: Cook a pound of angel hair pasta, rinse and drain. Stir in shredded chicken, 1 cup of shredded carrots, sliced green onions to taste, and 1 cup chopped peanuts. Then make a sauce of 1 cup Asian Ginger (or sesame ginger) Salad dressing, 1 cup peanut butter, 2 Tbsp water and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (if you want the kick). Toss. Makes a yummy peanutty pasta salad that's filling but not heavy.

6. Brown two pounds of ground beef, drain. Put back in pan and add a 30 ounce can of tomato sauce and two packets of taco seasoning. Stir and simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve over a bed of lettuce and tortilla chips with your favorite taco salad toppings.

7. Get some different types of deli meat. We like roast beef, ham and turkey. Buy a couple of loaves of french bread and slice down the middle. Layer the meat and your favorite sandwich toppings. Slice and serve with chips and a pickle spear for your own version of Subway for a fraction of the price.

8. Buy Bubba Burgers and have your spouse grill them for you.

9. There's nothing wrong with ordering Domino's.

10. Chinese takeout is also an acceptable option.