No Cook Meals

[Luckybustert]

I got home late from work, it's my turn to be the chauffeur, it's too hot to cook, I'm too tired to cook....there are so many reasons to give our kitchen the night off! But restaurants and ordering take-out are expensive. Solution? No cook meals!

My #1 favorite no cook meal is roast beef and cole slaw sandwiches. I use oatnut bread, add some thin slices of roast beef, and top it with coleslaw (on the sandwich, not on the side). It's fast, easy, filling, nutritious, delicious, and everyone I've ever served it to has scarfed it down and asked for more.

What no cook meals do you and your family enjoy?

[IntlMom]

yep, sandwiches are the best..... leftovers too. The other thing is raiding the pantry. ramen for two kids - instant oatmeal for another, I'll eat veggie soup from a can and hubby usually has a quesadilla.

not technically "no cook" - but it's only warm, add water and reheat!

[joyofsix]

Hmm, I'm not sure the family likes it but sometimes it's gotta be.

pizza roll ups or quesadillas in micro
soup from freezer or can and crackers
hot dogs or sandwich and chips
microwave baked potato with salsa and cheese
yogurt, fruit and crackers

[Josephhgoins]

Cheese, olives, pickles and crackers arranged on a plate. A nice glass of wine or tea to go with it. No cook, quick and tasty.

[Grainlady]

These are some of our favorite no-cooking or minimal-cooking hot weather foods... I also make stir-fry and other quick-cooking meals using my Xpress Redi Set Go to keep the heat out of the kitchen.

Black Bean Taco Salad
(I usually make 1/2 the recipe.)

2 cans (15-ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained (or the equivalent in cooked black beans)
1 can (2-1/4-ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped (1-1/2 c.)
1/3 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 c. chopped green onions (3 med. - I also use fresh chives)
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro (I prefer parsley.)
2 T. lime juice
1 t. ground cumin (I use much less.)
1/4 t. pepper
4 c. chopped spinach (6-ounces)

Mix beans, olives, tomatoes, cheese, onions and cilantro. Mix lime juice, cumin and pepper; toss with bean mixture. Serve on a bed of spinach.

I usually serve this with wedges of pita bread.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tortilla Roll-Ups

Although these are commonly used as an appetizer, they go well with a nice dinner salad made with fresh greens. Add some beans or sliced/chopped cooked egg to the salad to increase the protein.

4-1/2-ounce can deviled ham
3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened (I use drained kefir curd)
4-oz. (1 cup) shredded pepper jack cheese
2-3 T. chopped fresh parsley
4 (8-10-inch) flour tortillas

In small bowl, combine ham, cream cheese, pepper jack cheese and parsley; mix well. Spread 1/3 c. on each tortilla, covering entire surface. Gently roll up each tortilla jelly-roll fashion. Wrap each roll tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour or until thoroughly chilled. Cut each into 6 or 7 slices.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Deli Beef and Veggie Salad
(source: Summer Recipes - Pillsbury - July 1994)

12-ounces thinly sliced deli roast (or other deli meats), cut into 1/2-inch strips
1/3 c. purchased zesty Italian salad dressing or herb and spices vinaigrette dressing (I use much less.)
4 c. water
2 c. thinly sliced carrots
2 c. (6-oz.) pea pods, cut in half diagonally
1 small cucumber, sliced
1 tomato, cut into wedges

Place roast beef in large serving bowl. Pour dressing over beef; mix well. Let stand 10 minutes.

In med. saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add carrots; bring water to a second boil. Boil for 2 minutes; add pea potd. Cook an additional 1 minute. Drain; immediately plunge into ice water to chill. Drain thoroughly; place vegetables in bowl with beef mixture. Add cucumber; toss lightly. Garnish with tomato wedges. Yields: 6 (1-cup) servings.

TIP: To serve salad as a sandwich, cut 6 (6-inch) pocket (pita) breads in half. Line each pocket bread half with lettuce leaf; fill each with 1/2 c. beef mixture. Makes 12 sandwiches.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I keep cooked meat in the freezer - lemon-pepper chicken, spiced beef, taco meat, sliced roast beef, pork, turkey, etc. and use these for quick meals and dinner salads. I also use chili from the freezer to make taco salad.

[Ceashels]

I'm a fan of chicken salad so I use my precooked chicken (hm or from a rotisserie) and stuff it into a pita. When tomatoes are in season we used to stuff the tomato with the salad and serve a pasta salad on the side.

[Darlene]

I love a big ole chef type salad using greens, meats, cheeses that I have on hand.
In the warmer months I plan ahead and do my cooking in the cooler part of the day, usually that will be salads to go with meat I grill. I also use my microwave more to heat things like precooked meatballs with sauce for meatball subs. To me planning ahead is key.

[nancycg56]

Chef salad is our go-to no-cook dinner Easy to make and I put most of the "fixin's" in separate bowls because not everybody likes the same stuff in their salads...just easier than looking at my family with horror in their eyes because I put hard boiled eggs in the salad

[stormie11166]

When it's really HOT my dh will eat homemade pasta salad and some watermelon and I will eat a pinwhell (lunch meat, cheese, lettuce on a tortilla). The pasta salad is usually made earlier in the week so the dressing can soak in to the pasta to make it more flavorfull.

[mek42]

My grocery store will cook fish (fry or steam) for free (no extra charge for the cooking - still need to pay for the fish). Not sure if you'd consider that no cook or take out, though.

[StaceyS]

My grocery store will cook fish (fry or steam) for free (no extra charge for the cooking - still need to pay for the fish). Not sure if you'd consider that no cook or take out, though.

That's awesome! I'd eat more fish if mine did this! I don't like to smell up the house with fish smells, but love to eat fish.

[Luckybustert]

My grocery store will cook fish (fry or steam) for free (no extra charge for the cooking - still need to pay for the fish). Not sure if you'd consider that no cook or take out, though.

If it would be the exact same cost for you to cook it at home, I'd consider that no cook. Take out is where you're paying someone else more to do the cooking for you.

[Libby]

Some of my fave no cook go to quickie meals:

* crudite plate - veggies diced/sliced served with dip
* cheese & crackers w/pickles & olives
* tiny tuna (flavoured) & crackers
* kitchen sink salad (whatever I have in fridge)
* rice salad (leftover rice with fresh diced veggies, beans & Italian salad dressing)
* fresh fruit
* bean salad

[and minimally heated food: instant noddle cups or cup of soup and the odd frozen dinner]

[nuisance26]

~I generally keep cereal in the house for a quick summer dinner. That and we always have salad fixin's in the fridge and waffles in the freezer to eat with ice cream.
I generally reverse the heaviness of our meals in the summer and serve the biggest meal at breakfast or lunch and something light for dinner.~

[chevy_chick95]

great thread!