SIMPLE, SNAPPY SUMMER MEALS: QUICK IDEAS FOR RELAXED ENTERTAINING


Even though summertime ushers in longer daylight hours and warmer temperatures, it can also seem like a prized possession. Sunny summer afternoons should not be spent standing in a long line at a busy grocery store or attending to pots and pans on top of a hot kitchen stove. When friends drop by for lunch, or your relatives pay a visit for brunch, don't panic; take a relaxed approach to summertime dining.

The secret to casual summer meals is advance preparation. Lemonade and iced tea are easy to make when you have plenty of pre-squeezed lemon juice in the refrigerator. All you need is a few minutes with a pitcher and spoon. Soon, you'll be stirring up some refreshing drinks to serve guests on any steamy summer day.

In mid-summer, farmers' markets, farm stands and gardens groan with the overflow of fresh vegetables. Why not put some of this surplus to use in a light and tasty salad (like the Italian Antipasto Salad printed below)? To further streamline mealtime preparations, you can slice, shred and chop your vegetables ahead of time and store them in containers in the refrigerator. Then, when you're ready to sit down at the table, all you have to do is assemble your salad.

When the orchards and berry patches brim with sun-ripened fruit, stock up on these sweet treasures. After all, pies are just the enticement your guests need to remind one another, "Leave room for dessert." By storing ready-made piecrust in your refrigerator, you'll be able to make pies on the spur-of-the-moment. No piecrust on hand? Not to worry. Sometimes, all that fresh strawberries, peaches or blueberries need to enhance their sweetness is a dollop of whipped cream.

Whether it's an early-afternoon lunch with friends or a late-morning brunch with relatives, summertime meals can be relaxed affairs for both you and your guests. Enjoy entertaining this summer!

THE RECIPES FOR SIMPLE, SNAPPY SUMMER MEALS

FRUIT AND CHICKEN-SALAD TORTILLAS

This dish tastes best when using homemade chicken salad. The choice of fruit can vary depending on the type of fruit in season at the farmer's market or grocery store.

SERVES 4

4 (10-inch) four tortillas

8 ounces store-bought or homemade chicken salad (recipe follows)

4 tablespoons yellow or Dijon mustard

1/2 bunch (1 1/2 cups) lettuce leaves, washed well and dried

2 nectarines, apples or peaches, sliced into thin wedges

1. Place 4 flour tortillas in a microwave for 15 to 20 seconds to heat them. (If using an oven, place tortillas on a baking pan in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven and heat them for 2 to 3 minutes.)

The copyright of the article SIMPLE, SNAPPY SUMMER MEALS: QUICK IDEAS FOR RELAXED ENTERTAINING in Seasonal Cooking is owned by Michael Vyskocil. Permission to republish SIMPLE, SNAPPY SUMMER MEALS: QUICK IDEAS FOR RELAXED ENTERTAINING in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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