Can we cook our way into summer?

[Chepstowmonkey]

The sun is shining and I'm sick of the cold so I wanted some summery dishes to get myself in the mood. Unfortunately it feels like it has been so long that I can't think of anything summery - that doesn't contain salmon. Not that I have anything against salmon but it is a bit expensive to eat every day!

What do you clever people eat in the summer?

I asked myself this very question a few weeks ago when the weather was nice and came up with about 100 different combinations from trawling through numerous forums and recipe websites. Was then VERY hungry!

Tonight we will be having honey and mustard roasted chicken served with minted new potatoes, homemade coleslaw, beetroot and homemade bread mmmmm.

Here are some more ideas:

Chicken kebabs
Breaded chicken pieces/goujons
HM Chicken Kiev
Chicken with pesto mayo
Grilled chicken thighs
Thai Chicken salad
Jerk chicken
Brocoli & Lemon chicken
Paella
Stuffed chicken breasts
HM meatballs (served with spag or in pitta bread)
HM burgers
Meatloaf
Chilli tacos
Lasagne
Jamie Oliver Dan Dan noodles
Stir fry
Sausage casserole
BBQ
Mousakka
HM Scotch eggs with salad
Fishcakes
Plaice goujons
Prawns with spaghetti in a tomato sauce
Ratatouille (I served mine with grilled chicken and a jacket)
Fritatta
Pasta bake
Mac & Cheese
Noodle salad
Filled jackets
Risotto
Quiche
Pasties
HM Pizza (I usually make double the dough and freeze half)
Ploughmans
Chicken ceasar salad
Greek salad

Could serve with:

Noodles
Potato salad
Minted new potatoes
Jacket potatoes
Wedges (spicy wedges too!)
Cubed fried potatoes
Potato gratin
Pasta & 3 bean salad
Cous cous salad
Cous cous and roasted veg
Couscous and salami
Cous cous with chilli and mint
Foccacia bread
HM Crusty bread
Pasta salad
HM coleslaws
Waldorf salad
Egg salad
Beetroot coleslaw
Rice salad

Now I'm hungry!!!!!!

I don't so much 'cook' as 'assemble' in the summer. Various leaves layered up with anything that comes to hand.... grated parmesan, beans, rice, avocado slices, chicken, shellfish, pasta, cooked meats, nuts/seeds etc ... topped with lavish amounts of dressing and served with some chunky bread. Endless combinations possible.