We’re deep into summer, where everything feels vibrant and green and alive with possibilities. In central Virginia, the sun is gentle in the morning but by afternoon, anyone lingering outside will become a soupy, sweaty mess. Hair either wilts or poofs, refusing to fight the humidity. Even the strongest deodorant grumbles about having to work under such unforgiving conditions. The air conditioning system in my house complains about the overtime work and refuses to cool my kitchen when the oven is in use. That’s fair, I guess, since there’s only so much a person or a machine can do without needing a break.
In the summer heat, instead of heating up the oven every day
and turning my kitchen, AKA my office/workspace, into a sauna, I like to make simple
meals and desserts. Sometimes I find recipes online that require very few
ingredients and minimal effort. And to keep myself from falling into complete
despair during this particularly weird time in history, I have been listening
to music that fills me with good energy. I’ve also been watching movies and
listening to songs that give me a measure of peace and hope for the future or at least distract me from the present.
Read on for a top five list of my current no-bake meal and
dessert favorites as well as list of songs, books, and movies that I’ve been
enjoying.
Top five favorite no-bake meals. (Dessert counts as a
meal, because… why not?)
Charcuterie boards – I love this kind of thing because I can
prepare everything as simple or elaborate as I wish. Sometimes, having little
portions presented on a pretty plate in an array of colors makes me absurdly
happy. I usually create a meal of crackers, provolone cheese, turkey or salami
slices, grapes, orange and apple slices, and pretzels or sunflower seeds.
Simple, easy, and not a bunch of dishes to wash afterward.
Guacamole – I smash up two ripe avocadoes in a dish then add
some lemon, soul food seasoning, and pepper. Tortilla chips and homemade
guacamole with nice a coconut and pineapple drink is perfect to have outside once
the sun goes down. I just have to light a bunch of citronella candles so I don’t
get eaten alive by mosquitoes.
Pasta salad- Okay, so you have to use the stove to boil the
pasta but I have realized I can make a ton of pasta at once, which means I will have enough to several servings for different meals. I get the boxes of pasta salad
mix from the grocery store and just make a few boxes at a time. I add in precooked
chicken, shrimp, tofu, olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, or whatever else I wish.
Watermelon slushie - I found the recipe online and never
wrote down the exact specifications so basically- two cups of frozen watermelon, a splash of
lemon juice, and about half a spoonful of honey. Mix in the blender until
smooth.
Chocolate pudding pie – I’ve been having some version of
this since I was a kid. You’ll need two boxes of instant chocolate pudding,
milk, 8 ounce tub of whipped cream, graham cracker crust (premade if you don’t
want to spend a bunch of time making the crust). Make the pudding and add in a
cup of whipped topping to the mix before pouring into the pie crust. Put the
rest of the whipped cream on top of the pudding.
Books I’m reading or recently finished
Espresso Yourself by Lara McKenzie (just finished this one
and loved the interesting format)
They Hang Me in Tokyo by Allan West (just started reading)
A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic by J. Penner
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Flea Market Magic by Bella Falls
Songs I’ve been listening to on repeat
We Don’t Need Another Hero by Tina Turner
All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix
Gloria by Laura Branigan
Breathe by Latroit and Charlz
Alive and Kicking by Simple Minds
Movies and Shows
Practical Magic (I like to have this one on in the
background while I’m working or cleaning the house
Fried Green Tomatoes (I would love to run a cute little
diner or café, but I suck at cooking)
Twin Peaks (I am a couple shows in and can’t believe I didn’t
see this show years ago when it first came out)
X Files (I love weird monster stuff)
School Spirits (suspenseful without annoying jump scares)
What I’m working on now:
I’ve been busy writing steamy, paranormal romance, Hawk’s
Heart. This will be Jordan and Luke’s story, and the very last book in my
Stranger Creatures series. I’ve also been working on a couple of romantasy
novellas featuring women in their forties navigating unexpected new paths in
life, as well as writing more poetry and learning how to write flash fiction.
If you’d like to follow me on social media for my latest
book information and excerpts, poems, contest info, book recommendations, and
other fun stuff, you can find me at:
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Christina-Lynn-Lambert/e/B01MCYK0K7
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/christina-lynn-lambert
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christinalynnlambert
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15900423.Christina_Lynn_Lambert
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christinalynnlambert
Wordpress: https://christinalynnlambertwordpress.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/cllambauthor.bsky.social
1 comment:
Looking forward to Hawk's Heart.
For food: I absolutely love pasta salad and the chocolate pudding pie sounds great! :)
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