GSW:six {holy moly, it is hot!}

alright, it is officially summer which means that our farmhouse is officially hot.  you know, because we do not have air conditioning. well, we do.  we have one window unit. see here for the explanation.  so this week's menu is all about doing as little cooking as possible...meaning avoiding turning the oven on at all costs. i found have written about this at length when i reviewed the archives.  it is not all bad, though, since hendrix and i have already snacked on four tomatoes from our garden this week!!  good times, good times. onward, we go....

shrimp + sausage kabobs with a green salad + rice pilaf
{boil some extra potatoes to make a potato salad with for dinner later in the week. see what i did there?  saved you some time, is what i did. you're welcome.}

grilled lemon + dill salmon with best potato salad
{this will take you less than 15 minutes to prepare if you make the potato salad in advance}
for the salmon just brush them with a bit of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and lay lemon slices and fresh dill on each piece.  wrap in foil and grill for about 5-8 minutes depending on thickness or broil in the oven.  serve with potato salad}

japanese pizza
{this looks delicious! if you recieved a cabbage from us this might be just the thing to use some of it for...read this lovely article for more thoughts on the forgotten vegetable, cabbage}
if you live with a man like my husband...i would just add a nice grilled piece of meat to this and i would just eat the pizza as it is.  we all have to compromise in life.

slow cooker chili colorado burritos with rice + beans
{listen here and listen good: the crockpot is your friend even when it is summer.  i'll make an exception for these and turn on the broiler just long enough to make that cheese melt.  throw some cherry tomatoes on top of these burritos, too!}
i really like the VIGO brand of rice and beans for convenience.  they come in flavors like red beans and rice, saffron, black beans and rice, etc.. almost all grocery stores carry them and they can be found in the hispanic foods aisle, usually.  serve any variety with these burritos and you will have a happy belly.

zucchini boats with grilled italian sausages
{hendrix will go to town on this dinner and will really love me if i add some fresh fruit as a side.  also, super easy to prepare, less than 30 minutes}
these zucchini boats are a perfect way to use those cute little zucchini we are already seeing in our neck of the woods/  throw some sausage on the grill and call it dinner!

and you know what?! it's effing hot. so make some of this, too....
raspberry pomegranate sorbet

and as far as healthy snacks go...please read this and consider making a donation to an organization that is near and dear to my heart.