Don't Feel Like Cooking? Here's an App for That.

So we're heading into summer, and who wants to cook?  Not me! 

I want to wake up early and wander aimlessly around my yard, pulling weeds here and there but never really getting completely ahead of them.  I want to run my hands over my tomato plants and enjoy how fabulous they smell.  I want to sit on my back porch and watch the sun come up (coffee firmly in hand, of course) as my cat sits at my feet and meows like he hasn't been fed in days, when in fact he probably needs to skip a few meals.  I want to set out the sprinkler before the sun has made it's full appearance and listen to it spray on the flower beds.

At lunch I want to eat some cottage cheese and fresh fruit, and probably some chips and salsa.  Both in the same setting.  Because that is summer food.  Add a tall glass of cold milk to that, and I'm in paradise.

I want to lie on a float in the pool and read a book!  

I want to come inside late in the afternoon and lay down on the couch and take a nap with the fan blowing on me so hard that I am tempted to cover up...But then I will never wake back up, so I will do my best to refrain from that.

I want to sit by the fire pit when the evening has cooled and roast marshmallows and slap at mosquitoes while I laugh at my kids playing kick ball with the dog.


Sure, I want to eat brownies.  But I don't want to actually bake them.


If you are anything like me, and would like to live in a lazy summer fantasy land, where the house is self cleaning and the yard is always watered, mowed, and weeded then I have the perfect easy summer recipe for you.  And most of the ingredients will come right from your very own garden!

 Side Note:
When you light your grill on a Saturday evening, do you throw everything out of your freezer on it that you can think of?  I do.  This time we grilled hamburger, hot dogs and chicken.  Sadly, we were out of steak.  And there is never any shrimp to be found in this house, but I was wishing I had some when we grilled last weekend.  Grilling extra meat was perfect for us as we had softball three nights this week and a VBS family night another night.  We feasted on quesadillas, leftover hamburgers, hot dogs made into chili dogs, and finally this little beauty that I'm about to share with you.  Oh, and don't forget that this also helped us have lunches throughout the week. 


Summer Crock Pot Extravaganza 
-I just made the name up right this minute.  Because every recipe needs a name, right?

Bell Pepper
Onion
Squash
Tomato
Garlic (minced)
Smoked Sausage
Grilled Chicken
Anything you have in your fridge that strikes your fancy.  




Slice/dice all of the ingredients up.  You will want to leave your squash in thick circles so it doesn't become too slimy.  I still cut these up a little too small, but they were yummy nonetheless.

 Throw the whole shebang in your crock pot.  Turn that baby on high if you need it in a hurry (like 2 hours) or low if you are letting it cook longer.  The thing is, you just need to cook it until all of the vegetables are tender.  Then it's done!  You made an entire meal for your family in the crock pot!  No messy clean up.  Just pull out the liner and give the pot a quick wash off and your done.

Of course I did not take any pictures of the result.  I'm not that good at remembering that I need to record every detail of my life in pictures so that I can share it with you.  And I had decided to go on a coupon shopping trip that morning, so by the time I got home I was starving, the table was set with everyone sitting at it when I walked in.  Apparently smelling this lovely concoction cook all morning had their appetites raging also.  I had added the single chicken breast as my kids are not fans of smoked sausage.  However, Popcorn decided today that she does indeed love sausage.  Not the vegetables, mind you.  But she did like the sausage!  Next time I will have to make more so we can actually have some left over for lunches.


What is your go to quick summer recipe?