Quick meals for summer

One evening while sitting outside enjoying the outdoors, Gary fired up the Weber grill and made the entire dinner on the grill.

First, he slowly cooked raw potatoes with onions in a cast iron frying pan over indirect hot coals. Then, instead of melting the cheese over the top of the burgers, he combined the raw hamburger with shredded cheese, seasoned salt, Worcestershire sauce and pepper.

It was an awesome summertime meal with no cleanup at all.

Quick Tuna Hotdish

Serving size: 4

1 cup water

2 cups uncooked egg noodles

1 can tuna

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 small can mushrooms, drained

1 can green beans, drained

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup potato chips, crushed

Pour water into 2-quart casserole. Cover. Microwave on high 3-5 minutes or until water boils. Stir in noodles. Recover and cook on defrost 11 minutes (stir a couple of times) or until noodles are tender. Drain and stir in remaining ingredients except cheese and potato chips. Microwave on reheat 8-10 minutes or until hot. Stir a couple of times. Remove, sprinkle on cheese and chips, let stand covered for a few minutes until cheese is melted.

No Bake Peanut

Butter Drops

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup margarine

1/4 cup milk

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

2 1/2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine sugar, margarine and milk in saucepan. Boil for 1 minute. Pour, while hot, over oatmeal and peanut butter. Add nuts and vanilla. Mix. Drop by teaspoonful onto wax paper. Let stand until firm.

Lo-Cal Carrots and Celery

Sliced carrots

Sliced celery

Instant chicken bouillon granules

Water

Bring water, enough so it covers vegetables, to a boil. Add about 1 teaspoon bouillon granules for each cup of water. Add vegetables. Simmer just until tender.

GARY'S TIP: To sanitize your cutting board, countertops and sinks, mix together 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach with 1 quart of water. Use solution in a spray bottle, spray and let stand for a minute, rinse and dry with paper towel.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: If you have made mistakes ... there is always another chance for you ... you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down. -- Mary Pickford