Crunchy Asian Coleslaw

When you need to bring a side dish to a potluck and have no time to prepare, try out this crowd-pleasing coleslaw. Also good for dinners at home, as it makes grilled hot dogs seem "fancy." (from my sister-in-law Loren)

large bag of coleslaw mix
thinly sliced red pepper strips
1/2 cup House of Tsang Bangkok Padang Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup Marzetti's original coleslaw dressing, in the refrigerated section
1 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 cup crunchy chow mein noodles

Mix together coleslaw and red pepper. Combine peanut sauce and dressing, then toss with slaw mix. Just before serving, add peanuts and noodles on top.

*You can toss the coleslaw mix, pepper and combined dressing together ahead of time. Sometimes I add more dressing to taste. Bring the crunchy things along in a ziploc—you don't want to add until it's time to serve.

Cheesy Crab Toasts

Another fast dinner for summer nights. Add a big green salad on the side—farmer's market lettuce is finally here! (recipe from my dad)

6 to 8 oz cooked shredded crab meat; your grocery store should have it
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning, or more to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
one or two big spoonfuls of mayo; just enough to moisten
english muffins, halved and lightly toasted

Preheat the broiler. Mix together the crab, Old Bay, cheddar and mayo. Spread mixture on english muffins. Broil for a few minutes or until toasty.

*You can make the crab mixture ahead of time. These also make tasty appetizers; cut them into fourths and expect rave reviews.

Iced Coffee

Save yourself some money this summer by making iced coffee at home. You also can also avoid the embarrassment of your youngest child yelling "Hamburger!" through the window at Starbucks. (I blame his father.)

2 teaspoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon sugar, or more/less to taste
3 tablespoons warm water
6 oz cold milk

Measure the instant coffee, sugar and warm water into a large mason jar. Close the lid and shake well. Add milk and shake it again. Pour over ice.

*If you're having a rough day, add a little chocolate syrup to the mix. Ditto for whipped cream at the end. You could also substitute a different sweetener.

Zucchini Pizza

I love gruyere and I love zucchini, so it's no wonder I was drawn to this recipe. The pizza is light, quick and a good choice for summer nights when you'd rather not be in the kitchen. (idea from Babble)

fresh pizza dough, let it sit out for a while first
2 large zucchini
kosher salt
shredded gruyere cheese (8 oz)
breadcrumbs for the top
parmesan cheese for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Shred the zucchini with a food processor or box grater, then toss with a few teaspoons of kosher salt. Let drain in a colander for about 20 minutes, then squeeze out any excess liquid.

Press pizza dough into a lightly oiled pan. Toss the zucchini with the gruyere, then sprinkle mixture evenly over the dough, all the way to the edges, spread in a thin layer. Top with a handful of breadcrumbs.

Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Top with a little parmesan cheese before serving.

*I use fresh breadcrumbs—just zap a few pieces of bread in your Cuisinart until roughly chopped. I often make a big batch and stick the rest in the freezer to have on hand.

Speedy Hoisin Wraps

Summer is busy—so dinner needs to be fast. This recipe fits the bill with just four ingredients, none of them made by you. (adapted from Martha Stewart)

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup hoisin sauce
chopped scallions
8 large flour tortillas

Place chicken in a microwavable dish and heat for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the hoisin sauce and scallions. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Take a big spoonful of chicken and spread over each tortilla. Roll and serve.

*You could skip the scallions here if your kids are finicky about green stuff. Try adding slivered almonds instead.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

I have been making these muffins on a regular basis since coming across this recipe. They're lighter than most, thanks to the Greek yogurt, and not too sweet. (Plus, I can get them in the oven in 5 minutes, using only one bowl.)

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about three bananas)
6 oz container plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, butter, eggs, banana, yogurt and vanilla until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Lightly grease muffin tins with cooking spray and spoon in the batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until they start to turn light golden brown. (Stick a toothpick in to test the middle.) Place pan on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes, then remove muffins and let them cool on the rack, if you can wait.

*Mini muffins will take about 10 minutes. Last time, I made into 4 mini-loaves, baking for about 30 minutes. You can definitely freeze these.

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

Now that you have a great pesto recipe, here's another speedy summer meal. It's also good for dinner with friends since you won't have to spend much time in the kitchen. (from Real Simple)

1 lb gnocchi, refrigerated or frozen
1/2 lb green beans, cut in half (about 2 cups)
1 cup pesto
1/4 cup heavy cream
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup ricotta

Cook the gnocchi according to directions, adding green beans for the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and return to the pot. Add pesto and cream and cook over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring, until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top each serving with a healthy dollop of ricotta.

*One more pesto meal: toss pesto with cooked cheese tortellini, pine nuts and cherry tomatoes. Serve either warm or at room temperature.