42 Summer Recipes That Won’t Heat Up Your Home

By Jami Leigh, Contributing Writer

As the long, hot, lazy days of summer drag on, I dread starting my oven at night to cook dinner. We have a nice swamp cooler in our house but once that oven gets going (especially to make a 40-minute dinner), our house heats up and it just gets too hot!

This summer I’ve been exploring ways to cut down on the heat from my oven and also cut down the time I spend in the kitchen. I want to enjoy my summer and spend time outside with my kids while it stays lighter later. I’ve been playing with a combination of freezer cooking and slow cooker meals to help me stay out of the kitchen more, keep the house cool, and still have yummy home-cooked meals most nights.

I’m keeping my meal planning strategy simple this summer and I invite you to take it easy too with these amazing slow cooker and freezer meal recipes.

Utilize Your Freezer

Freezer cooking is the single best thing I’ve done for gaining control of my kitchen. Freezer cooking allows me to plan better, save money, and always have meals ready to go! And during the summer, it helps to free up my time so I don’t have to sacrifice precious moments playing with kids.

In California, 5 p.m. is the hottest part of the day. The sun is blazing and our house is cooking. I’ve been utilizing freezer cooking so that even if I want to make meals that require the oven, I can make them on days that are cooler and at times when it won’t heat up the house as much (such as early morning and in cool evenings).

Invest in a Slow Cooker (or three)

I love having multiple slow cookers because you can use them for so much! You can make breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, dessert, and even bread in the Crock-Pot! On days when it’s really hot, I’ll have things going in multiple slow cookers. Often I will have dinner and a side going, along with a yummy dessert baking away.

Making a plan beforehand and using my slow cooker(s) well, allows me to do prep work in the morning and by dinner time, my kitchen is clean and not too warm.

I’ve done the hard work for you … here are some amazing slow cooker and freezer cooking meals that you can add to your weekly meal plan so you can free up some time in the kitchen and keep your house cool!

Crock-Pot Breakfast Recipes

Pear and Ginger Slow Cooker Oatmeal  – Keeper of the Home

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal – Domestic Superhero

Pumpkin Oatmeal Recipe – Wannabite

Effortless Breakfast Burritos – Cooking Books

Breakfast Casserole – From Lemons to Lemonade

Spinach and Mozzarella Frittata – Skinnyms.

Crock-Pot Lunch/Dinner Recipes

Crock Pot Chili Recipe – Blessings Overflowing

Chicken Taco Salad or Burrito Bowl – Practical Stewardship

Quinoa and Sweet Potato Chili – Milk Free Mama

Complete Steak Dinner in a Crockpot – Stockpiling Moms

Slow Cooker Pesto and Spinach Lasagna Recipe – Crockpot 365

BBQ Chicken Drumsticks – Practical Stewardship

Crockpot Rotisserie Style Chicken – Blessings Overflowing

Sweet and Sour Chicken – Practical Stewardship

Lemon and Herb Crockpot Roasted Chicken – Crockpot 365

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup – Mason Jar Values

Crockpot Beef BBQ Short Ribs – Natural Fertility and Wellness

Crockpot Roast, Potatoes, and Carrots – Blessings Overflowing

Crock pot Pasta Sauce – The Humbled Homemaker

Crockpot Broccoli Beef – Crock Pot 365

Crockpot Pork Chops with Gravy – Blessings Overflowing

Crock pot Clam Chowder – A New England Life

;

Crock-Pot Side Recipes

Making Homemade Yogurt in the Crock Pot – Keeper of the Home

Crock Pot Sugar-Free Strawberry Chia Jam – Stacy Makes Cents

Easy slow cooker seafood stock – Anthony St. Clair

How to Make Slow-Cooker Ketchup – Simple Bites

Hot Onion Dip – Crock-Pot Ladies

Marinara Sauce – Once a Month Meals

Homemade Crock Pot Vegetable Stock – The Holistic Mama

Homemade Crockpot Apple Sauce – Young Wife’s Guide

Crock-Pot Dessert/Beverages Recipes

Crock Pot Pumpkin Spice Latte – Young Wife’s Guide

Slow Cooker Naked Apple Butter – oh She Glows

Crock Pot Caramel Apple Cider – Young Wife’s Guide

Crock Pot Honey Spiced Latte – Stacy Makes Cents

Blueberry Lemon Cake – Healthy Slow Cooking

Slow Cooker Fudge – Skinnyms.

Slow Cooker Brownies – The Gracious Pantry

Crockpot Almonds – Stacy Makes Cents

Do you have a favorite slow cooker recipe? Share with us in the comments!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through our links, it helps to support this site, so thanks!