Our poor air conditioner just can’t keep up with this 100 degree heat.  Yes, it is cooler inside, but below 80 it just won’t go.

This means that I’ve not been using my oven lately — except for some chocolate cupcakes the other day.  That might have caused a one degree rise in temperature but I didn’t notice because I was eating a yummy treat.  The power of chocolate; it’s a wonder.  In my day to day meal preparation, I’ve been using my slow cooker for everything.  I was sort of a slow cooker snob before, I’ll admit it, but the heat has made me seek options to feed these hungry people.  The upshot is that I now have several great new recipes for the slow cooker…so perhaps I should be grateful for the inspiration that the summer has provided.

I’ve also been seeking recipes that I could make with no cooking at all.  The other day I saw this delicious chicken salad on Three Many Cooks and I knew that I would be making it soon.  The ingredients include apricots, apricot jam, basil, almonds, cream cheese, scallions, lime juice, the meat from a rotisserie chicken.  I can’t wait to try it.  You should too, if the ingredients sound like something you’d like.  The Three Many Cooks recipes are always spot on.  It’s nice when a recipe isn’t a gamble.

Happy (hot) Friday, y’all!