For the past two weeks, it’s felt like 108ª outside and all I can think over and over again is: if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! Once we hit the middle of summer, it’s always hot in my kitchen, but this year the sweltering started a couple of months early. 
While my west facing kitchen may hold more heat than some, at these temps everyone’s kitchen seems hot.
To avoid the heat, some of my friends grill out, some eat salads, and some flee to the lake. Another summer option is to cook in the microwave. If you’re like me, you only think to use the microwave for a cup of hot tea, heating up left overs, or cooking frozen edamame, but the microwave can be used to cook a variety of casseroles, quick breads, and steamed vegetables. Microwave cooking is also great for dorm rooms or for seniors who no longer trust themselves to remember to turn off the stove.
Of course you can also get out of the kitchen by grabbing a burger on your way home from work. We do this at a burger joint that gives us unlimited French fries. That means I always go home with meat and fries. For years I wondered what to do with those left over fries. Now that I’ve commandeered the microwave for actual cooking, I have a solution that won’t heat up the kitchen. Give this left over French fry breakfast casserole a try. It’s hearty enough for an evening meal. Bon appétit!
