Plus, speedy meals our editors make with Spam |
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Hi readers. I hope you’re reading this by a body of water and sipping on a daiquiri of sorts, or at the very least, parked in front of an AC unit with an ice cube glued to your forehead. This is the time ovens are better used as storage space for sheet pans, Dutch ovens, or—taking a page out of the Carrie Bradshaw book—off-season sweaters. But when the mere thought of mustering up a meal makes you wilt, solving the what-do-I-eat problem feels harder than usual. Worry not: our editors have got ideas for 29 no-cook dinners for the heat wave, as well as low-cook speedy meals made with a can of Spam. Take your pick!
Here’s a gift link to our curated recipe collection to get you through the heat. For full access to all of our (thousands of!) Test Kitchen-developed recipes, please consider subscribing. |
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BY MEHREEN KARIM AND EMMA LAPERRUQUE |
No-cook dinners are a crucial category come summer, especially during a heat wave, when not even a cold shower will cool you down. You need sustenance that won’t add heat to your indoor environment, something that soothes without asking too much of you. Think summer salad recipes that use up all the beautiful produce you just splurged on at the farmers market, like a smashed zucchini number and a classic caprese to show off those tomatoes. When the last thing you want to do is turn on your stove or oven, a fresh and herby sandwich might be just the ticket or a tall glass of gloriously green gazpacho. And while you can certainly mix and match from this lineup to create a multicourse affair, there are also those nights when a platter of veggies and dip can pass for dinner. Sometimes cooking like a pro means not cooking at all. Let these easy no-cook meals be your cool-down, fill-up strategy. |
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On this day, 89 years ago, Spam was born. A block of seasoned, ground pork with ham, packed into a 12-ounce can. The product became a global phenomenon, shipped overseas to feed Allied troops during World War II. But even after the war, its popularity kept growing. In 2001, a Spam museum opened its doors in Minnesota, the home of its manufacturing company, Hormel. (The gift shop even started selling official canjos, one-string instruments made from empty Spam cans.) In 2005, Monty Python’s Spamalot musical debuted. In 2012, a mustachioed mascot was created.
Designed to last years in the pantry, it’s earned a permanent place in kitchens across the world. Cooks have found endless ways to use it. Bundled with fluffy white rice and a delicate nori ribbon to make musubi. Turned into an elegant hors d’oeuvre with a wedge of Brie and a stubby cornichon. Even transformed into an unexpected salty-sweet dessert (see chef Harold Villarosa’s Spam doughnuts). And that’s barely scratching the surface. Read on to see all the ways our editors are cooking with Spam. |
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Get more this Fourth of July
Celebrate with a limited-time offer: Full access for just $25 $6 for 6 months. So you never run out of recipe inspiration. |
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| Get more this Fourth of July
Celebrate with a limited-time offer: Full access for just $25 $6 for 6 months. So you never run out of recipe inspiration.
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More Editor-Favorite Recipes |
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5 Healthy Meals Our Editors Make With Store-Bought Hummus |
| The Iciest Strawberry Daiquiri |
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