Summer may have only just arrived, but it’s not messing around! Personally, I love the sun and heat, so you won’t hear me complaining about the rising temps, but they certainly have me reconsidering some of the meals in my weekly dinner rotation. We’re big fans of shepherd’s pie and curries in our house, but it’s time to swap these out for something that doesn’t require the oven or stovetop to be on for hours on end! Fortunately, I can get tons of inspiration from the cookbook collection at the library.
Grilling is obviously a fantastic option for the warmer months, if you have the means and the space for a grill, and it’s incredibly versatile! Books like “Horn Barbecue” by Matt Horn will teach you how to make classic, meat-based BBQ dishes, or you can try “Grilling Vegan Style” by John Schlimm for mouth-watering plant-based goodies from the grill. Then there’s “The Essential New York Times Grilling Cookbook,” which includes all of the staple foods, as well as vegetables, sides, and even desserts that make use of the grill. “Grilled Leeks with White Beans and Blue Cheese?” Yes, please! “Grilled Chocolate Sandwich”? These people know the way to my heart.
If you want to cook indoors without the heat, air fryers and pressure cookers can be lifesavers. I swear by America’s Test Kitchen, and recommend their cookbook “Air Fryer Perfection” for recipes, tips, and tricks for preparing everything from crispy fries to juicy steaks. “Comfort in an Instant” by trusted cookbook author Melissa Clark is another great choice, which includes 75 recipes for comfort foods that can be made in a pressure cooker, multicooker, and Instant Pot®.
Let’s not forget about dessert! Cookies and pies are fantastic, but will heat up your kitchen in no time. Instead, try out some no-bake desserts this summer! “Ice Box Cakes” by Jean Sagendorph and Jessie Sheehan includes a variety of cakes that are made largely with cookies/wafers and cream or pudding — and then frozen — for a delightful, low-maintenance, and heat-free dessert! From Lavender-Blueberry Cake to Banana-Rum Cake, there is something for all tastes! I’m also checking out Food52’s “Ice cream and Friends,” which has ideas for sorbets, ice cream sandwiches, and no-churn ice creams. I’ll start with the Chocolate Tacos!
If you’re looking for an all-in-one cookbook, the “Taste of Home Cool Kitchen Cookbook” is a great option. It offers 392 “crowd-pleasing” recipes that don’t require the use of an oven, making use of grills, instant pots, air fryers, microwaves, and more to cook without making you sweat. In addition to dinner options, the book includes breakfast, lunch, and dessert recipes, from smoothies to salads to an assortment of delicious sandwiches. Speaking of sandwiches (and crowd-pleasers), who doesn’t love a good ol’ PB&J sandwich?!? I’ll happily eat those all summer long, and I won’t even need a recipe!
Top Requested Books
1. “The Women” by Kristin Hannah
2. “Swan Song” by Elin Hilderbrand
3. “Funny Story” by Emily Henry
4. “The Housemaid is Watching” by Freida McFadden
5. “Eruption” by Michael Crichton
6. “Camino Ghosts” by John Grisham
7. “One Perfect Couple” by Ruth Ware
8. “An Unfinished Love Story” by Doris Kearns Goodwin
9. “Think Twice” by Harlan Coben
10. “Midnight Feast” by Lucy Foley
Top Requested DVDs
1. “The Boys in the Boat”
2. “The Boy and the Heron”
3. “American Fiction”
4. “Anatomy of a Fall”
5. “Challengers”
6. “Bob Marley: One Love”
7. “Arthur the King”
8. “Immaculate”
9. “In the Land of Saints and Sinners”
10. “One Life”
This Week
MONDAY — 2-4 p.m., Sewers in Stitches – Bring your supplies and practice your yarn art skills with others; 4-5 p.m., Tween Eco Explorers – A weekly adventure to explore our environment; 4-5 p.m., Stop Motion Monday – Learn how to create your own stop motion videos with handmade characters and scenes. This program is for tweens and teens in grades 4-12; 6-7 p.m., The Rhode Island Civilian Conservation Corps Camps | Their History, Lore, and Legacy – Don’t miss this fascinating historical presentation by Martin Podskoch.
TUESDAY — 10-11 a.m., Youth Garden Club – Tweens and teens are invited to join us as we weed, harvest, and learn in the newly renovated garden in Wilcox Park; 11 a.m.-12 p.m., Reptile Nook: Learn and See Animals – Join us for a reptile show with the Reptile Nook; 1-4 p.m., Community Resource Advocate – Visit our volunteer Community Resource Advocate, who can help connect you with local services/resources;
3:30-5 p.m./5-6:30 p.m., Tween Dungeons and Dragons – These programs are for ages 8-12; 4-5:30 p.m., Teen Dungeons and Dragons – This program is for teens in grades 7-12; 5:30-7:30 p.m., Knit and Crochet Group – A friendly yarn craft club.
WEDNESDAY — 9-10:30 a.m., Healthy Aging Meetup – Meet on the esplanade for a walk around the park, followed by an informal discussion to share tips to age healthy; 9:30-10:00 a.m., Essentrics Stretch in the Park – This workout will elongate and strengthen all the muscles chains in the body. Bring a mat, bath towel, and water; 10-10:30 a.m., Storytime – A weekly storytime; 1-2 p.m., Tech Social – Each meeting, we’ll start with a guiding topic and then have time for questions and discussion. This program will take place on Zoom AND in person, but pre-registration is required; 2-3 p.m., Animation Nation – Ages 9-12 are invited to create LEGO stop-motion movies in this summer-long, drop-in program; 3-4 p.m., Summer Olympics in the Park – Get moving with some family fun and games in the park; 3-4 p.m., Tween Creative Club – Share your latest creative project with other tweens, and hear what others have been working on; 4-5 p.m., Pride Club – Hang out with other LGBTQIA2+ teens and allies; 4:30-6 p.m., Tween D&D Group 3 – This program is for ages 8-12; 5:30-7 p.m., Silent Book Club – Bring your own book, enjoy some quiet reading, and then discuss the books you’ve loved (or hated) recently; 6:30-7:45 p.m., Flutes and Piano Recital | John Graham, John Curran & Sara Boyd – Enjoy an evening of music in our auditorium.
THURSDAY — 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Friends Pop-up Book Sale – Every Thursday over the summer, the Friends of the Library will host a Summer Pop-up Book Sale on the library esplanade; 2-3 p.m., Trash to Treasure | Recycled Reefs – Kids can join us every Thursday to make art out of recycled materials; 4-5 p.m., Behind the Screen | Dungeon Mastering for Tweens – Learn the basics of D&D, and how to run your own campaign; 4-5 p.m., Teen Crafternoon – Enjoy weekly crafting activities and snacks; 5:30-6 p.m., Science Storytime – Join us for a special science-themed storytime led by Marcus, a URI student studying chemical engineering; 5:30-7:30 p.m., Chess Club – Players of all skill levels are welcome.
SATURDAY — 9-9:30 a.m., Children’s Yoga in Wilcox Park – Enjoy yoga and mindfulness with Lianne Bassin; 12:30-4 p.m., I’ve Always Wanted to Play Dungeons and Dragons – Space is limited, so sign up now for this small-ground introduction to D&D with author and longtime player Ethan Gilsdorf; 1-2 p.m., Bubbles in the Park - We’ll have bubble wands of all sizes!
SUNDAY — 1-2 p.m., Summer Strings | A Student Violin Concert - 20 violinists of all ages and levels performing duets and melodies together!
Cassie Skobrak is an adult services librarian at the Westerly Library & Wilcox Park.
