It's getting HOT out here!

So because it's so hot I've been trying to find recipe's that don't require me to be a stove-slave.
This weeks menu includes:
Baked Potatoe Bar with all the fixings
Crock Pot Chicken with mashed potatoes and beets from our garden
Swan's Summer Soup
Mid-Summer Italian Bread Salad
Rosemary and Basalmic Salmon with Rice and Corn
Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta
Chicken Enchiladas (with leftover chicken from Tuesday)

The chicken turned out so great I thought I'd share a picture and the recipe.

Whole Chicken Crock Pot Recipe:

Serves 4: (although it's probably more)

4 t. salt

2 t. paprika

1 t. cayenne pepper

1 t. onion powder

1 t. thyme (I used fresh, because I had some)

1 t. white pepper

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. black pepper

1 Large roasting chicken

1 cup. onions, chopped

In a small bowl, combine the spices.

remove any giblets from chicken and clean chicken

Rub spice misxture onto the chicken (I seperated the skin and rubbed some on the chicken too)

Place in Resealable Plastic bag and refrigerate overnight (I skipped this)

When ready to cook, put chopped onion in bottom of crock pot.

Add chicken.

No liquid is needed, chicken will make it's own juices.

Cook on low for 4-8hrs (I did mine in about 5, but it was a little bit too long) Just check the temp around 4 hrs and then keep checking till done.

MMmm was it yummy! and It fell right of the bone. For variation it would be good to stuff the chicken with lemons.

and here's tonights Dinner, Swan's Summer Soup. I'll let you know how Clayton likes it, but I think it's good!

Swan's Summer Soup (It's similar to gazpacho)

8 Large Tomatoes (I cheated and used the leftover V8)

2 avacadoes, peeled, pitted and diced

1 cup fresh corn kernels

4 tomatoes diced ( I just used one really big one)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 T. Fresh lemon juice (I forgot I was out of lemon juice so I used lime)

salt and pepper to taste

I also added some shrimp.. just because that sounded good.

Using a juicer, extract the juice of the 4 Large tomatoes.In a medium bowl comine tomatoe juice, avacado, corn, 2 diced tomatoes, cilantro, and the lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowls.

If the other recipes turn out just as good I'll put them up here too. I always liked making my food pretty. Even if I just do it for me (Clayton probably could care less.)