Skip the Stove with No-Cook Dinners

With summer in full swing, it's getting tough to keep things cool in the kitchen -- but Bon Appetit has the solution: no-cook dinners! Andrew Knowlton, restaurant editor at Bon Appetit magazine, shared some recipes on "The Early Show" Thursday that will give your stove the day off.

No-cook dinners, according to Knowlton, are a perfect way to beat the heat and make a quick and easy meal for the whole family. All of these dishes, he says, are perfect for indoor or outdoor dining and everything can be made in advance.

RECIPES:

Summer Tomato and Bell Pepper Soup

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups tomato juice
1 1/3 cups finely chopped tomatoes (about 11 ounces)
1/2 cup (generous) finely chopped roasted red bell peppers from jar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared white horseradish
1 garlic clove, pressed
Generous dash of hot pepper sauce
Fine sea salt
4 1/3-inch-thick rounds soft fresh goat cheese
6 grape tomatoes, cut in half
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil
Additional extra-virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

Preparation
Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl; whisk to blend. Season soup to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled and flavors blend, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled. Ladle soup into 4 bowls. Top each with 1 goat cheese round and 3 grape tomato halves. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and basil. Drizzle with oil and serve.

Mexican Ceviche Tacos

Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds very fresh (sushi-grade) fish fillets (such as tuna, hamachi, barramundi, or mahi-mahi), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
3/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons sliced pickled jalapeño chiles from jar plus 1 tablespoon liquid from jar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 large head of romaine lettuce, very thinly sliced crosswise (3 to 4 cups)
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
12 purchased crisp taco shells
Purchased salsa

Preparation
Place fish in medium glass dish or bowl; sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add lime juice, lemon juice, and sugar and toss. Cover and chill until fish turns white and no longer looks raw, tossing occasionally, at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours. Strain fish, discarding marinade. Place ceviche in large bowl; add tomatoes, red onion, pickled jalapeños, 1 tablespoon liquid from jar, and olive oil and toss to blend. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and chill. Add lettuce, avocado, and cilantro to ceviche mixture and toss. Fill taco shells with ceviche mixture. Top each taco with large spoonful of salsa and serve.

For a Meze Platter with Hummus, Shrimp Salad, and Cucumber Salad, go to Page 2.

Meze Platter with Hummus, Shrimp Salad, and Cucumber Salad

Hummus
1 15- to 16-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus additional for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika plus additional for sprinkling

Shrimp, olive, and tomato salad
16 cooked peeled large shrimp with tails left intact
16 unpitted Kalamata olives
1 cup diced seeded tomatoes (about 3 medium)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Cucumber, yogurt, and feta salad

1/2 unpeeled English hothouse cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 cup plain nonfat or low-fat yogurt (preferably Greek-style), whisked to loosen
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 teaspoon dried oregano or mint
1 6-ounce jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained
2 lemons, cut into wedges
4 to 6 pita breads

Preparation
Place 1 tablespoon garbanzo beans in small bowl and reserve for garnish. Combine remaining garbanzo beans, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, cumin, and 1 teaspoon paprika in processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle reserved garbanzo beans over. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before using. Drizzle hummus lightly with oil and sprinkle lightly with paprika shrimp, olive, and tomato salad Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and toss to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate cucumber, yogurt, and feta salad. Arrange cucumber slices on plate; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spoon yogurt over. Sprinkle with feta cheese and oregano. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Place marinated artichokes in small bowl. Arrange bowls of hummus, shrimp salad, and artichokes and plate with cucumber salad on large platter. Garnish with lemon wedges. Toast pita breads in toaster, then cut into wedges. Arrange pita wedges on platter with salads and serve.