It's actually hot here in Alaska! We're approaching 80F and the sun, of course, is at its maximum, shining late into the night. Happily, I have plenty of led=ft-over dinner times and won't really have to cook tonight before I go to work. To go with Italian sausage in a simple tomato sauce over pasta and stirfried pork loin with rice, I'll make some cool salads to make dinner more interesting.

QUICK PICKLES

One crisp cucumber, thinly sliced-seeded if not English-type (if a bit limp, slice into cold water and soak for 30 min.)
1/3 white onion, thinly sliced
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Sugar
White vinegar

Layer cucumber and onion in a glass bowl, sprinkling each layer with salt, pepper, and sugar. Let sit 10-30 minutes while preparing dinner. Add 1/3 cup vinegar, or to taste, then add cold water to just cover layers. Refrigerate at least an hour. The salad makes a great addition to sandwiches the next day, too.

MICHIGAN PEA SALAD

3 strips crisply cooked bacon, well-drained and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped green onions, with green tops, or finely chopped red onion
2 cups fresh or frozen petite peas
1 cup cooked macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise (I prefer Miracle Whip lowfat)
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (can use low-fat)

Combine all, except cheese,in a glass bowl, mixing gently. Add pepper if desired. Chill 2 hours. Transfer to a lettuce lined bowl to serve, sprinkling cheese on top.

TOMATOES AND BASIL

3 large sliced tomatoes
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt, freshly ground pepper
Torn basil, fresh rosemary, snipped chives

Place tomatoes on large chilled platter. Top with herbs to taste. Whisk together vinegar and oil, add salt and pepper. Drizzle over tomatoes. Serve immediately or chill, but no more than an hour or tomatoes start exuding water and become less than optimal.

The last two recipes are adapted from Prairie Home Cooking with some small changes.