With this hot weather I'm reminded of visiting my Aunt Irene out in the Nevada desert in the 1950s. No air conditioning in their crummy little house and we put a pan of water on the floor with a block of ice in it and blew the fan across it.

Here's some salads I'd be making if I had the ingredients on hand:

Top Ramen Cabbage Salad

(1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed) - optional
1 package chicken and mushroom Top Ramen soup mix
1/2 (large) head cabbage, or 1 small, chopped
2 to 3 stalks green onions, chopped
1 package sliced almonds
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Dressing:
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons sugar
Flavor Packet from soup

Chop the cabbage and green onions to desired size, and toss together. Toast almonds and sesame seeds in a 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes. Toss into cabbage. With hands, break up Top Ramen noodles and sprinkle into cabbage mixture. Add chicken, if desired. Refrigerate. In a small shaker container, mix oil, vinegar, sugar, soup package, and salt and pepper. Shake well and refrigerate for about 1 hour.

==

Sauerkraut salad is very light and refreshing. It keeps several days in the refrigerator so you can make up a big batch and don't have to cook for awhile.

Sauerkraut Salad
1 #2 1/2 can sauerkraut
1 1/2 - 2 cups sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
2 cups chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup pimiento
(1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon chili powder)
(1 tsp dill seed)

Drain and rinse sauerkraut 3 times. Boil sugar and vinegar and cool. Mix all ingredients and pour syrup over mixed vegetables. Refrigerate 24 hours before serving. Will keep several days in the refrigerator.


====

This recipe came from Yankee Magazine. It sounds like a good summer salad recipe because it's so simple. If you're not an olive or onion lover, try the dressing on just tomatoes and see if you like that combination of flavors.

Tomatoes and Ripe Olives in Cumin Salad Dressing
5 tomatoes, cut into slices or wedges
1 cup drained, pitted ripe olives
1 - 2 chopped onions (or green onions might be milder)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Dressing:
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
good dash of turmeric
1 scant teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice

Put all dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake to blend. Pour over vegetables in a shallow dish and refrigerate. Serve cold on a bed of lettuce or a cushion of sprouts.