“Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.”
–Russell Baker

Some days are so hot it feels as if the Earth is turning on a spit instead of its celestial axis, and we are like chickens going round and round on a rotisserie; slowly being cooked.

For many of us in the Northern Hemisphere, most of such days are in August, the month of last minute vacations and back to school scavenging.

Luckily, the curse of the dog days of Summer is its own reward, an opportunity to move a bit more slowly; to eat luscious ice cream and drink iced sweet tea and lemonade by the gallon without apology, to cook outdoors on the grill and linger over meals with friends, to do the things that really matter.

Below are some recipes for summery salads, soups, beverages, and desserts to make the most of the simple pleasures that Summer brings…enjoy!

• 20 Delicious Recipes For Gourmet Salads Without Mayo

• 14 Gourmet Egg Salad Recipes Perfect for a Party or Picnic

• 10 Refreshing Salad Recipes and Ideas That Won’t Put You to Sleep

• 10 More Refreshing Salad Recipes and Ideas That Won’t Put You To Sleep

• Spicy Asian Chili Garlic Egg Salad Recipe

• Dr. Seuss Inspired Recipe (and Silly Food Poem): Green Eggs and Ham Salad

• Mayo Free Salad Ideas: Mexican Fiesta Salad With Fried Garbanzo Beans Recipe

• Mayo Free Salad Ideas: Quick and Easy Kimchi Macaroni Salad Recipe

• A Trio of Gourmet Cole Slaw Recipes

• Southern Comfort Foods: A Roundup of 11 Delicious Cole Slaw Recipes

• Perfect for a Picnic: Zesty Shallot Deviled Eggs Recipe

• Shrimp, Snow Pea, & Rose Quartz Radish Salad With Blueberry-Tarragon Compound Butter Recipes

• Fish For Friday Recipe: Chef Frank Stitt’s Lowcountry Pickled Shrimp Recipe

• Fish For Friday Recipe: Pasta and Tuna Nicoise Salad

• Fish For Friday Recipe: Spicy Shrimp and Cucumber Salad with Mint, Lemon, and Cumin Recipe

• Sun and Moon Orange and Sweet Onion Salad Recipe

• Southern Peach Scuppernong Salsa Recipe

• Cucumber, Apple, & Spinach Salad With Curried Pecans and Lemony Coriander Dressing Recipe

• Vidalia Onion Summer Salad With Asparagus and Salt Pork Lardons Recipe

• Mayo Free Salad Ideas: Mediterranean Garlic Hummus Potato Salad Recipe (With Macaroni Salad Variation)

• Blissful Red Anjou Pear Potato Salad Recipe

• Read a Cookbook for Free: Antipasti and Tapas By Cornelia Schinharl

• 16 Refreshing Summer Fruit Drink Recipes and Ideas to Help You Cool Off and Quench Your Thirst

• A Roundup of Refreshing and Delicious Iced Sweet Tea Recipes

• 11 Gourmet Ice Cream Milkshake Recipes to Help You Survive the Dog Days of Summer

• Magical Peanut Butter Moon Pie Ice Cream Milkshake Recipe

• Peachy Key Lime Ginger Lassi Recipe

• Chocolate Cherry Cheerwine Ice Cream Soda Recipe

• Strawberry Waffle Ice Cream Milkshake Recipe

• Gazpacho With Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Recipe (Fish For Friday Recipe)

• Cool Down With These Refreshing Chilled Soups for Summer

Don’t Forget Dessert!

• 40 Gourmet Ice Cream Recipes to Celebrate National Ice Cream Month

• How to Make Fried Ice Cream in Honor of National Ice Cream Month

• Creamy Indian Spiced Orzo Pudding Recipe

• Southern Comfort Foods: Low Country Layered Banana Pudding Recipe

Please join us tomorrow to read our newest daily food and cooking feature on HuggingtheCoast.Com, a recipe for Quick and Creamy Three Lettuce Enoki Mushroom Soup.

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• How to Throw a Crawfish Boil, Louisiana Style
• Celebrate the 4th of July With These Wonderful Red, White, and Blue Recipes
• 7 Labor Saving Recipes Perfect for a Labor Day Picnic

(Photo Credit: The Story Logo for This Article was Based on The Pool…So Near, and At the Same Time, So Far… by Blackangel.)