July was one of the hottest, most humid months in memory. But that didn’t stop our readers from cooking up a storm. Among the 10 most downloaded recipes from our California cookbook database were two mac ‘n’ cheese dishes, a French onion soup and meatloaf. Hope you all served some very cold beer with all that.

And a roasted potato salad led the way. Test Kitchen Director Noelle Carter’s spin on the American classic is built on potatoes that have been roasted for an hour in a 375-degree oven. It’s then dressed with red onion, mustard, vinegar and bacon. Lots of bacon. A full pound. No wonder everyone loved it.

Following right behind the potato salad was another salad, this one made with quickly cooked Israeli couscous garnished with cucumbers, tomatoes, jalapeños and feta cheese.

Those two mac ‘n’ cheese dishes? The one titled Really the Best Ever Mac ‘n’ Cheese edged out the less hyperbolic Queen and Diva’s. Maybe it really is the best.

Rounding out the July Top 10: the popular beer can chicken, an old-fashioned aioli made in a mortar and pestle, ice cream made with beer, an unironic meatloaf from Ed Debevic’s, a classic French onion soup, and a quickly made spaghetti dressed with pecorino cheese and lots of black pepper.

If you haven’t tried Carter’s potato salad, now’s your chance:

Roasted potato salad

4 pounds new or fingerling potatoes, cleaned and halved lengthwise

3/4 teaspoon chopped garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound thick-cut bacon

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons whole grain mustard, or to taste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, or to taste

1/2 red onion, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into 1/8 -inch slices

1/4 cup capers

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the garlic, olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper. Place the potatoes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast the potatoes until golden brown and tender, about 1 hour, tossing occasionally. Remove and cool.

2. While the potatoes are roasting, cut the bacon crosswise into one-fourth-inch pieces. Cook the bacon in a large saute pan over medium heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 15 minutes. Stir frequently, watching that the bacon does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and drain the bacon on a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the grease for another use.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard and red wine vinegar. Season with one-half teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Taste and adjust mustard, vinegar and seasoning if desired.

4. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes and bacon with the sliced onion. Gently stir in enough dressing to coat, then stir in the capers. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired.

5. Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. The salad will keep for 3 days, refrigerated. Allow the salad to warm slightly at room temperature before serving.

Each of 10 servings:

420 calories; 11 grams protein; 34 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 28 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 29 mg. cholesterol; 696 mg. sodium.

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