More easy summer recipes for right now

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More fun, less drudgery. That’s my goal for the summer — and specifically for my summer cooking. In my dreams, I’m whisking together a vinaigrette in a seaside cottage with a big breezy kitchen and a farm stand down the road (think Diane Keaton’s place in “Something’s Gotta Give”). While that’s not the reality for most of us — myself included — you can still welcome that relaxed sensibility in the recipes you cook and how you cook them (barefoot, good music playing, windows thrown open — or the air conditioning on full blast).

We’ve rounded up some of our most delightful summer salads, desserts, easy dinners, grilling and no-cook recipes that will excite, not exhaust, you. The vast majority — with the exception of the desserts, which take about an hour — can be made in 30 minutes or less. (No kidding!) Quite a few travel well and taste great at practically any temperature, making them perfect for picnics. But since summer can look a lot like the rest of the year, with more sweat and sunblock, all are the kinds of dishes you can throw together on a busy weeknight when the kids are worn out from day camp and the traffic was hellish.

Grilled Harissa Shrimp

Harissa paste is a spicy North African condiment that is typically made from some combination of red chiles or peppers, garlic and a slew of fragrant spices, often including coriander and cumin. Here the paste is used alongside a bit of honey and lemon as a quick marinade for grilled shrimp. Prepared harissa varies quite a bit from brand to brand in its heat level, but this dish is meant to be punchy and spicy. Serve the grilled shrimp with rice or flatbread, or on top of a crunchy salad, and you’ll have an easy dinner sorted. Make sure that your grilling area is very well ventilated, as the paste will get quite smoky once it hits the hot grates.

By Yossy Arefi

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Total time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup harissa paste

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving

1 tablespoon olive oil

Kosher salt

1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp

Bamboo skewers

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine the harissa, honey, lemon juice, olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Let the shrimp marinate while you heat the grill (or grill pan) to medium-high. (If grilling indoors, you may want to open windows and make sure your space is very well ventilated, as the grilled shrimp might get quite smoky.)

2. Thread the shrimp on bamboo skewers while making sure to poke the skewer through the thick end and the tail. Alternate with tomatoes, if using.

3. Grill the shrimp until lightly charred and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Serve the shrimp with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.

Tajín Grilled Chicken

Tajín is a Mexican seasoning made from dried, ground red chiles, sea salt and dehydrated lime juice. It is great sprinkled over fresh cut fruit like mango and pineapple or rimmed on an ice cold margarita. But it is also an easy way to add chile and lime to your favorite grilled meats, rubs or sauces. In this dish, the lime in the Tajín balances out the sweetness from the agave syrup, while the red chiles complement the smoky flavor of the chipotles. Serve the chicken as is or on toasted hamburger buns with a schmear of mayonnaise, chopped grilled scallions, cilantro leaves and sliced pickled jalapeños. This Tajín sauce also would pair well with grilled bass, cod or salmon, or with shrimp skewers.

By Rick A. Martinez

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Vegetable oil, for the grill

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)

Sea salt (or kosher salt)

1/2 cup light agave syrup or honey

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

3 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped, plus 1/4 cup adobo sauce

6 garlic cloves, finely grated

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Tajín Clásico

8 scallions, root ends trimmed

1/2 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare a grill for medium-high, direct heat; clean the grates well, then brush them with vegetable oil. Alternatively, heat a grill pan on medium-high and brush the pan with oil.

2. Arrange the chicken on a sheet tray and generously season both sides with salt. Whisk together the agave syrup, orange juice, orange zest, chipotles, adobo, garlic, olive oil and Tajín in a medium bowl.

3. Brush both sides of the chicken with the Tajín sauce. Grill the chicken, turning and basting often with the Tajín sauce, until cooked through, charred but brick red and glazed, 7 to 9 minutes. Grill the scallions, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on all sides, about 5 minutes.

4. Serve the chicken with the grilled scallions, topped with cilantro.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken Tacos

These quick tacos use leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken, and have a satisfying crispy cheddar frico called a costra (crust) that is common both in taquerias in the northern half of Mexico and in the southwestern United States. In some taquerias, you can order a taco using only the costra as the shell without a tortilla. In this recipe, the tortilla and costra are layered together to wrap a simple but delicious shredded chicken and chipotle filling.

By Rick A. Martínez

Yield: 8 tacos

Total time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced (lengthwise, from root to stem end)

1 cup hot water (tap water is fine)

Salt

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken, warmed

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce

6 ounces medium cheddar, Monterey Jack or queso Chihuahua, grated

8 (6-inch) corn tortillas

Sliced avocado, salsa and lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Set an oven rack in the middle position; heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, stir the onion, hot water and 1 teaspoon salt until the salt has dissolved. Let sit for 5 minutes. This will soften the onion and lessen any bitter or harsh flavors. Rinse the onion under cold water and drain. In the same bowl, toss the onion with the oregano, lime juice, orange juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt; reserve.

3. In a separate bowl, quickly toss together the chicken, peppers and adobo sauce, making sure the chicken is completely coated. Season with salt. Cover and keep warm.

4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat (do not use foil or the cheese might stick). Arrange cheese in 8 equal mounds on the prepared baking sheet. Spread each mound evenly to about 3 inches wide, and space at least 1 inch apart. Bake until the cheese is bubbly and deep golden brown in spots and around the edges, about 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and place 1 tortilla over each cheese crust and return to the oven to heat the tortillas, about 2 minutes.

5. Use tongs to carefully remove each tortilla with its costra, flipping each one onto a plate so that the cheese is facing up. Top with chicken, onions, avocado, salsa and a squeeze of lime.

Pizza Salad

For pizza in salad form, this recipe tosses a crisp and briny mix of romaine lettuce, pepperoncini, black olives and red onion in a fresh, grated tomato vinaigrette. Spicy pepperoni strips are sizzled until crisp; their zesty fat gets sopped up by toasty breadcrumbs that are spiked with the classic New York slice flavors (oregano, garlic and red-pepper flakes). (You can make a big batch of these crumbs, store them in the fridge and use them to top pasta, eggs, roasted veggies and anything else you want to take to pizza town.) This salad is showered with the salty pepperoni crumbs, offset by mozzarella morsels running throughout.

By Sohla El-Waylly

Yield: 2 big salads or 4 side salads

Total time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 ounces pepperoni slices (pork, turkey or plant-based), cut into thin strips (see Tip)

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

Salt

Red-pepper flakes

1 beefsteak tomato

1 tablespoon pepperoncini brine, plus more to taste

Granulated sugar (if needed)

1 large head romaine lettuce, roughly chopped

1/3 cup sliced pepperoncini, drained

1/3 cup sliced black olives

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

4 ounces fresh mozzarella

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the pepperoni and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the pepperoni is rendered and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the pepperoni to a plate.

2. Return the skillet with the fat to medium-low heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until browned and toasty, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the garlic powder, then the oregano, crumbling it between your fingers as you sprinkle it over the mixture. Add the pepperoni bits, scraping in any fat clinging to the plate, and stir until evenly combined. Season with salt and red-pepper flakes to taste.

3. On the large holes of a box grater, grate the tomato into a large bowl, discarding the remaining skin. Whisk in the pepperoncini brine and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add salt, sugar and more brine to taste. Add the romaine, pepperoncini, olives and red onion; toss to combine.

4. Divide the salad among plates, pouring over any dressing remaining in the bowl. Tear mozzarella and divide over salad. Top with the pepperoni breadcrumbs and serve right away.

Tip: If using turkey pepperoni, increase the olive oil you use to cook the pepperoni to 3 tablespoons. If using a plant-based substitute, increase the initial oil to 4 tablespoons.

Gochujang Caramel Cookies

Gochujang, the fermented Korean chile paste, offers intrigue in this otherwise classic chewy sugar cookie. A gentle amount of ground cinnamon lends snickerdoodle vibes, and the dough is raked through with ripples of clay-red gochujang “caramel,” in which brown sugar and butter mellow the chile’s heat. Mixing this dough by hand is highly recommended for the most defined crinkles and the chewiest texture.

By Eric Kim

Yield: About 8 large cookies

Total time: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons)/115 grams unsalted butter, very soft

2 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 heaping tablespoon gochujang

1 cup/200 grams granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 cups/185 grams all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon butter, the brown sugar and gochujang until smooth. Set aside for later, at room temperature.

2. In a large bowl, by hand, whisk together the remaining 7 tablespoons butter, the granulated sugar, egg, salt, cinnamon and vanilla until smooth, about 1 minute. Switch to a flexible spatula and stir in the baking soda. Add the flour and gently stir to combine. Place this large bowl in the refrigerator until the dough is less sticky but still soft and pliable, 15 to 20 minutes.

3. While the dough is chilling, heat the oven to 350 degrees and line 2 large sheet pans with parchment.

4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. In 3 to 4 separately spaced out blobs, spoon the gochujang mixture over the cookie dough. Moving in long circular strokes, swirl the gochujang mixture into the cookie dough so you have streaks of orange-red rippled throughout the beige. Be sure not to overmix at this stage, as you want wide, distinct strips of gochujang.

5. Use an ice cream scoop to plop out 1/4-cup rounds spaced at least 3 inches apart on the sheet pans. (You should get 4 to 5 cookies per pan.) Bake until lightly golden at the edges and dry and set in the center, 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Let cool completely on the sheet pan; the cookies will flatten slightly and continue cooking as they cool. The cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Spicy Corn and Shishito Salad

In this recipe, shishito peppers are sliced, lightly sautéed, then tossed with raw summer corn and a cumin-lime vinaigrette for a summer salad that’s crunchy, smoky and a little spicy. Traditionally used in Japanese and Korean cooking, shishitos are small, thin-skinned green peppers that have become increasingly popular in the United States. They are typically mild in flavor, but the occasional pepper packs a spicy punch. If you can’t find them, use diced green bell peppers in their place. Finally, cilantro-averse cooks can substitute fresh mint.

By Lidey Heuck

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt

1/3 cup diced red onion

1 garlic clove, minced

3 cups fresh corn kernels (from 4 to 6 ears of corn)

6 ounces shishito peppers, stemmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, or green bell peppers, stemmed and diced

1 large jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, diced

1/4 cup grated Cotija or crumbled feta cheese (optional), or to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons olive oil with the lime juice, cumin and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Stir in the red onion and garlic and set aside until ready to use. (Do this step first so the onions and garlic have time to mellow slightly in the dressing.)

2. Place the corn kernels in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium (10-inch) saute pan, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the shishitos, jalapeño and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are tender and beginning to brown, 4 to 6 minutes.

3. Add the peppers and dressing to the bowl with the corn and toss well. Add the cheese, if using, and toss. Garnish with cilantro.

Chez Panisse’s Blueberry Cobbler

This cobbler, which comes from the kitchens of Chez Panisse, prizes the berries above all, using only 1/3 cup of sugar. The dough rounds for the top are placed so they don’t cover all the berries, and the juice from the berries bubbles up around the dough.

Recipe from Lindsey Remolif Shere

Adapted by Molly O’Neill

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the berries:

4 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

For the dough:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

3/4 cup heavy cream, plus additional for serving, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. To prepare the berries, place in a bowl and toss with the sugar and flour. Set aside.

2. To make the dough, mix the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Cut in the butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cream and mix lightly, just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

3. Put the blueberries in a 1 1/2-quart gratin or baking dish. Make patties out of the dough, 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/2-inch thick. Arrange them over the top of the berries. Bake until the topping is brown and the juices bubble thickly around it, about 35 to 40 minutes.

4. Let cool slightly. Serve warm, with cream to pour on top, if desired.

Sheet-Pan Baked Feta With Broccolini, Tomatoes and Lemon

Sheet-pan baked feta with broccolini, tomatoes and lemon, a fan-favorite recipe from Yasmin Fahr that is both virtuous (all those veggies) and tasty, in New York, June 14, 2020. Food stylist: Barrett Washburne (Bryan Gardner/The New York Times)

When baked, feta gains an almost creamy texture, similar to goat cheese, but with feta’s characteristic tang. In this easy vegetarian sheet-pan dinner, Broccolini (or broccoli), grape tomatoes and lemon slices roast alongside the feta until the Broccolini crisp, the tomatoes burst and the lemon rinds soften. (Remember, Broccolini has a tender, delicious stalk, so only the bottom 1/2-inch needs to be trimmed.) Serve this dish over a pile of orzo for a complete meal. If you like, cut the Broccolini, feta and lemon into bite-size pieces and toss with the orzo.

By Yasmin Fahr

Yield: 4 servings

Total time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch Broccolini, ends trimmed, thick stalks split lengthwise, or broccoli, stalks trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (about 2 cups)

1 small red onion, peeled, quartered and cut into 2-inch wedges

1 lemon, 1/2 cut into thin rounds and the remaining 1/2 left intact, for serving

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 (6- to 8-ounce) blocks feta, cut into 1-inch slices

Cooked orzo or farro, for serving

1/2 cup fresh basil or cilantro leaves and fine stems, roughly chopped (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack set in the lower third. On a sheet pan, combine the Broccolini, tomatoes, onion and lemon slices with the olive oil and toss. Add cumin and red-pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper, and toss again until evenly coated. Nestle the feta slices into the vegetables. (It’s OK if they break apart a little.)

2. Roast 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway through but leaving the feta in place, until the Broccolini is charred at the tips, the stems are easily pierced with a fork and the tomato skins start to blister and break down.

3. Serve over orzo or farro. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with the remaining lemon half for squeezing. Top with fresh herbs, if using.

White Bean Hummus With Tahini and Coriander

Coriander seeds add a welcome aroma to this white bean dip, rich with tahini and bright with lemon juice. The miso paste is optional, but it gives the mellow white beans a nice savory depth.

By Genevieve Ko

Yield: 2 1/4 cups

Total time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 garlic clove

1 (15-ounce) can white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup tahini

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

2 teaspoons coriander seeds, coarsely ground, or 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons white miso paste (optional)

Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Pulse the garlic in a food processor until minced.

2. Scrape the bowl and add the beans, tahini, lemon juice, coriander, miso (if using) and 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. With the machine running, add the olive oil. Season to taste with salt.

Tip: The dip will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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Lisa Jarvis: Boys need the HPV cancer vaccine as much as girls

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What if I told you that there was a cancer vaccine that could potentially spare your child not one, but six kinds of cancer? You’d jump at the chance, right?

That already vaccine exists — it’s the shot for human papillomavirus, an extremely common sexually transmitted infection that can cause multiple types of cancers. Each year, HPV causes over 21,000 cases of cancer in women and 16,000 cases of cancer in men.

But despite evidence of the vaccine’s efficacy, many parents continue to eye it with suspicion. The roots of their fears are complex, and doctors need to play a bigger role in alleviating them.

The narrative around HPV vaccinations has typically centered on their ability to prevent cervical cancer in women. But a new study, presented last weekend at a major cancer meeting, reinforces the notion that these shots directly benefit men, too.

Researchers examined the electronic health records of people who were or were not vaccinated against HPV between 2010 and 2023 and found vaccination lowered men’s risk of developing any HPV-related cancer by 54%, while their head and neck cancer risk fell by 56%.

Unfortunately, numbers alone don’t change minds. But trusted health care providers can. And every new piece of evidence ought to help doctors convince parents of the benefits of vaccination — for both girls and boys.

We’ve long known of the benefits of these shots in girls. Enough time has passed since their introduction to show they can practically wipe out cervical cancer. They work so well that Australia believes it can eliminate the disease by 2035. And last year, data from Scotland found no cancer cases — that’s right, zero — among women who had been vaccinated when they were 12 or 13 years old.

But HPV doesn’t only cause cervical cancer. It’s the culprit behind most penile, anal, vaginal and vulvar cancers, as well as a growing number of head and neck tumors. Incidence of oral cancers have now surpassed the number of cervical cancers — and most of those cases are in men. And while overall cancer deaths in the U.S. have been on a steady decline, the mortality rate for HPV-associated oral cancers has continued to rise by 2% per year.

That’s a sobering message for parents of boys. In 2022, just 35% of boys between the ages of 9 and 17 had received at least one HPV vaccine dose.

It’s also a wake-up call for pediatricians. Conversations about vaccine hesitancy tend to focus on parents’ attitudes, but it’s worth asking whether progress also is being held back by physician hesitancy — to the vaccine itself or simply a reluctance to bring up a vaccine related to sexually transmitted infections.

A ton of research has been done to pinpoint the reasons vaccine uptake has stalled at just over 60% among all teens — well below the U.S. government’s target of achieving an 80% HPV vaccination rate among teens by 2030. The studies find a few common themes, including ongoing worries over the safety of the shots (despite more than 500 million people around the world having been safely vaccinated against HPV) or claiming their child isn’t sexually active so doesn’t need it.

But in surveys probing hesitancy, parents also regularly cite a lack of knowledge or lack of a recommendation about the vaccine as a factor in their decision to opt out of it. It seems many pediatricians aren’t recommending the vaccine or offering enough education about its benefits.

More conviction would help. A strong health care provider recommendation “is the single most important predictor right now of whether or not someone was vaccinated,” says Heather Brandt, Director, HPV Cancer Prevention Program at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

In Mississippi, the state with the worst HPV vaccination track record in the country, a group of community stakeholders is working under the coordination of a broader American Cancer Society-led effort to get more shots in arms. A big part of that push involves providing pediatricians with a template for how to broach the topic of vaccination and respond to parents’ concerns. That might sound very basic, but clearly pediatricians and their staff need it.

Mississippi also is training dentists and OB-GYNs to have those conversations, too. The rising rate of HPV-related oral cancers gives dentists a natural opening to talk about the benefits of prevention when they are doing an exam, says Amy Ellis, associate director of state partnerships at the ACS.

Those conversations also need to begin earlier. Kids benefit most from vaccination by the age of 13, but the first shot can be given as young as 9. A parent might not be receptive during that initial chat, but opening the dialogue at 9 gives a longer window to draw them in. “It might take several conversations, but not talking about it at all is a missed opportunity,” said Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters, a head and neck surgeon at Duke University School of Medicine, who studies HPV vaccine hesitancy.

Yet there are some frustrating technical barriers to shifting shots earlier in childhood. When a child has their annual check-up, their provider pulls up the state-level immunization recommendations — and in nearly every state, the HPV vaccine doesn’t make that list until age 11. In 2023, Washington State lowered the age to 9, and other states should follow suit.

Doctors have a lot on their plates, and of course many other factors — including access to a doctor, particularly in rural communities or among those without health insurance — influence vaccine attitudes. But health care providers are in the best position to convince parents that these life-saving shots are worthwhile.

Lisa Jarvis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering biotech, health care and the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, she was executive editor of Chemical & Engineering News.

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Napheesa Collier scores 25 points, Cheryl Reeve gets win No. 307 and the Lynx beat the Sparks 86-62

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Lexie Brown (4) of Los Angeles controls the ball against Bridget Carleton #6 of the Minnesota Lynx at Crypto.com Arena on June 5, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Ronald Martinez/Getty)

Napheesa Collier had 25 points and nine rebounds, and the Minnesota Lynx eased by the Los Angeles Sparks 86-62 on Wednesday night for coach Cheryl Reeve’s 307th regular-season victory.

Reeve moved past Bill Laimbeer (306) for second on the WNBA list, trailing just Mike Thibault with 379.

Collier scored 11 points in the first quarter to help Minnesota build a 27-12 lead. The Lynx led 45-26 at the break as Los Angeles made just 10 of 44 shots from the field (23%).

Kayla McBride scored eight straight Minnesota points in the third quarter to make it 58-34 before the Lynx extended it to a 28-point advantage less than a minute later. Collier banked in a jumper just before the shot clock for a 70-56 lead with 6:01 left.

Bridget Carleton added 15 points, hitting all four of her 3-point attempts, and McBride finished with 13 points for Minnesota (7-2).

Dearica Hamby had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Los Angeles (2-7). Rookie Cameron Brink fouled out at the 2:24 mark of the fourth quarter with two points and two blocks. Brink was named to the U.S. Olympic 3×3 team earlier in the day.

Rae Burrell, the No. 9 overall selection in the 2022 draft, set season-highs with nine points and 22 minutes.

The Sparks were just 4 of 28 (14%) from 3-point range and 18 of 18 at the free-throw line.

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Brooks Lee happy to be back with Saints, ready to keep fighting back issues

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Wednesday night marked the return to action for first time this season for Brooks Lee, the consensus No. 2 prospect in Twins organization. The former first-round pick looked like he hadn’t missed a beat in helping the Saints to a  5-1 win over the Syracuse Mets at CHS Field.

Lee missed the first 56 games of the season after sustaining a herniated disc in his lower back near the end of spring training. He rejoins the Saints after a 10-game rehab assignment split between the Florida Coast League Twins and Class-A Fort Myers, where he hit .395 with 5 RBI.

Batting in the cleanup spot and playing shortstop, Lee broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth inning with an RBI single to left. It proved to be the game-winning hit.

Lee also made a standout play in the field, going into the hole at shortstop to take a hit away in the fourth inning.

“Just happy,” he said when asked how it felt to be back on the field. “Luckily, I got a hit and made a few plays, but just enjoying being with my teammates again. That love for the game never goes away, because it has been taken away from me so many times. So, no matter how I’m playing, just grateful to be on the field.”

Lee said he has dealt with back issues dating back to high school, when he missed his entire sophomore season.

“I’ve been dealing with the same thing — same pain, same flare-ups,” he said. “It feels like I have been trying to find that magic bullet and I haven’t found it yet. I don’t know if there is one; maybe a culmination of a bunch of different things.

“We’ll see if I ever figure it out. It will be a challenge, but I’m ready to take that on.”

Playing through pain has been the norm for Lee throughout his competitive baseball career. But this one proved too painful.

“It hadn’t been that bad in a long time,” he said.

Now that he’s back, Lee will have to continue to do pre- and postgame exercises to strengthen the back and keep it loose, but he said the key will not trying to do too much.

“I know I work hard, but not do too many reps of ground balls, early work or hitting before the game,” he said. “Making sure I’m ready for the game but not doing too much. That’s going to be a hard thing for me to do because I like to work through things.”

The Saints (25-31) have struggled offensively through the first two months of the season, but the return of Lee is but one reason to suggest that things could be looking up in that regard. The addition of Edouard Julien, who was sent down by the Twins on Tuesday, should provide a spark at the top of the order.

It did on Wednesday. Julien batted in the leadoff spot and hit a home run on the first pitch he faced. He nearly had a second homer in the sixth, flying out to the fence in left field.

Matt Wallner had a single in three at-bats to go along with a walk. He came into the game with seven hits in his previous 24 at-bats. All seven hits were for extra bases — three doubles and four home runs.

However, the Saints will be without outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. during the current homestand. He has been placed on the 7-day injured list due to a left calf strain. Keirsey Jr. leads the team with a .302 batting average, 43 RBI and 16 stolen bases.

Briefly

Michael Helman followed Lee’s RBI single in the sixth with a three-run home run.

Louie Varland is scheduled to start Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader.

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