Labor Day 2016 is upon us, which means many people around the country are getting together with friends and family for fabulous Labor Day celebrations.
When having people over this September 5th—a party for two or 20—remember it’s always a good idea to have some delicious food on hand.
You could make simple sandwiches or go for a more traditional barbecue. If the whole gang is coming to hang out, consider whipping up a few items from each of these classic food groups for your Labor Day party.
Sandwiches
Who doesn’t love sandwiches? A sandwich is a delicious and easy meal-in-one, and the filling ideas are endless. And if you don’t eat bread, or some of your guests have eliminated it from their diets, lettuce is a great substitute. If you want to get really creative, try grilled eggplant for a colorful twist.
Chicken Salad
Chicken salad sandwiches are extremely popular and so easy to make, and because of its texture, the salad can easily be wrapped into lettuce or spinach for little chicken “burritos” as a bread-free alternative.
A basic chicken salad recipe is easy. Cook up some chicken, let it cool, then chop it up into small pieces. If you have a food processor and want a creamier texture, dump all of the following ingredients in there and then pulse until it reaches a consistency you like. Feel free to remove what you don’t like.
Ingredients:
- Chicken breast, chopped
- Celery
- Onion
- Mayonnaise
- Mustard
- Salt
- Pepper
This is a traditional, basic recipe. From there you can add other ingredients such as apple or curry powder for a bit of flare. If adding curry powder, a tiny hint of sweetness is another good addition, so either gives it a little pinch of sugar or mix in some mango chutney at the end. You’ll be delighted by how well the flavors blend.
For a chunkier sandwich with some real crunch, you can add chopped grapes, apples, walnuts, and celery, leaving the pieces bite sized. You could also swap out the chicken for turkey.
Salads
Salads are a great addition to any barbecue. Try a seven-layer salad at your Labor Day gathering and see how impressed guests will be that you went out of your way with this out-of-the-ordinary dish.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/7-layer-pasta-salad-recipe.html
And what’s a barbecue without potato salad? You can’t get any more classic than that. There are dozens of ways to make this salad, but go with an American style potato salad to keep it simple and traditional. This can be made a day or two ahead of the event, and will actually taste better after some time in the fridge.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/american-style-potato-salad-recipe2.html
Dessert
And no party is complete without a Labor Day recipe for dessert. Have ice cream on hand for those who want something cold and creamy, but also have a couple of fun options available.
Cobbler is a classic dessert for summer because it calls for fresh, seasonal fruit. Berries are typically still available in September so try this delicious berry cobbler recipe. Enjoy!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fresh-blackberry-crisp-recipe.html
