For many people, Labor Day is the last cookout of the summer. Whether you are planning food for a single day or a long weekend, we have you covered with plenty of things you can make for your last hurrah of summer.
Sides and Salads
Potato salad can be deemed an essential side for a proper cookout or barbecue. While this salad may be purchased from a deli or grocery store, making your own can result in better tasting salad and more economical. Potato salad starts at about 3.99 per pound and a deli coleslaw like ours could cost upwards of $6.00 per pound. Based upon the potato salad made by longtime Grosse Pointe Park establishment Mulier’s Market.
Coleslaw
Coleslaw is another cookout essential. Eaten as a side salad or piled on a sandwich, such as our BBQ Pork Sandwich, our deli coleslaw will fit the bill. Our Coleslaw is made with homemade dressing made using a dressing with apple cider vinegar, it is made using a variety of freshly sliced cabbage, carrots and peppers for a creamy and flavorful salad for your weekend gathering.
Creamy Cucumber Salad
My creamy cucumber salad is something my mother has been making as long as I can remember. This recipe was my grandmother’s and my mom began making it after she married my dad. For uniformly thin slices of cucumber, I use a mandoline, then salt the slices in a bowl, allowing some of the juice to be released. Skipping this step could result in a very soupy dressing over the cucumber slices. The dressing is made from mayonnaise or Miracle Whip, vinegar and milk and the cucumbers are tossed in the dressing with thinly sliced onions.
Get the recipe here Creamy Cucumber Salad
Broccolli Salad
Our potluck broccoli salad provides a nutritious green vegetable tossed with onion, dried cherries, sunflower kernels and slaw dressing for a crowd pleasing dish.
Get the recipe here Potluck Broccoli Salad.
Summer Tomato Basil Pasta
Using my freshly grown tomatoes and basil is a summer priority. I have been making this velvety Summer Tomato Basil Pasta for nearly 30 years, which has allowed me to improve the recipe over time. While I started by using a standard brie cheese, I now use a double or triple cream brie to improve the creamy quality of the sauce. When the weather is warm, I cover the dish containing the brie, tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper and place it in the sun for the flavors to meld for at least two hours. If the weather does not cooperate, I heat the oven to 170 degrees and place an oven safe bowl with the same ingredients inside for an hour or more, before adding the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese.
Get the Recipe Here Summer Tomato Basil Pasta
Authentic Lebanese Hummus
Homemade hummus is a quick and easy appetizer which may be served with pita chips, carrot sticks or sliced cucumbers. This hummus can be whipped up in a matter of minutes in a food processor. It may be made in advance and refrigerated before being spread on a plate and dressed up with olive oil, paprika, freshly chopped parsley or toasted pinenuts.
Get the recipe here Authetic Lebanese Hummus
Pimento Cheese Spread
Pimento Cheese Spread is a longtime southern dish, which is an appetizer or sandwich filling. Our recipe is adapted from the recipe shared by the family of the late first lady Rosalynn Carter. The spread is flavorful and spreads easily at room temperature on crackers.
Get the recipe here Pimento Cheese Spread.
Caprese Appetizers
Freshly grown cherry tomatoes are plentiful as summer ends. We love to use them for Caprese appetizers, easily put together using fresh tomatoes and basil with fresh mozzarella cubes or small balls drizzled with a balsamic glaze.
Get the recipe here. Caprese Skewers.
Picnic Entrees
Barbecued Pork Sandwiches
Feeding a crowd can be a daunting task on holidays. Using a crockpot can help reduce the amount of effort expended to make a main course. A three to five pound seasoned pork shoulder can be made into barbecue pork sandwiches in a number of hours without attending to making the dish until the cooking process is complete.
Get the recipe here BBQ Pork Sandwiches
Jimmy Schmidt’s Rattlesnake Ribs
Babyback Ribs make an excellent entrée for a cookout. To reduce the amount of preparation, I will braise the ribs in batches and then refrigerate or freeze the ribs in advance, so they will be ready for the day of grilling. Braising the ribs tenderizes and seasons them, then the ribs are ready to be slathered in barbecue sauce and grilled before they are served.
Get the recipe here Rattlesnake Ribs
Burgers on the Grill
Properly seasoned hamburgers and cheeseburgers are a great choice for feeding a crowd. To elevate the burgers’ flavor, you can prepare a Tomato Chutney Aioli for guests to add to their burger.
Get the recipe here Grilled Burgers with Tomato Chutney Aioli.
Desserts
Quick and Easy Brownies
Our quick and easy brownies are made from scratch, baked and served in less than 30 minutes. Mix up the ingredients you may have in your pantry then bake before cutting into squares and serving.
Get the recipe here Quick and Easy Brownies
Fragrant Carrot Cake
Our rich and tasty carrot cake is made in a sheet cake plan and serves up to 15 people. Topped with a cream cheese frosting, the cake will be gone before you can go back for seconds.
Get the Recipe here Sheet Pan Carrot Cake