My Family Dinners has been cooking up great food for the
In hopes of serving you better, we will occasionally post recipes for vegetables, sides, desserts and sauces on our website. Enjoy!
Labor Day Grillin’ Recipes
Keep it simple this Labor Day with an easy grilled chicken or some DELECTABLE burgers. For those who like more of a challenge – I’m also including my favorite RIBS. Throw some corn on the cob onto the grill while you’re cooking. Yum!
Honey Asian Chicken
Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
¼ C. soy sauce
1 TBSP fresh ginger, chopped
1 TBSP minced garlic
1 TBSP sesame oil
¼ C. honey
Combine all ingredients in a gallon freezer bag. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. May marinate overnight if desired. Cook chicken on grill over medium high heat for about 7 minutes each side, basting frequently with marinade.
Bayou Burgers
Spice up your Labor Day meal with these tangy burgers. Remember, when making burgers, an extra lean meat is likely to mean an extra tough burger. I prefer to use a 80/20 mix.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef
1 andouille sausage (about 3 oz.)
½ C. chopped onion
1 TBSP. minced garlic
¼ C. eggbeater
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. thyme
½ tsp. basil
black pepper to taste
Combine ingredients and mix well. Pat out burgers and grill over medium heat for about 5 minutes each side. Spicy and delicious! Makes 5-6 burgers.
Bar-B-Que Pork Ribs
Ingredients:
3-4 lb. rack pork spareribs
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Creole seasoning
1 TBSP black pepper
1 ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Basting Sauce:
1 C. red wine vinegar
½ C. white wine
1/3 C. Ketchup
1/8 C. Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 C. brown sugar
1/8 C. mustard
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
½ C. water
Serving Sauce:
1/3 C. brown sugar
1 C. ketchup
2 tsp. mustard
2 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. soy sauce
½ tsp. nutmeg
dash
In small bowl, combine:
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Creole seasoning
1 TBSP black pepper
1 ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Rub on slab of pork ribs. Prepare grill by piling charcoal on 1 side of grill. Place ribs on empty side of grill and cook over medium-low heat (275-325), covered with grill lid for 3-4 hours. Prepare basting sauce and warm on stove top or grill. Baste ribs often with sauce and turn them at least every hour. The longer the ribs cook, the more tender they will be. Prepare serving sauce. Heat serving sauce on stove and serve with cooked ribs.
Grilled Rainbow Peppers
Ingredients:
Multi-colored sweet bell peppers
3 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP balsamic vinegar
Feta cheese
Fresh basil leaves
Salt
Pepper
Quarter bell peppers and remove seeds. Coat lightly with olive oil, or spray with cooking oil. Grill peppers for about 5 minutes each side or until tender. Arrange on a serving platter. Combine 3 TBSP olive oil and 2 TBSP balsamic vinegar and whish well. Drizzle over peppers. Sprinkle with feta cheese, fresh basil, salt and pepper.
Grilled Squash with Pesto
Ingredients:
Pesto
Summer squash (and/or zucchini), cut lengthwise
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Lightly coat squash with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over med heat for about 4 minutes each side. Serve topped with a small amount of pesto.
Grilled
Ingredients:
¾ C. orange marmalade
3 TBSP soy sauce
3 TBSP lemon juice
1 ½ TBSP minced fresh ginger
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Combine first 4 ingredients and pour over chicken in gallon Ziploc bag. At this point, you may freeze the chicken to prepare later. To cook chicken: Remove from marinade and grill, covered, over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes each side or until done. Delicious served over a lettuce mix with strawberries, mandarin oranges and raspberries.
Tomato Stackers
Ingredients:
Olive oil
Salt
1 med. eggplant (cut into 6 rounds, about 1/2 “ thick)
6 tsp. prepared pesto
2 large tomatoes, each cut into about 3 thick slices
4 oz. fresh mozzarella round, cut into 6 slices
6 fresh basil leaves
Sprinkle eggplant slices with salt, and brush with olive oil. Grill slices over medium heat about 5 minutes each side. Place eggplant slices on platter. Top each slice with 1 tsp. pesto, 1 slice tomato, 1 slice mozzarella, 1 basil leaf. Drizzle a small amount of Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette onto each stack. Garnish platter with basil and serve.
Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette
Ingredients:
½ C. Balsamic Vinegar
¾ C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Mix well with wire whisk – or shake up well in a plastic squeeze bottle. Use good quality brands vinegar and olive oil for best results. For added flavor, add spices such as salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, thyme, basil, etc. Sweeten with a small amount of honey if desired.
I usually keep the basic recipe in the refrigerator and use it for most things. . . But add to it if I’m trying to “dress it up.”
Greek Tomato Salad
Ingredients (Dressing):
1/4 C. red wine vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ C. extra virgin olive oil
Whisk ingredients together. Set aside
Ingredients (Salad):
2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 cucumber, cut into chunks
1 C. pitted Kalamata olives
1/3 C. thinly sliced red onion
5 oz. crumbled feta cheese
Mix ingredients. Add dressing and toss. Refrigerate several hours before serving.
Peach Crisp
Ingredients:
8 Cups peach slices
1½ sticks butter
1 Cup flour
1½ Cups brown sugar
1½ Cups oatmeal
2 tsp. cinnamon
In large casserole dish place:
8 Cups peach slices
Combine in food processor:
1½ sticks butter
1 Cup flour
1½ Cups brown sugar
1½ Cups oatmeal
2 tsp. cinnamon
Pulse in Processor 15-20 times. There will still be small lumps of butter. Mound over peaches in pan. Bake at 375 for 40 minutes, or until bubbly and peaches are very tender. Top with vanilla ice cream (Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla is awesome!)
Simple Summer Squash
Ingredients:
1 TBSP olive oil
4 medium yellow squash, sliced diagonally
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1 TBSP lemon juice
1/2 tsp thyme (or 1 tsp fresh thyme)
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Heat oil in skillet, and saute the squash, turning occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with other ingredients and stir until heated through, about 3 minutes.
Mom’s Brownies
This simple recipe takes only a few minutes longer to make than “box” brownies. . . And it’s so much better tasting!
Ingredients:
2½ squares Baker’s Unsweetened Chocolate
1 stick Butter
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
2/3 Cups Flour
1 tsp. Vanilla
Preheat oven to 325. Unwrap chocolate squares and place in glass or pyrex mixing bowl. Place in microwave for 1 minute on High. Add butter. Cook in microwave for 1 minute more on High. Stir with wooden spoon until chocolate and butter are completely melted. Add sugar and blend well. Add eggs, one at a time. Add flour and blend well. Add vanilla and mix all. I stir all ingredients by hand, but you can use an electric mixer.
Pour into a well greased 8x8 pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Brownies should be very moist, almost gooey. Allow to set for about 30 minutes before cutting. Makes 25 brownies. Recipe doubles easily, and can be baked in a 10x13 pan, or in 2 8x8 pans.
