Labor Day Picnics
(Source:
Entertaining: Labor Day
Picnics)
Labor day
means the end of summer vacations and the beginning of
school, committee meetings, schedules, and more meetings.
We know that after the first cool evenings we will begin
to plan Thanksgiving lists and look at new fabric for
redoing a room in the house.
That's why this last family day of the summer is
important and we thought we'd make it a meal to remember,
but one that you can make ahead of time.
We think of Labor day as a day of games and lazing around
with family and friends. Why not invite them over for
lunch so that by dinner you are cleaned up and relaxing?
This lunch is perfect for the patio with friends seated
under umbrellas, or next to the lake or even on your
apartment balcony with the air-conditioning near by.
If you are a family tied to the labor movement, you may
want to include pictures form the history of labor or
past labor day picnics as part of the decoration.
Use flowers that can be planted later like mums in colors
that make the tables radiate and foreshadow the coming of
fall. Centerpieces can include the flowers in baskets
with moss and twigs as well as greenery from your bushes.
Use brightly colored plates and large stems for glasses.
Roses in small crystal bowls with name plates and your
favorite flowery china and good crystal will paint
another picture but a lovely one.
Labor day means games for the children and adult friends.
Think of how to incorporate them into the day. You can
have swimming races if the pool is near by, or three
legged races in the meadow. Egg on spoon races are also
fun, or child on shoulder races make for memories.
No races? Try a long walk before or after lunch. The
entire family can enjoy that and bring back leaves and
twigs. Give each child a film loaded camera to take
pictures and have them developed and sent to your guests.
You'll be surprised what the children see.
Now for our lunch. This menu is great for adults and
children alike. For those children who do not eat what we
call "real food', how about making some PB&J
sandwiches with vegetable sticks? Their mother will thank
you. But be prepared, many children will pass up the
tried and true for this beautiful buffet.
Do not put out food until you are about to serve it,
especially if it is hot outside. You can place the
platters on a bed of ice to keep cold, but guard against
insects and the heat.
Bring iced tea, iced coffee, home made lemonade,
sparkling water with citrus slices, and soda for the
children. Don't forget wipes for every one. Now make up
your guest list and start planning a lovely lunch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Picnic
Recipes:
VEGGIE TRAY WITH VEGETABLE
DIP
MY OWN CHICKEN DIVAN
RANCH/ITALIAN MARINATED
CHICKEN BREASTS
TUNA/CHICKEN PASTA SALAD
GEORGIA'S POTATO SALAD
FOIL-GRILLED POTATOES
GEORGIA'S BAKED BEANS
MALLOW FRUIT SALAD
MICROWAVE ICED TEA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
VEGGIE TRAY WITH VEGETABLE
DIP
Use any variety of veggies that you or your guests would
like to have.
Examples:
Carrots, celery, green, red or yellow pepper strips,
cucumber slices with skins on (washed), radishes, cherry
or grape tomatoes, broccoli flowerettes, pea pods, and
cauliflower flowerettes.For a favorite dip I either use 1
- 16 ounce container of sour cream mixed with Hidden
Valley Ranch Mix..or 1 - 16 ounce container of sour cream
mixed with Knorr Vegetable Soup Dip. Mix each well and
chill ahead for use.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MY OWN CHICKEN DIVAN
(This is nice meal to make for a 'pitch-in' dinner or
picnic at church)
Ingredients:
6 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
2 (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli (or two cans green
beans, drained)
6 large potatoes, peeled & sliced
2 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup
3/4 cup milk
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
Garlic Salt
Ground black pepper
Using a very large baking pan, layer all the sliced
potatoes on the bottom. Garlic salt and pepper the
potatoes lightly. Layer the broccoli on the potatoes,
then layer the chicken on top. Mix all the mushroom soup
and milk together and pour over top to cover evenly. Then
sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.
Bake at
350 for 1 hour uncovered and lightly cover with foil,
turn down to 325 and bake for an additional hour....It
should be bubbling all around the edges....and the
potatoes should be tender.....Great meal to prepare ahead
for church and put the oven timer on..and your delicious
meal is waiting for the hungry crew!!! I know it is at MY
house.....Hope you like it!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RANCH/ITALIAN MARINATED
CHICKEN BREASTS
Ingredients:
1 - 2 and
1/2 pound bag of Tyson boneless chicken breasts
1 - 8 oz. bottle Wishbone Ranch
1 - 8 oz. bottle Wishbone Robusto Italian
Thaw chicken and place in a large bowl. Pour the Ranch
and Italian dressings over the chicken. Cover and let sit
in refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove from fridge and slowly
mix the chicken around to get both flavors thoughout the
breasts.
Return to
the refrigerator for at least another hour or two. (MAY
be done overnight.... more flavor).Turn up your
grill..... add the chicken and watch the magic.. You can
even save the marinade and pour on top of the chicken
after you turn it over.The combination of both the Ranch
and Italian gives a unique, wonderful taste to these
tender breasts.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TUNA/CHICKEN PASTA SALAD
Ingredients:
1 pound
cooked, cooled pasta---any kind
1 can water-packed tuna or chicken, drained (or can be
made without either)
2 eggs, hard boiled and cut-up
1 large onion, 1 green pepper, 2 stalks celery, 1 carrot,
4 radishes, 1 cucumber, 1 large tomato, 1/4 head of
lettuce (finely shredded)....(all vegetables chopped)
4 - 6 oz. bottled Italian dressing
Mayonnaise
1 tsp. yellow mustard
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. black pepper
Pour Italian dressing over cooked pasta, toss and set
aside. After 15 minutes, add black pepper, garlic salt
and yellow mustard and toss again to mix flavors. Put in
refrigerator, covered, and allow 30 minutes to marinate.
At that
time, add the chopped eggs, vegetables, and tuna or
chicken. Start with at least 1 cup of mayonnaise and toss
well. Mixture should be a creamy consistency. Add more
mayo and salt to taste, a little at a time.
Cover and
refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.A yummy
addition to any summer picnic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GEORGIA'S POTATO SALAD
Ingredients:
5# potatoes, boiled, skinned, and cubed
3 eggs, boiled and cut up
32 oz. jar Mayonnaise
Italian dressing
Yellow mustard
Green onions (bunch), chopped
Carrots (baby), about 8 cut up
1/2 stalk celery (including leaves), chopped
Garlic salt
Ground black pepper
Cook the potatoes and after they are cool (or easy enough
to handle by hand), peel the skins and cube and place
into a large bowl. Add the cut up hard boiled eggs at
this time. Sprinkle approximately 4 oz. of Italian
dressing and a large squirt of yellow mustard on the
potatoes. Shake and mix and let sit for at least a half
hour (enough time to cut up veggies).
In the
meanwhile, chop all the vegetables (not too fine) and mix
very carefully with a heavy duty spoon (preferably
wooden). Start with about two cups of mayonnaise, 1
teaspoon garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.
Again mix very carefully, but thoroughly. You want to be
sure to mix all the flavors, but not to mash up or break
up the potatoes.
At this
time, taste the mixture and see if the flavors have mixed
and if there is enough salt and mayonnaise. If not, add
more a little at a time until the flavor and consistency
match.Cover and set in the refrigerator to chill at least
two hours. The longer it sits, the better it tastes (even
the next day.) Again this will make everyone come back
for seconds. I guarantee it!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FOIL-GRILLED POTATOES
Ingredients:
(4
servings....adjust to as many as you need)
4 LARGE Idaho or Russet potatoes
1 large onion
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Margarine Spray (I Can't Believe It's Not Butter)
Aluminum Foil
Tear enough aluminum foil to hold your potatoes and
onions. Thinly slice each potato (with skin on and
cleaned, of course), onto the foil.. slice enough onion
to lightly cover the potato...Add garlic salt and pepper
to taste.. and spray margarine generously..Close and seal
each pouch so there's a little room for the steam and
flavors to mix.
Place the
potatoes preferably on the top rack while the chicken or
other meats are cooking. You may want to place them
directly onto the main rack after the meat is done or
around the perimeter of the grill with the meat (if you
only have one rack)...and keep an eye on it so it doesn't
burn.Total cooking time shouldn't be over 45 minutes to
an hour.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GEORGIA'S BAKED BEANS
Ingredients:
4 - 16 oz. can pork and beans
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1/2 pound bacon, cooked medium well, cut into pieces
(save some bacon grease)
1/4 pound ground chuck, cooked and drained
Ketchup
Brown mustard (Guldens)
Brown sugar
In a medium frying pan, saute the chopped onion and green
pepper in the bacon grease until limp.In a large bowl,
mix the pork and beans, onions, green pepper, chopped up
bacon, cooked ground chuck, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2
Tablespoons brown mustard, and about 1/2 cup brown sugar.
Mix well
til completely blended. Bake in a 350 degree oven for
about one hour uncovered. Turn oven down to 300 degrees,
cover and bake for another hour at least. Shut off oven
and allow to sit an additional hour covered to get the
full flavor of all the ingredients...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MALLOW FRUIT SALAD
Ingredients:
2 cans (11 ounces) mandarin orange segments, drained
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple chunks, drained
1 jar(4 oz.) maraschino cherries
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup broken walnuts
1 - 12 oz. Cool whip
Toss orange segments, pineapple, cherries, marshmallows
and walnuts.....Fold cool whip into the fruit and cover
and refrigerate at least one hour...Dreamy and
creamy...(Serves 10)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MICROWAVE ICED TEA
Using an
empty gallon milk/water container, place 6 tea bags
(without tags) in the bottom and fill about 1/4 full of
water. Place in microwave and heat on high for 5
minutes.Let stand for about 10 minutes to steep and add
enough water to about 7/8 of the way to the top.
If Mom
likes the tea unsweetened, then just refrigerate it. If
she likes it sweetened, add 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar,
place lid on and shake until the sugar is dissolved.Then
chill in refrigerator till you need it. (A nice touch
would be lemon cut on the side or fresh mint, if it's
available)
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More Labor Day Recipes...
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This
page was last updated August 26, 2003.
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