Labor Day Weekend Gatherings

Labor Day weekend is the traditional end to summer and many folks hold their last outdoor party of the season. In the interest of being a guest at your own party, it’s good to have some recipes tucked away that are simple to make and can be scaled to feed a crowd.

These recipes are a snap to make, can be prepared ahead of time, and work just as well for a Labor Day picnic as a birthday bash as a family reunion.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

2 kiwi fruits, peeled and diced
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced (or your favorite apple)
8 ounces raspberries, halved
16 ounces strawberries, quartered
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves or apple jelly
10 – 10” flour tortillas
Butter flavored cooking spray
cinnamon sugar

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves.
Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray.
Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar, then spray again with cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes.
Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges.
Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes and serve with fruit salsa.
Serves 10


Tortellini Salad with Grilled Chicken

6 chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless
1 – 8oz bottle your favorite Italian dressing
12 oz cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen
½ cup mayonnaise
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
½ cup sweet red peppers, chopped
12 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), cut into slivers
Salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken in a ziplock bag, pour entire bottle of Italian dressing over the chicken and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Turn the bag several times.
Remove chicken from ziplock bag and discard marinade. Grill for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove from grill and cut into bite-size pieces.
While chicken is grilling, boil water and cook tortellini until tender but still firm - about 8 to 10 minutes. If using frozen, cook according to package directions.
Drain. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and drain thoroughly.
In a large salad bowl, combine mayo, eggs, red pepper, tomatoes, salt and pepper, chicken, and tortellini and mix until well combined. Add additional mayo if necessary to reach desired consistency.
Serves 6-8

Corn Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

1 – 12oz bag frozen roasted corn (Trader Joe’s is fantastic!)
3 large tomatoes, diced
1 large onion, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Thaw corn in refrigerator and drain.
In a large bowl, toss together the corn, tomatoes, onion, basil, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Chill at least one hour before serving.
Serves 4


Refreshingly Simple Punch For a Crowd

4 – 1/4oz packets of unsweetened strawberry drink mix (like KoolAid or Wylers)
2 – 46oz cans pineapple juice
3 cups white sugar
4 quarts water
1 – 2-liter bottle of ginger ale

In a large punch bowl combine drink mix, pineapple juice, sugar and water.
Stir until dissolved.
Just before serving, stir in the ginger ale.
Serves 45.