Summer is winding rapidly to a close. Nights are becoming cooler, and it is getting dark much earlier. However, summer still has one last hurrah – Labor Day. I was having trouble deciding on which recipe(s) to delete out of the ones I selected but decided to cut the story short and use them all. Have a safe and enjoyable end-of-summer holiday!
Toasted Pecan-Broccoli-and-Cauliflower Salad
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1-1/2 cups light mayonnaise OR salad dressing
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 large bunch broccoli, cut into florets and chopped
1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets and chopped
1/2 of a medium-sized sweet onion, sliced thin and cut into slivers
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
6 cooked bacon slices, crumbled
Place chopped pecans in single layer on shallow pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 4 to 7 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and cool.
Stir together mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add broccoli, cauliflower, onion, and cranberries, gently tossing to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours. Sprinkle with bacon and pecans just before serving.
Hamburgers Well-Done
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons milk
1 pound lean ground beef or ground chuck
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
2 teaspoons steak sauce (such as A-1)
Place breadcrumbs in small container; add milk. Let soak for 5 minutes.
Place ground beef in medium-sized bowl. Add remaining ingredients to milk mixture; stir. Add milk mixture to ground beef. Using hands, mix thoroughly. Form into 4 or 5 patties, creating a depression in the center of each. Refrigerate until grill is ready, or wrap individually and freeze.
To cook: Place patties on preheated grill. Cook 3 to 4 minutes; turn patties over. Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes. Turn over and cook until desired doneness. (If using cheese, place it on patties after the second flip.)
Serve with buns and desired condiments.
Easy Grilled Potato Packets
Frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
Oil-based cooking spray
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Other seasonings
Spray butter (optional)
Spritz the shiny side of a rectangle of aluminum foil with cooking spray; place potatoes in the center – 2 cups for a large serving, or 1-1/2 cups for a medium serving. Sprinkle the potatoes with seasonings of your choice, toss to coat, spritz with more cooking spray or butter spray. Fold foil around them to make a packet, and place on a preheated grill for 6 to 8 minutes per side. Some seasonings we use are salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, and/or Creole seasoning blend. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavors.
Praline Bars
12 to 15 graham cracker sheets (see note)
3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
1-3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels (optional)
1/2 cup white chocolate morsels (optional)
Separate each graham cracker sheet into 4 crackers. (To keep them from breaking into odd shapes, place on cutting board and use a sharp knife to press them apart.) Place crackers in a lightly greased 15-by-10-inch jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans over graham crackers.
Bring brown sugar and butter to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil 2 minutes. Pour brown sugar mixture over graham crackers in pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Quickly remove graham crackers to wax paper, using a spatula, and let cool completely.
If desired, microwave semisweet chocolate morsels at HIGH 30 seconds. Stir and microwave at HIGH for 30 more seconds or until smooth. Drizzle chocolate evenly over cooled bars. Repeat procedure with white chocolate morsels. Makes 48 to 60 bars.
Note: a graham cracker sheet is a whole perforated but unbroken cracker stacked and wrapped.