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Labor Day menu
DH's family is meeting here for Labor Day. Because his family is pretty spacey, I have no idea whether there'll be 4 people or 8 at any given meal. I've tried to choose recipes where it wouldn't matter if people were late and that would do well in the fridge for leftovers if people didn't come to that meal.
Breakfast
One TBD coffee cake for the weekend (they're not really sweets people)
Day 1: Farmer's casserole, fruit with yogurt
Day 2: Mixed berry French toast, maple sausage
Day 3: Squash, bacon and mozz quiche, English muffins
Lunch
All days: sandwiches, leftovers, eat out, whatever
Snacks for watching football on Saturday
Texas caviar
Hot beer-cheese dip
Dinner
Day 1: Chicken tacos (crock-pot recipe so people can fix it for themselves as they arrive)
Day 2: Grilled jerk pork tenderloin with blackberry sauce, Vidalia onions au gratin, _______
Day 3: Lasagna, garlic bread, salad
Sweets
Coconut macaroons, just because I really want to make them, not because I think they go particularly well with my menu :P
Pound cake and fresh berries with vanilla ice cream (probably on day 2)
1. Can anyone recommend a fresh, summery, non-starch veggie for Day 2's dinner?
2. For rice and beans for Mexican on Day 1's dinner, can anyone recommend a grocery store mix (super lazy, I know) or recipes? You'd think I'd have these.
Am I missing anything else?
Re: Labor Day menu
0. You didn't ask, but...While all of the breakfasts look really good, it kind of feels like a lot of work for you. Maybe day 3 could simply be some scrambled eggs with fruit and yogurt again? If you want a cheater on the quiche, I do something very similar but use crescent rolls for my crust. I can dig out details if you're interested.
1. I would have suggested an Ina Garten zucchin gratin, but you have zucchini and gratin already for the weekend. Since you've got the grill going...grilled veggies- green beans/asparagus/eggplant/zucchini/squash? Something cool- Cucumber and tomato salad; marinated veggies (blanch and marinade asparagus/broccoli/cauliflower in your favorite vinagrette refrigerate)
2. I've used a similar crockpot recipe, but not used the taco seasoning and it's very good. Mexican night is usually a lazy night for me so I dump a can of refried beans in the crockpot (at the end) and make whatever box rice was on sale.
We've had tons of jalapenos this summer so I slice a few and lay them on top in the morning. Since I don't like them, I pull them out and set aside for DH before shredding. He uses those on his taco.
If you want something a little different I do a cilantro lime rice sometimes or this brown rice with black beans and corn is very good. I need to plug the cucumber salsa recipe too.
The only other thought is some chocolate chip cookies and I'd probably make up a pasta salad with tons of veggies to go with sandwiches for lunch or for a snack.
I should do W's cucumber salad to go with the lunches. W, will it stay good for a long weekend?
Could I make that rice and black bean thing in advance and just reheat it or is it better fresh?
Thanks for thinking of me on the breakfasts - I usually am too ambitious, but these are all make-ahead or I've thought of shortcuts. Cut up fruit tray, store-bought pie crust, etc. And here's a really weird insight into me: I hate making regular bacon and eggs because they make such an incredible mess! Burnt pan, splatters everywhere... (I love to eat them when someone else wants to make them
) I'd rather spend 30 minutes the night before chopping up veggies and such than spend 30 minutes scrubbing a frying pan. And what I'm also counting on is this: ILs are early risers, like 4:30 early, and if there's a casserole in the fridge marked 350? for 30 minutes, they'll do that, because left to their own devices, they'll get out the frying pans and my kitchen will look like a tornado struck.
I thought about grilled veggies, but I don't have a grill basket and I'm not sure there's anywhere to get one around here. Is there another way to do it? Foil perhaps? Slice them long-ways?
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1. Can anyone recommend a fresh, summery, non-starch veggie for Day 2's dinner?
Grilled corn is a favorite. If that is too starchy, how about marinating zucchini in balsamic vinagrette (I use a store bought salad dressing) and grilling it?
2. For rice and beans for Mexican on Day 1's dinner, can anyone recommend a grocery store mix (super lazy, I know) or recipes? You'd think I'd have these.
I just make brown rice with chicken stock and then add chopped fresh cilantro and lime juice.
3. Am I missing anything else?
I would have more snack items on hand and available. Vegetable platter, Wedges of cheese, bowls of nuts or pickles. When B & SIL visited with their kids last weekend, we had bowls of cherries and strawberries out for the kids. They loved it and it was healthy.
For the rice, you completely sub the water for chicken stock? Easy enough and healthy. How much lime juice? A dash for flavor?
Re: the snacks. I'll definitely add things like you suggested once I know what the plan is for the weekend. Are they hanging out at my house? Are they shopping all day? So hard to know with this group!
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The rice and black beans reheats really well you just might need a little bit of extra water. I understand the breakfast. I usually do sausage for guests, but I understand you can bake bacon.
For grilled veggies I never use a basket. For green beans I make a foil packet and put in seasonings and an ice cube for steam. I'll also add potatoes and onions and squashes if I have it. If I'm doing straigh zucchini/squash I cut it in half lengthwise then brush with olive oil and season with grill seasoning. I put that straigh on the grill for ~5 mins per side. When I take it off I'll cut each half in half (for the huge ones from our garden it's more like 4ths). Asparagus goes straight on this way too.
An easy way to saute anything (veggies, shrimp, whatever) is to get the foil roasting/baking pans and just put those on the grill.
Re: W, will it stay good for a long weekend?
Yes! But by day 3 the Cucumber Salad starts to get a little soft. I throw it out on day 4, but DH will still eat it... I also really like 6's Cucumber Salsa - though I cut the Jalapeno in half now. (Not a "spicey" girl).
Your menus look gorgeous BTW. I like slicing the following veggies large and drizzling them in either straight Balsamic Vinegar or Salad Dressing (like Newman's):
You don't need a grill basket for:
Large Portobello Mushroom Caps, Long thinly sliced Zucchinis, Green, Red and Yellow Pepper "Wheels" - you know sliced horizontally, Thickly Sliced Onions and larger Asparagus Stalks.
Good Luck!