Labor Day is fast approaching and I am already dreading the last days of summer. I realize it’s not over yet, but somehow it always seemed to be that as fast as the kids began school, summer was swiftly ending. I will miss the dinners on the deck, the balmy evenings where no one wants to go to bed, and even watering my flower boxes. It is hard to say if I will miss those things more than I will miss the fresh summer food and the aroma of grilling. (Truth be told; we tend to use our grill year round.)
Labor Day always meant spending the day at the pool and of course, it always seemed to be the best, most perfect day of summer. It meant we closed the place down and sadly waved good bye. It meant burgers and hot dogs and watermelon. And corn. Have to get the last of the fresh sweet corn. It meant clearing out the club’s freezers and standing in line to get the free frozen treats being given away. We always sent our kids up to get us one!
Labor Day means saying goodbye to summer’s bounty. I love picking fresh herbs from my herb garden. I love farmer’s markets. I love choosing fresh peppers and peaches and watermelon. Let’s not forget berries. I love grilling chicken. I love cocktails and wine coolers and beer. I love fruit desserts and ice cream sandwiches and milk shakes. Not that I have many of those!
Labor Day reminds me of all the recipes I still want to make. It still seems like I have so many more salads I want to concoct, and things I want to grill, and jams I want to make. But that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? The ending of summer means yearning for the next one. The change of seasons gives us time to peruse garden catalogues to make next year’s bigger and better. It has us slowing down and awaiting warm vacations elsewhere. And it has me still cooking!
Here’s a new potato salad that I really enjoy. And some of my favorites that you may want to try for the last big bash of summer. But don’t labor to much.. Enjoy!
Old Bay Potato Salad
Serves 4-6
Time To Make: About 15 minutes
Ingredients:
3 medium Russets cooked (I wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave them for about 6-7 minutes)
1/3 c mayonnaise
1/3 c sour cream
1 T spicy mustard
2 T Old Bay
1 t horseradish
1/3 c sliced olives
1/3 c chopped yellow peppers or your choice
13 c chopped green onion
1 T capers and juice
1/3 c celery chopped (optional)
Directions:
When potatoes have cooled, cut them into bite sized chunks. While potatoes are cooking combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix well. Add potatoes and stir well. I like this best at room temperature, but chill if you’d like!
And a few more faves: The chicken is killer!
Red Onion, Blueberry and Pesto Tart
Old Fashioned Barbeque Chicken
Green Onion Garlic Chive Skillet Bread (These photos are just to bad to show you, but the recipe is great!)
Black Bottom Chocolate Cake or Cupcakes
And don’t forget to enter the Whole Foods Giveaway!
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch)
Saturday 5th of September 2015
I'm feeling a little panicked also about squeezing in some of those Summer foods. Grilled Pork Chops with peach salsa comes to mind. Abbe, I'm loving this Old Bay potato salad. That's a must try and very soon. I bought my first bushel of roasted Hatch Chile today, at Wilmore Nursery. To me that marks the beginning of Fall and many South of the Border recipes to try.
Sippity Sup
Monday 31st of August 2015
Labor Day is Los Angeles is a reminder that the hottest days of the year are fast approaching! September can be brutal here. It's my least fav month, so like you, I'll miss those summer days. But it's the temperate weather I'll be missing. GREGPS Old Bay is a magical seasoning mix and an inspired choice in potato salad. GREG
Abbe Odenwalder
Thursday 3rd of September 2015
Well, Greg! September is usually pretty nice here, so maybe you should do another road trip! We have vineyards, too! In Philly, they top the fries with Old Bay. So I figured it would work well in potato salad, too! It did!
SavoringTime in the Kitchen
Sunday 30th of August 2015
I share all of your sentiments! I'm getting sad just thinking about the end of the bountiful produce, herbs and flowers still blooming in my garden. You can almost feel the change in the air already. Damp, earlier evenings, the crickets. It's been cool and rainy here lately, but just as sure as school starting, the weather is going to get hot again for one last blast of summer. Maybe the rest of tomatoes will even ripen :) Love all of your Labor Day cookout recipes and the potato salad sounds wonderful.
Abbe Odenwalder
Thursday 3rd of September 2015
Getting cool here, too! Should be a great weekend! But it is time to start cutting all the dead flowers down! So sad. Thanks Susan!
CQUEK
Saturday 29th of August 2015
Omg, girl! This looks amazing and you’re killing me with that
Abbe Odenwalder
Thursday 3rd of September 2015
Thanks Cquek!
Joanne
Friday 28th of August 2015
I can't believe labor day is already almost here! Crazy. I'm already mourning summer foods!
Abbe Odenwalder
Thursday 3rd of September 2015
That's true Joanne. But now I guess we can get ready for pumpkin!