Our Top 10 Labor Day Menus

Technically, Summer won’t be over for a few weeks, but Labor Day weekend is traditionally the Last Call. It’s when we walk over to the bar, tap Summer on the shoulder, and tell him that he doesn’t have to go home, but he can’t stay here.

Then, we belly up to the bar to share one more weekend of cookouts, picnics, pool parties and general debauchery.

Here are 10 menus full of ideas for your Labor Day weekend. So, try something new! Grill a pizza. Make one more batch of ice cream. Eat cobbler for breakfast. Give Summer his last dance.

We’ll be trading the swimsuits for sweaters soon enough.

Eat. Pray. Layer.

So, what are you making?

1. Summer’s Final Fiesta

• Grilled Marinated Flank Steak with Chimichurri (pictured above)
• Grilled Spicy Lime Chicken with Black Bean Salad
• Vegetarian Option: Zucchini and Corn Quesadillas
• White Zinfandel Sangria
• Roasted Garlic, Poblano and Red Pepper Guacamole with Chips
• Avocado, Tomato and Red Onion Salad
• Gazpacho
• Mexican Grilled Corn
• Coconut Cupcakes
• Creamiest Lime Cream Meringue Pie

2. Salmon (or ‘Shroom) Burgers

• Salmon Burgers
• Vegetarian Option: Portobello Burgers with Pesto, Provolone and Roasted Red Peppers (or Chipotle Portobello Burgers)
• Sweet Potato Fries or Tyler’s Ultimate Potato Salad
• Asian Slaw with Roasted Peanuts
• Mexican Grilled Corn
• Strawberries Romanov

3. Big Pimpin’ Deluxe

• Fresh Whiskey Sours
• Grilled Filet Mignon Wrapped in Slab Bacon
• Vegetarian Option: Fresh Tomato Tart with Basil-Garlic Crust
• Bacon and Blue Cheese Wedge Salad
• Squash Ribbon Salad with Goat Cheese and Toasted Pine Nuts
• Potato Dominoes
• Berry Cheesecake Ice Cream
• Brownie Pudding with Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream

4. Farmer’s Market Favorites

• Grilled Vegetable and Goat Cheese Sandwiches
• Grilled Corn-on-the-Cob
• Peachgasm (Honey-Peach) Ice Cream
• Triple Vanilla-Bean Scented All-Peach Pie

5. New Orleans State of Mind

• Barq’s Root Beer
• Grilled Cajun Shrimp Po’ Boy with Spicy Remoulade
• Zapp’s Potato Chips
• Bananas Foster Ice Cream
• Ponchatoula Strawberry and Brown Butter Shortcake

6. Southern Summer

• No-Fail Fried Chicken
• Creamed Corn
• Fried Green Tomatoes with Buttermilk-Lime Dressing
• Hot, Crusty Buttermilk Biscuits
• Banana Pudding Parfaits
• Edna Lewis’ Fresh Peach Cobbler
• Mama’s Trashy-Good Orange Crush Sherbet

7. Pizza Party

• Grilled California Pizzas
• Chopped Antipasto Salad
• Tiramisu Sundae

8. No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problem

• Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple-Habanero Chutney
• Caribbean Pork Tenderloin
• Cuban Black Beans
• Avocado, Tomato and Red Onion Salad
• Coconut-Roasted Pineapple Dacquoise
• Hummingbird Cake or Coconut Cupcakes
• Lime Cream Pie

9. Finger Foods

• Rib-Eye, New Potato and Portobello Kebabs
• Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Souvlaki
• Grilled Zucchini Rollatini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese
• Chocolate Orange Fondue

10. Mini Menu

• Rattlesnake (Chicken-Andouille) Sliders
• French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries or Chip
• Peach and Blueberry Crumbles