Labor Day Party - Saying Farewell to Summer and her flavors

I'm not going to lie, I am SO excited to welcome fall. I love pecan and pumpkin and apple and caramel and cinnamon. But, before I go full force into fall mode, I thought we'd celebrate the end of summer by grilling out. My dad is handling the ribs (yum!), but I'm taking care of the sides and desserts...so I thought I'd share them here with you in case you'd like to bid summer a formal farewell, too! I'm in Florida, so hopefully this will expedite the cooler temperatures. I mean...I'm totally kidding, but one can hope!

Crash Hot Potatoes:

When looking for new recipe inspiration, I usually check Southern Living, Paula Dean and The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. These old faithfuls rarely let me down...so, when I tried these potatoes, I expected deliciousness...and delicious they were! You can find the official recipe from the Pioneer Woman here. I tweaked a few things to my taste and you can do the same too! Instead of using kosher salt, pepper and rosemary, I sub those out for seasoned salt, garlic powder, pepper, paprika and parsley!

Nanny's Best Dressed Cucumbers:

Now before you run away yelling "noooooo....not mayonnaise," hear me out. I am NOT a mayo fan, but I make a few exceptions. And this. This is one of them. This is a quick and easy way to dress up fresh cucumbers in a matter of seconds using two basic ingredients + seasoning.

-Mayonnaise

-White Vinegar

-Salt & Pepper

Slice cucumbers into 1/8" rounds. In a separate bowl, whisk mayonnaise and vinegar together until smooth. Depending on your taste preference. Mixture should be thin like a dressing, but creamy. Add salt & pepper to taste. Pour dressing over cucumbers and stir well. Enjoy!

Peach (eh...or Pear) Cobbler:

Cobbler recipes in the South are about as controversial as desserts come. Between lattice pastry, crumb coats, biscuit toppings and fluffy crusts, everyone has their preferred style. If you like a crumbly topping on your cobbler, this one may not be for you! I have to admit, this is by far my favorite, but to each her own! This is the cobbler I grew up eating, and although I've tried the others, this one still takes the cake - or cobbler :) - in my book. The best part is it's super simple to make, all the ingredients are probably in your cabinet, you can sub out the fruit for your favorite and leftovers reheat really well!

- 1 cup of self-rising flour

1 cup of self-rising flour
1 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick butter
2 (28 oz.) cans of sliced peaches (or other fruit) **if using fresh fruit, sprinkle a little extra sugar on sliced fruit and let light syrup form**

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven is preheating, melt butter in a 9x13 baking dish.

Mix flour, milk and sugar -- stir together just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour over melted butter - DO NOT STIR.

Mix peaches, vanilla and cinnamon. Pour over batter mixture -- again, DO NOT STIR.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Bonus Recipe: PUNCH from the Summer Kickoff Video

This is my family's favorite punch...and we make it for almost every gathering!

1 large can pineapple juice (46 fl. oz.)

1 large can frozen orange juice concentrate (12 oz.)

2 cups sugar

2 packages lemon-lime Kool-aid

1 quart chilled ginger ale

*In a one gallon container, mix pineapple juice, semi-thawed orange juice concentrate, kool-aid and sugar together. Fill to the top with water. Stir until well-mixed. Chill. Just before serving, add ginger ale.

I always add the ginger ale to individual glasses so the punch doesn't get "flat" after sitting in a pitcher in the fridge for a couple of days. Also, this is great served with lemon-lime sherbet, too! :)

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