Below are a few of my favorite recipes for a Labor Day Cookout:

Steak with Mixed Fruit Salsa

1 cup chopped peeled peaches

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 avocado, peeled and chopped

1 red ripe tomato, chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 teaspoon sugar

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

4 rib eye steaks

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine peaches, blueberries, avocado, and tomato; mix gently. In small bowl, combine oil, lime juice, sugar, jalapeno, and salt and pepper; mix well. Pour over fruit mixture; toss and refrigerate.

Prepare and preheat grill. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper. Grill steaks as desired, about 8-9 minutes, turning once, for medium rare.   Remove from grill, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Top with fruit mixture and serve. Serves 4

This is an easy vegetable dish, if you don’t like a certain vegetable, leave it out, or add another.

Roasted Vegetables:

2 ears corn, each cut into 4 pieces

4 small red potatoes, halved

2 carrots, cut into 1" pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

Combine vegetables in large bowl. Mix butter, mustard and seasonings and add to vegetables, stirring to coat.

Divide evenly among four 18x12-inch sheets of heavy duty foil. Seal with a double fold.

Grill, uncovered, 4-5 inches from medium high heat 25-35 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Serves 4

Strawberry and Feta Salad

1 cup slivered almonds

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 head romaine lettuce, torn

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the almonds, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside.

In a bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking together the garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, raspberry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil.

In a large bowl, toss together the toasted almonds, romaine lettuce, strawberries, and feta cheese. Cover with the dressing mixture, and toss to serve.

Just What Is A Mojito?

Mojito As Defined By Wikipedia

A mojito is a traditional Cuban cocktail which became popular in the United States during the late 1980s, and has recently seen a resurgence in popularity.

A mojito is traditionally made of five ingredients: rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime, carbonated water and mint. Its combination of sweetness and refreshing citrus and mint flavors are intended to mask the potent kick of the rum, and have made this clear cocktail a popular summer drink. Many hotels in Havana also add Angostura bitters to cut the sweetness of the mojito; while a popular variation, it is not the original version created in La Bodeguita del Medio.

The Original Recipe From La Bodeguita del Medio

1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Juice from 1 lime (2 ounces)
4 mint leaves
1 sprig of mint
Havana Club white Rum (2 ounces)
2 ounces club soda

Place the mint leaves into a long mojito glass (often called a "collins" glass) and squeeze the juice from a cut lime over it. You'll want about two ounces of lime juice, so it may not require all of the juice from a single lime. Add the powdered sugar, then gently smash the mint into the lime juice and sugar with a muddler, although you can also use the back of a fork or spoon. Add ice (preferably crushed) then add the rum and stir, and top off with the club soda (you can also stir the club soda in as per your taste). Garnish with a mint sprig.

(from Taste Of Cuba)

Summer Cocktail Recipes

A.M. Cocktail

1 part ABSOLUT® MANGO
Fresh apple juice
Build over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with a fresh mango wedge.

Fresh Mint Margaritas
• 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 4 cups crushed ice
• 1 1/2 cups good-quality tequila
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 8 limes)
• 1 cup Triple Sec

Directions:

In the bottom of a large (2-quart) pitcher, crush together mint and salt, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon. Add ice. Add tequila, lime juice, and Triple Sec, stirring vigorously. Serve in short tumblers or wineglasses.

Cosmopolitan Martini Cocktail

1/2 oz Cointreau
1 oz Vodka
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 splash Cranberry juice

Pour all ingredients in mixing glass half filled with ice, shake and strain into chilled Martini glass.

Love Potion #159

1 oz Vodka (Absolut)
1 oz Amaretto
1 oz Peach Schnapps
1 oz Orange juice
1 oz Cranberry juice
Ice Cubes

Pour ingredients into shaker with ice, shake and serve on the rocks.

Angel Shrimp Scampi

1 small clov garlic -- minced
2 tablespoons minced parsley stems
1/2 large white onion -- minced
1 dash Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup bland cooking oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup dry Chenin Blanc
12 large green shrimp -- peeled with tails

-- on Unflavored breadcrumbs Melt Butter

Combine first 7 ingredients. Marinate shrimp overnight in mixture. Remove shrimp from marinade. Immediately roll, undrained, in breadcrumbs. Place on combination broiling and serving platter. Dribble melted butter over shrimp. Add marinade to 1/8 in. in bottom of broiler pan. Broil slowly on low heat until done. Note: Use Tabasco sauce in place of pepper; it blends better with other ingredients. Use only white bread crumbs, brown crumbs or crusts will brown too fast during cooking. Alternative method of preparation: Saute shrimp in combination of half butter and half cooking oil. When done, remove from skillet. Reduce marinade in skillet, pour over shrimp and serve.