It’s Labor Day Weekend and that should mean easy, breezy, tail-end-of-summer and ease-into-fall food. And nothing that will cause you to break a sweat or do any hard laboring in the kitchen.
Here are 15 of my favorite un-Laboring recipes to munch on or sip on over the holiday weekend.
Appetizers & Snacks:
Cheddar Cheese & Olive Oil Savory Muffins – One bowl and just 5 minutes to toss these cheesy and moist little muffins together
Roasted Grapes and Balsamic Reduction with Cheese and Crackers – I could take a bath in balsamic reduction and this one only takes about 8 minutes to make. I see some recipes simmering and reducing for hours. Not mine
Mini Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches – Mini just food tastes better
Mango Basil Personal-Sized Tortilla Pizzas – Customize these any way you wish and they’re personal so you don’t have to make any compromises over the toppings used
Corn & Double Cheese Dip – Serve cold or baked. Takes 1 minute to make and can be made vegan, GF, or lite. Has a kick and it’s addictive
Drinks:
Coconut Cream Pie Smoothie – Like drinking a slice of cool creamy coconut pie. Rich, satisfying, and hits the spot. Vegan, GF
Peach Mango Pineapple White Sangria – Easy, refreshing, modest-sized recipe for small parties (or parties of one). Vegan, GF
Chocolate Cake Batter Milkshake – Have your cake & drink it, too. Why bother with just a lick of batter when you can have a glass-full
Spiced Apple Pie Smoothie – An apple pie smoothie a day keeps the doctor away. Creamy, vegan & GF
Citrus & Spice Smoothie – Embracing the warming spices of fall with two kinds of citrus to brighten the flavor. Creamy, smooth, vegan, GF
Desserts (that include an abundance of chocolate):
Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups and Ice Cream
Frozen Chocolate Pudding & Wafer Cake – No-Bake & only uses 3 ingredients. Rich, chocolaty, easy
Cinnamon Sugar Chocolate Pretzels – Make in microwave in 5 minutes. Salty ‘n sweet combo will have you reaching for more. Vegan, GF
Homemade Thin Mints – No-Bake, Vegan, ridiculously easy, make in 15 minutes. You’ll be tempted to eat a whole (homemade) tube
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache – Break free from cake mix with this easy, one-bowl, 5-minute from-scratch cake with microwaveable ganache
What are your Labor Day Weekend Plans?
I have no plans. I have plenty to do, just nothing that involves ‘plans’, which implies that I’d be getting together with friends, throwing a party, attending a bbq or something like that.
After being gone for a month and just getting home, I have plenty on my to-do list and formal plans and parties aren’t happening. I’d rather spend time cooking and baking and being in my kitchen and getting the details of life organized and situated after being gone than hanging out in someone else’s backyard.
Whatever is on your agenda, I hope it’s relaxing and enjoyable for you and that you spend the long weekend doing exactly what you wish.
Have a safe and fun holiday and thanks for the Taste of Home Best Loved Recipes Cookbook Giveaway entries.
I spent Labour day weekend cooking, eating and snuggling on the couch while watching movies. I also went to a “redneck” themed party, lol!
My mouth is watering!
I tried making your cinnamon sugar chocolate pretzels. They were super easy, I used the second method you recomended but I found the chocolate didn’t really set. They are fine in the freezer but any idea where I went wrong – I followed the recipie.
It could have been the brand of chocolate chips you used – some choc chips don’t set up as well as others or it could be that oil was mixed with choc and that caused it not to set fully – but regardless, these ARE a messy treat as I said in the post and yes, I store mine in the freezer too :)
I can do with un-labor day recipes as well, and I think the mini tortilla pizza sounds fantastic! I think I will declare tomorrow a make-your-own-pizza day, which perfectly reflects the holiday: it will require some labor from everyone to put it all together. Thanks for the idea, Averie! :)
My labor day “plans” involved driving down to virginia w/ KEvin to hike some trails with the pup, but we were completely raiined out and now I’m laying on my bed with the sniffles and a stuffy nose that won’t go away! Being sick on the weekends… esp a 3 day weekend… is the worst! Oh well, sometimes it’s good to be completely lazy. :)
PS: “un-labor” day recipes. I love it! That corn and double cheese dip looks incredible everytime I see it pop up in a post! So easy! I love dips as much as I love cookies. Fact!
You’d love the dip. It’s SO easy. Like pour things from a can/jar into a bowl and stir. The 30 second to make dip, and 3 hours to take pics, edit, post the recipe :) One of those. Lol I am a SAUCE freak and dips, too. We’re twins.
And sorry you’re sick AND had a rainout. Ugh. I am convincing myself, trying to, that I don’t have a jet-lagged induced sore throat.
It’s always nice to have some go-to recipes that don’t require a lot of work. We went to an orchard yesterday and bought more peaches and apples than I know what to do with. The rest of the weekend will be spent baking and doing simple things around the house. I’m more of a no-plans kind of gal and saving my energy for fashion’s night out this week :)
I might have to try that apple cinnamon smoothie.
Big plans…Sat, met with the new moms and babies at a fun place near the beach.
Sunday, having friends over for dinner.
Monday, was planning on having friends over too, but I think she decided to bring dinner, so score!
Both days, try to minimize the witching hour and get the baby to start sleeping in longer stretches. We went from seven hrs back to five.
Otherwise, start planning my meals and such. This baby weight isn’t going to take itself off. I’d like to at least get it moving in the right direction. Regardless, since I go back to work in a week, I have to go shopping and get some new jeans. I’ve got shirts that fit, just ordered a couple of nursing camisoles.
It amazes me that I buy bras only every few years. Except when I’m nursing…I have purchased 10 nursing bras already. Plus three new sports bras. I put all my old ones in the shed for the next year.
Been in Bellingham, Washington for the weekend for my cousin’s son’s wedding. It was so much fun and great to see family again after so many years!
Next week…Hawaii!! And Seraphim is coming to your neck of the woods for a big soccer tournament! Busy week ahead! ;-)
Have fun in WA and then…Hawaii!!!
one chocolate cake batter milk shake please!!! they all sound delicious! and i love that they’re un-labor recipes! :)
Those mini grilled cheese sandwiches are so dang cute I want to, well, nibble them! Great collection. I wish I would have read about how I am not supposed to labor in the kitchen *before* I went out and harvested a huge bucket of green beans at the local U-Pick farm. Ah well, trimming all those stems was kind of therapeutic. ;) Enjoy your weekend!
When I get back from a trip I can’t relax until everything is back to normal around the house. Hate that about myself sometimes…hey, my last batch of your Coconut Cream Pie Smoothie… I added a few drops of NuNaturals Liquid Orange Stevia….AWESOME!
I have a Recipe contest that started today on Pinterest. Glad you’re back home safe but we’ll miss those daily beach pics!
Mmmm, sounds delish!
I don’t know how your family doesn’t weigh five-hundred pounds apiece with all your delicious treats! Happy Labor Day, Averie!!
Lol. We’re super active and also moderation. Most of what I make purposely is a 8×8 or 9×9 pan. 9 to 12 pieces total, among 3 people. Over a few days. Not really that much if you do that math!
My husband’s 30 yr class reunion is tonight. I don’t think he made it to any until his 25th, so I really don’t know anyone. I should manage to find someone to chat with (if not, it’ll be a looong night-lol). No other plans this weekend which is fine by me–I have so many commitments and responsibilities thru the week so I prefer not to have any on weekends! I decided I’ll make a small loaf of banana bread since you said other recipes were coming…can’t wait to see what else you’ve come up with!!
new recipe for banana bread will be Tuesday so get your nanas ready :)
Unfortunately it’s going to be a catch-up weekend. A lot is going on in the next couple of weeks so my husband and I have a lot to get done and prepare for!
I tried to comment on your post but it says I have to be logged in to do so and I can’t log in but just wanted to say the kiddos are adorable and better luck next time on the granola bars.
sheesh, now which one do i make first? That smoothie sounds divine. Citrus and spice!