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23 Labor Day Recipes Perfect for an End-of-Summer Party | Fresh Fridays, September 2

ByKathleen Pope

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Fresh Fridays Logo new 2022.

21 days until fall! I wish someone would tell that to the temperatures; our temps continue to soar into the 90’s — for those of you who love summertime, you are loving it — I’m melting…:-)

But before we get to all things pumpkin, cinnamon, apples, warm and cozy — I’ve got a few amazing recipes up my sleeve to share with you! Recipes that are perfect for your end-of-summer parties.

Pull up a porch chair and let’s sit a bit, sip on some iced tea <– (my favorite) and get caught up. But of course the table of contents is just below and you can jump to any section you want.

People around a barbecue to pin.

Table of contents

⭐️ New Recipe | Perfect Endings

Why shouldn’t we start with dessert first?!? I have a brand new recipe I know you will love. Other than a quick blind baking of the pie crust the rest is all oven free and comes together quickly!

Creamy, cool and so butterscotch-y with a hint of cinnamon — a little nod to the fall flavors.

Butterscotch pie topped with cinnamon whipped cream and sprinkled with cinnamon.
Butterscotch Cinnamon Pie Recipe

And let’s not forget these two top recipes; perfect endings!

Slice of key lime pie topped with dollops of whipped cream and sliced limes.
Award Winning Key Lime Pie
Mud Pie Ice Cream Cake square image with layered ice cream dessert and crushed reeses peanut butter cups.
Mile High Mud Pie Ice Cream Cake
  1. The Best Key Lime Pie
  2. Best Mud Pie Recipe (Ice Cream Cake)

Super Starters

We are heading out of town with some friends for the weekend, I love bringing an easy appetizer that I can put together quickly.

  1. Goat Cheese Log with Hot Honey, Fig and Pistachios
  2. Zucchini Corn Fritters
Goat cheese appetizer with fig and hot honey.
Goat cheese, Pistachios and Fig Jam
Zucchini Corn Fritters main image, three zucchini corn fritters stacked on one another with fresh veggies behind and cilantro beside.
Zucchini Corn Fritters

Sensational Salads

I love a good salad at a barbecue and these are my two favorites!

Ramen Noodle salad with cabbage and cashews in square salad bowl.
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad
Italian Pasta Salad bow tie pasta.
Bow tie pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes and basil. d
  1. Healthy Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad
  2. Best Italian Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes

Grilling & Main Dish Recipes

Grilling always seems to be the name of the game, but I’m giving a few inside recipes too, because if your Labor is typically like ours, we invariably get a rain shower at cookout time.

Asian Pork Tenderloin sliced and juicy on cutting board.
Asian Pork Marinade
slab of flank steak marinated and grilling on outdoor grill with smoke rising.
Most Amazing Flank Steak Ever
Chicken and Beef Shish Kababs
Beef brisket with barbecue sauce on ciabatta roll.
Oven baked Barbecue Beef Brisket
  1. Asian Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin Recipe
  2. Famous Flank Steak Marinade
  3. Shish Kebabs {Beef or Chicken Marinade}
  4. Oven Baked Barbecue Beef Brisket
  5. BONUS >> My Best Bison Burgers ever!

Best Side Dishes

These recipes always go nuts over a long holiday weekend — and for good reason, they are amazing and always get rave reviews when I bring them to a barbecue!

Cast Iron Pan filled with Cowboy baked beans with bacon.
Cowboy Baked Beans with Bacon
Baked corn pudding casserole in casserole with serving spatula.
Easy Corn Pudding Casserole
Creamy 9x13 pan filled with smoked mac and cheese.
Smoked Mac & Cheese
Scoop of cheesy potato casserole on plate with fork.
Cheesy Funeral Potatoes
  1. Cowboy Baked Beans <– doctored up canned beans topped with BACON! Amazin’
  2. Corn Pudding Casserole <– no Jiffy mix, just soft, tender corn puddin’
  3. Smoked Mac and Cheese <–no Smoker necessary (but ya can if you want to!)
  4. Cheesy Funeral Potatoes <– Made with frozen hash browns and no canned soup, they are the cheesiest!

Summer Sips

It wouldn’t be a barbecue without some fun summer sips! These are my favorites and a few reader faves too! This first section contains alcohol, but they can easily be made without.

Favorite Cocktails

Favorite Non-Alcoholic Drinks

More Labor Day Recipes

And if you need more to choose from, don’t forget my robust search (just look for the 🔍 on the right side) and recipe index where you can search by category or by ingredient. And definitely check out this post from with more than 90 Summer Potluck Recipes.

Swimming & Sleeping Update

Confession time! After our vacation I’ve had the hardest time getting up early enough to get my swimming in — that and I just had my hair colored and let’s be honest, chlorine wreaks havoc on colored hair! LOL! Vanity, vanity!

I did swim last Thursday and was so happy that I did, but that hasn’t inspired me to get there again! 😉 Partly because I have had trouble sleeping! I never have trouble sleeping! My hubby swears by the sleep mask I bought him (it has lavender in it) — I might need to steal it or get one for myself.

My husband and I have been reading A Shepherd’s Look at Psalm 23 in the evening before bed — it’s so relaxing, encouraging and soothing. When I wake up in the middle of the night, I offer up that Psalm in prayer and soon fall back to sleep. What are your tricks to get and stay asleep?

Highly recommend that book — it’s short, with easy to read chapters and a truly inspiring look in to that Psalm!

Weekly Inspiration | Amazing…

I have been loving a little more classical music lately and I think that this rendition of Amazing Grace, Il Divo, is well…Amazing. There are certain opera voices that I adore (hello Andrea Bocelli, The Three Tenors, Luciano Pavarotti). Do you have favorites?

Happy, relaxing Labor day! I hope you get outdoors and enjoy this beautiful world we live in!

signature of Kathleen, The Fresh Cooky Recipe developer

P.S. Be sure to browse through last weeks Fresh Fridays for more great recipes!

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4 Comments

  1. Yay! And a top tip from a fellow swimmer with highlights: pour (lukewarm) water on your hair before putting on your cap. Then, it’s already wet & can’t absorb chlorinated water. At least, it works for me.

    Reply