- Get those hot wings marinated in advance and ready to throw on the grill. Just combine 12 ounces of hot-pepper sauce and eight ounces of Italian dressing. Place five pounds of chicken wings in a heavy-duty freezer bag and pour in the marinade (see photo). Refrigerate for at least two hours, turning often to evenly distribute the marinade.
- Use precut vegetables and a bottle of Ranch dressing to make a quick veggie platter.
- Don't spend half of Labor Day shucking corn for your picnic! Shuck it ahead of time, cut off the ends and place each cob on a sheet of aluminum foil. Add a tablespoon of butter, a sprig or parsley and some salt and pepper. Seal the corncobs in the foil and keep refrigerated until time to throw on the grill. Grill for about 10 minutes, turning often.
- Marinated meats and vegetables are perfect for a Labor-Day cookout. Make a marinade of olive oil, basil, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Pour over your favorite meats or vegetables. Portobello mushrooms, eggplant, onion, tomato and yellow squash all work great on the grill.
- Have precooked pasta ready to serve with your grilled vegetables.
- Keep drinks and food items in separate coolers. The drink cooler will be opened more often, and perishable items will keep better if they're in their own, less frequently opened cooler.
- Try to prepare just enough food for the number of guests to avoid having a lot of leftovers.
- Make sure all food that is prepared ahead of time is well-chilled in the refrigerator before going into the picnic cooler.
- If you prepare a hot dish ahead of time and want to keep it hot on the way to the picnic site, wrap it in aluminum foil and towels. Be sure the trip isn't too terribly far away.
- Try this simple hash brown recipe:
Potato Bake
Ingredients:
1 large pkg. frozen hash brown potatoes
1 can condensed potato soup
8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup grated onions (can be frozen)
2 Tbs. chopped parsley
Preparation:
Mix all ingredients together, place in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan and bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour. You can also top with crushed potato chips prior to baking.
