Healthy Recipes for Labor Day

The last big summer week-end....Labor Day. For most people this means boating, fishing, camping and getting together with family and friends for the last blast of summer. We all have our favorite recipes that travel with us and in this time of motorhomes that are (in some cases) nicer than main homes....refrigeration is readily available as is indoor plumbing.

Healthy recipes are found all over. I love to read cookbooks, a trait I seem to have inherited from my mother, grandmother and who knows how far back it goes. There is just something cool about putting things together that brings a smile to everyone's face. I always try to make a variety of food, like a smorgasbord so there is at least something everyone will like.

A family favorite is watermelon which is cut into squares. The way to do this is to cut a watermelon in half through the center (not lengthwise). Using a sharp knife and being careful of fingers cut the top off the watermelon and discard (to the garbage). Then being careful of fingers cut the green and white part of the rind lengthwise down the watermelon until all the rind is off. Discard rind. Then cut the watermelon into slices and the slices into cubes. Put the cubes into a large bowl with a cereal bowl turned upside down in the bottom. The purpose of the upside down cereal bowl is to trap all the liquid leaving the watermelon out of the soggy liquid.
Repeat with other half of the watermelon or leave it for another time. You can also do this with other kinds of melon.

Mostaccioli Salad: 1 (16 oz.) pkg mostaccioli or penne pasta cooked according to directions. Blend together in blender: 3/4 c. salad oil, 1/2 c. vinegar, 2 Tbsp. mustard, 7 drops yellow food coloring, 1 to 1 1/2 c. sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. accent, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. pepper, 1 medium onion, 1 medium cucumber, peeled.
Blend these ingredients and pour over cooked and cooled pasta.

Un-Salad: 2 medium carrots, shredded; 1 medium turnip, finely choopped; 1 pkg. fresh broccli; 1/2 small head red cabbage; 1 cup celery; 1/2 small onion, chopped; 1 small box raisins; 1 pkg italian dressing mix made according to directions. Mix dressing and pour over veggies. Refrigerate.

As in all recipes there are variables. Your family may not like what my family does, so this is strictly what has worked in my family. A favorite grilled chicken recipes is very simple. My mother invented it and she calls it "Skinny Chicken" for reasons she knows. You buy whatever parts of a chicken that your family likes. Then for the marinade you mix 1/2 part soy sauce to 1 part olive oil. Say 1/2 c. soy sauce to 1 c. olive oil. Pour some over the chicken and let it marinade for a few hours. Remember to save back some for basting on the grill. When it's time to cook the chicken just fire up the grill. Chicken cooks best when it is slowly cooked.....no need to rush.
This marinade also works great on other kinds of meat.

Tuna Burgers: 1 large can tuna in water, drained; 1/2 c. diced cheese, 1/2 c. mayonnaise, 1 c. chopped celery, 1/2 c. chopped onion. Mix these together and spread on whole wheat hamburger buns. Wrap the buns in foil and bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes. Makes 8 sandwiches.

And lastly, one great way to get rid of leftovers to to make a leftover soup or stew and serve it as something "new". Or have smorgasbord night--once a week---You empty the refrigerator of the leftovers sitting in it. Warm up what needs warming up and whatever doesn't get eaten does not go back in the fridge. I've done this for years and it works great! When my children were little I used to make macaroni and cheese soup from the leftover mac and cheese. It's very simple. Just mix the leftovers with cheese soupand heat according to directions on the can of soup and serve. I would warm up the leftover hot dogs with the soup and another meal is history!