Labor Day Weekend

Labor Day Weekend is one of my favorite holidays.  Maybe it's because my anniversary falls near Labor Day or that it signals the end is near for the heat, humidity and mosquitoes.  Maybe it's because it is another excuse to have lots of fun, food and swim with my kids.  This year my husband and I are spending half of Labor Day at the Alluvian Hotel and Spa in Greenwood Ms. for our anniversary.  We will attend one of the famous cooking classes at the Viking Cooking school located in Greenwood so I will be reporting on that next week.

The kids will be left to fend for themselves and take care of the seven animals we have.  I think they can manage, particularly if I text them to remind them what they should be doing.  Once we get back, I'm planning a cookout on Sunday and Monday plus lots of swimming.  Got to swim to work off the calories you know.  As you know, Barry loves his Big Green Egg smoker and has even been hinting that he'd like a bigger one.  Anyway, one of his favorite ways to smoke a chicken is to set the whole bird over a can of beer or other liquid if you prefer and let it cook away.  The liquid in the can keeps the chicken moist and supposedly lends it some flavor.  Best of all, it is super easy to do.

Barry found this ceramic jar made for holding liquid for smoking chickens.



Along side that chicken, I'm serving fried corn cut from the cob, some sort of salad and for dessert, pound cake with peaches.  Pound cake with peaches is a delectable dessert.  Pound cake should always be made the day before serving because it gets moister with time.  I simply peel and slice a few fresh peaches into a skillet, add butter, brown sugar and cinnamon and a splash of your favorite liquor such as bourbon, amaretto or perhaps peach snaps.  Stir that over medium heat till the peaches soften a bit.  Spoon it over a slice of pound cake and you have a little bit of heaven.  Yum Yum!

Monday we are going to keep it simple - burgers of some sort, maybe salmon burgers for a change.  A few sweet potato wedges would be good too.  Of course, there will be leftover pound cake.

Whatever your plans this weekend, have some fun with friends and family, eat some good food and stay safe.  Wear your sunscreen!