Labor Day Party Ideas

By Food & Wine
Updated: December 22, 2016
Hosting a Labor Day party? Get inspired by these summery recipes, including a lemon and basil martini, pasta salad with grilled vegetables, parsley and feta and classic chicken sandwiches.
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Grilled Tomato-and-Scallion Salad

“If it were up to me, I would throw everything on the grill,” says Tim Love. Case in point: He cooks tomatoes and scallions over a hot fire for a simple salad flavored with a little lime juice and crumbled cheese.

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Strawberry-Thyme Tarts

© Emma Galloway

For those who may be a little scared to try gluten-free pastries, these little tarts are the perfect place to start.

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Baja-Style Rosemary Chicken Skewers

Chicken thighs are perfect for the grill because they stay nice and moist. Skewering them with rosemary imparts a lovely herbal flavor.

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Hibiscus-Berry Gelatins

A lovely way to serve raspberries, blackberries and blueberries: suspended in a hibiscus gelatin.

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Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Slow-poaching the chicken breasts keeps them extra moist.

 

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Mother's Ruin Punch

Classicist bartenders have resurrected the centuries-old ritual of the formal punch service. Here, Philip Ward of New York's Death & Co. makes a potent concoction named after the old British slang for gin.

 

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Sweet Potatoes with Curried Puffed Grains

Chefs are puffing up all kinds of grains to add a texture jolt. Here, Grace Parisi's take on the trend: A homemade curry mix--using store-bought ingredients like puffed rice, wheat, corn and--becomes the crisp, playful topping on these easy twice-baked sweet potatoes.

 

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Chicken Wings with Molasses Barbecue Sauce

These super-flavorful crusty wings come from Adam Perry Lang, founder of NYC's Daisy May's BBQ and author of Charred & Scruffed. They are fantastic with or without Lang's sweet-and-sticky barbecue sauce.

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Flank Steak with Chimichurri

© Fredrika Stjärne

Flank steak lends itself to an assertive sauce because it has such a strong and rich flavor," says Colby Garrelts, chef at Bluestem in Kansas City, Missouri. For this chimichurri that he makes at home with his wife (and Bluestem pastry chef), Megan, Colby swaps out the usual red wine vinegar with sherry vinegar and makes the garlicky herb sauce extra-piquant with capers.

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Lemon & Basil Martini

Naren Young created this martini variation after tasting a lemon-and-basil sorbet at a restaurant. Sweet white vermouth emphasizes the basil's herbal quality, while limoncello and lemon juice give the drink a double-citrus punch.

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Blueberry Margarita

This quick and easy margarita recipe is made with muddled blueberries and bitters.

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Salmon and Cherry Tomato Skewers with Rosemary Vinaigrette

© Nicole Franzen

Cook these simple salmon-and-tomato kebabs on skewers or even on sturdy rosemary sprigs.

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Smoked Trout Tostadas

© REED DAVIS

At Enchantment Resort, Kevin Maguire makes his own crackers using blue corn flour and crushed red pepper; store-bought baked tortilla chips are a fine substitute.

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Arugula Salad With Potatoes and Green Beans

© RICK LEW 

Use fingerling, Yellow Finn or Yukon Gold potatoes in this salad and toss them gently with the vinaigrette so they keep their shape.

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Butternut Squash and Kale Strata with Multigrain Bread

A terrific make-ahead breakfast strata from baker and pastry chef Zoe Nathan, who uses multigrain bread to add a distinct flavor to this satisfying casserole.

 

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Creamy Cucumber and Grilled Potato Salad

"When I was a kid, my mom would marinate cucumbers, red onions and canned potatoes in jarred creamy Italian dressing," says Jamie Bissonnette. "I'm not saying she was a great cook, but creamy Italian dressing is still my favorite. I make a version of it for this salad."

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Classic Macaroni Salad

This classic creamy macaroni salad has just the right amount of crunchy vegetables.

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