My Labor Day weekend recipes would be incomplete without my yummy quick dessert on summer's last holiday. HAVE A GREAT LABOR DAY

Creamy Fruit Dip with Fresh Fruit

·  1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow cream

3 drops vanilla extract

3 cups of your favorite fresh fruit

    In a mixing bowl or food processor, combine the cream cheese and marshmallow cream. Blend until smooth. Add the vanilla. Continue blending until the mixture is thick and creamy.

LET'S CELEBRATE LABOR DAY

This is great for a BBQ, I double the recipe and use a cooler and everyone can help them self, this is better than soda any day.

Old-fashioned Lemonade

1 ¼ cups granulated sugar

½ cup boiling water

1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice

4 ½ cups cold water

Ice cubes

Lemon Slices

Place sugar, boiling water, and lemon juice in a 2 quart pitcher and stir vigorously with a spoon until sugar is dissolved. Cover and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Add cold water, ice cubes and lemon slices. Stir. Pour over ice cubes in a 10 to 12 ounce glass.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

LET'S CELEBRATE LABOR DAY

 Labor Day weekend recipes flavor summer's last holiday with a feast of great grilling recipes, appetizers, and desserts.

MELIZE COWBOY STEAK 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds porterhouse steak
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Combine garlic, chili powder, salt, oil and pepper in a small bowl. Mix until it forms a thick paste. Rub paste over the entire surface of the steak. Wrap steak in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours. Preheat grill. Grill steak over as high a heat as you can for 2 minutes. Flip and continue grilling for 2 more minutes. Move to a cooler part of the grill or reduce heat to medium. Continue grilling until done. About 4 minutes per side.

HONOR YOUR FATHER THIS YEAR

 By cooking up something special,  lets Grill up some chicken for Father's Day. My Lemon Chicken recipe is toe tapping good, and to make this dinner really special add grilled vegetables to complete your meal. I added a few of my father's favorite vegetable, they might become your fathers favorite too. Now firer up the grill and enjoy Father's Day.

EASY GRILLED LEMON CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse chicken breasts and pat dry with paper towels. Stir together the lemon juice, soy sauce, ginger, and black pepper in a bowl; pour into a large, resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken breasts, seal the bag, and massage to evenly coat chicken with lemon juice mixture. Place in refrigerator to marinate at least 20 minutes, or up to 24 hours

.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Lightly oil grill Drain and discard marinade from the bag, and place chicken on preheated grill about 4 inches from heat source for about 6 to 8 minutes on each side Cook until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

VEGETABLE GRILLED UP JUST RIGHT

GRILLED EGGPLANTS

4 baby eggplants (4 ounces each)

Slice each of the eggplants lengthwise in half.

Toss eggplants in prepare vinaigrette as directed below. Grill until tender

Each serving: About 90 calories

GRILLED PEPPERS

2 medium yellow peppers

2 medium red peppers

Cut each lengthwise in half and discard seeds. Place peppers on grill over medium heat and cook, turning peppers occasionally and brushing with some vinaigrette until peppers are browned and tender when pierced with a fork.

Serve with remaining vinaigrette.

Each serving: about 95 calories

GRILLED ZUCCHINI

Slice each of 4 small zucchini (6 ounces each)

Cut lengthwise in half. Prepare vinaigrette as directed. Toss zucchini in vinaigrette. Grill until tender.

Each serving: About 85 calories,

GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS

Trim tough stem ends from 2 medium-size portobello mushrooms (4 ounces each) or 8 jumbo mushrooms. Rinse; pat dry. Prepare vinaigrette as directed. Toss mushrooms in vinaigrette. Grill until tender.

HAVE A GREAT MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

Building a better burger is easy when you follow these suggestions:

Make sure the grill is the appropriate temperature too hot, and the burgers will burn on the outside before getting done on the inside. Medium-low to medium heat is best.
Keep the lid closed while cooking. A closed lid retains heat, shortening the cooking time and thus keeping the burgers moist.
Use beef that is no leaner than 85% Fat is needed for the burgers to be moist and flavorful.
You also can use turkey or chicken if you are watching your diet and eating least beef.
If using ground turkey or chicken, add a little broth or olive oil to keep them moist.
Use a gentle touch overworking the mixture will produce a tough burger. Mix ingredients just until combined.

 Don't form patties too thick or too thin a ¾-inch thick patty is ideal for even cooking.

To keep patties from swelling in the middle, make small indention in the center.

Always clean and oil the grill grate this prevents burgers from sticking, extends the life of your grate and helps put those beautiful grill-marks on your patties.

Turn burgers only once and never, ever, press burgers with the back of a spatula: the sizzling sound may be fun to make, but the pressure releases all of the flavorful juices.

Cook burgers properly for safety's sake; cook ground beef to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (170 degrees F for poultry).

To check the temperature, insert the thermometer into the patty horizontally for an accurate reading.

Burgers may be the basic of all picnic menus, but they needn't be boring. Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato,  pickle, ketchup, mustard and onions. Try sautéed onions or bacon, the possibilities are endless. Burgers just taste better when cooked on the grill and enjoyed outdoor