Community Cookbook: Labor Day meals likely to entertain and impress

Labor Day is Monday, and many will be planning a holiday dinner or barbeque at home. Whether preparing a Labor Day meal for two or hosting a California-style garden dinner for six- such as those featured in Sunset magazine- today’s recipes can produce dishes that will fit right in.

Fajitas may seem an unlikely candidate for a Labor Day main dish, but think about it. Prepare them indoors, outdoors or both. Easily scale the ingredients up or down to accommodate a couple or a crowd. If hosting a group, consider using two types of meat, beef and chicken, for example, and marinated portobello mushrooms for any vegetarians.

Serve the ingredients buffet-style, so each person can build their fajitas with the ingredients they prefer. That, along with a large pitcher of sangria and a vase of fresh-cut flowers on the patio table, accompanied by a couple of good photos, may land you a spot in Sunset magazine. Any fajita leftovers will refrigerate well.

Salmon LaConner is a delicious seafood salad that will brighten any dinner table. The only difficulty with making this salad after paying the high cost of the salmon is flaking it without nibbling too much (cook’s tip: save some for the guests).

Most of us fall short on eating the recommended daily amounts of vegetables. Gazpacho Juice is a refreshing beverage that furnishes a generous helping of healthy vegetables in every glass. Kids may find vegetables more palatable when they’re in juice form. With Gazpacho Juice, you can have your vegetables and drink them too.

There isn’t a better day to eat a Frosty Fudgesicle than Labor Day. Unless, of course, you love chocolate and fudge. Then the best day may be any day you can lay your hands on a “Fudgy.”

Fajitas con Carne

Fajitas are a delicious and visually impressive food believed to have originated among Mexican vaqueros (cowboys) working in Texas and the Southwest in the 1800s. True to their roots, fajitas are at their best when cooked over an open flame or on an outside grill, where the filling infuses with smoky flavor. They can also turn out quite well when prepared on the kitchen stove.

¼ cup vegetable or peanut oil

2 cups, sliced vertically into ¼-by-1½-inch strips, onion

2½ cups, seeded and sliced into ¼-by-1½-inch strips, multicolored bell peppers

¼ teaspoon salt

1 pound, sliced into ¼- to ⅜-inch thick-by-1¼-inch long strips, boneless lean beef, pork or chicken

1 packet fajita or taco seasoning for 1 pound of meat

⅓-½ cup water

10 to 12 6-inch fajita flour or lightly toasted corn tortillas

Chopped tomatoes

Shredded cheese

Coarsely shredded lettuce

Set the meat out at room temperature for 30-60 minutes before cooking. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the peppers and salt. Cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and keep warm. Heat the remaining oil in the same skillet. Add half of the meat and cook in a single layer until no longer pink on the outside, turning each piece over halfway through the cooking. Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining meat, adding a little oil, if needed. Add half or more of the fajita or taco seasoning, depending on preference, and the water. Bring to a boil, then add the meat. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until most of the liquid evaporates and the meat is cooked through, stirring frequently. Combine the meat and vegetables in a serving dish. Serve the hot filling with warm tortillas, chopped tomatoes, cheese and lettuce, using a slightly rounded ⅓ cup of filling per fajita.

Notes: Tenderize the meat, if preferred, by coating it with a slurry made with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 4 teaspoons of water. Refrigerate for an hour or more before setting it out. Possible toppings include fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.

Yield: 10 to 12 main-dish servings

Salmon LaConner

Years ago, my then-girlfriend, Kathy, and I bought a sailboat in Seattle. On our first trip, we sailed the boat up to LaConner, which was to be Anemone’s new home port. The voyage exceeded our sailing abilities at the time, but we and the little ship somehow survived. Mom and Dad met us at the marina to drive back to our car in Seattle. After securing Anemone, we ate lunch at a waterside restaurant called the Pink Pelican. None of us were satisfied with the dishes we ordered – the chef must have been out to lunch, him or herself. All of us were impressed with one dish, a flaked salmon salad. Here’s my rendition of that fine salad.

½ cup, sliced diagonally into ⅜-inch pieces, green onion

⅓ cup Thousand Island salad dressing

¼ cup ¼-inch diced celery

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

⅛ teaspoon paprika

12 ounces coarsely flaked, cooked salmon (about 2¼ cups)

Combine all ingredients, except the salmon, in a medium container. Add the salmon and mix gently with a fork. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to allow the flavors to blend. Taste and add more salad dressing, if needed.

Notes: Don’t substitute canned salmon in this recipe; it doesn’t hold up well. Consider serving this salad on a bed of lettuce garnished with halved miniature tomatoes. Smoked salmon would add an interesting flavor dimension.

Yield: Four or five side-dish servings

Gazpacho Juice

What a delicious way to get your daily fix of veggies! This beverage is a nutritious and tasty summer-day refreshment and a treat anytime. You can even add a little vodka or tequila to the mix.

2 cups tomato or vegetable juice

1 cup strong beef broth

¼ cup chopped sweet onion

¼ cup chopped celery

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (leaves and stems)

½ teaspoon sriracha sauce

¼ teaspoon granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

Dash of black pepper

Celery sticks with leaves attached for garnish (optional)

Add all ingredients, except the celery sticks, to a blender and purée. Chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. Taste and add additional seasonings, if needed. Stir the juice and pour it into large glasses. Garnish with the optional celery sticks, if used.

Notes: Hot red pepper sauce can substitute for sriracha sauce. For an impressive presentation, garnish the beverage with celery sticks, carrot sticks, large cooked shrimp, and lime wedges (drape the shrimp and lime wedges over the glass rims). For a more adult beverage, vodka, tequila, or other alcohol may be added.

Yields About 3 cups

Fudgies

Summer will be a little cooler when enjoying these icy-cold, fudgy treats. Use popsicle molds or empty yogurt cups and popsicle sticks to make them. This recipe produces six 3-ounce fudgesicles.

2⅔ cups whole milk vanilla-flavored yogurt

½ cup milk or water

4-5 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder, or to taste

4-5 teaspoons granulated sugar or equivalent sweetener, or to taste

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Put the ingredients in a blender, starting with 4 teaspoons each of cocoa powder and sugar. Run at maximum speed for 30-40 seconds. Taste and add more cocoa powder or sweetener, if needed. Pour the contents into popsicle molds or small yogurt cups. Freeze for 6-8 hours before use (overnight is best). Insert popsicle sticks when the mixture sufficiently thickens. When fully frozen, place the molds or cups in cool standing water up to the tops for 2½-3 minutes to loosen. Carefully remove the fudgesicles from the molds (a drinking glass or measuring cup for singles or a tray for all 6). Alternatively, run hot water over each for 30-40 seconds. Place in an ice-cold tray in a single layer and return to the freezer until served.

Notes: Create two-tone Fudgies by filling the molds with half chocolate filling and half vanilla made by whisking 3 cups of vanilla-flavored whole milk yogurt with a teaspoon each of vanilla extract (use real extract instead of artificial) and sugar (spoon the vanilla filling into the molds). That will double the amount and the number of servings.

Yields Six (3-ounce) servings

Contact Dick Sellers at dickskitchencorner@outlook.com