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Full Flavors Kick Up for Your Labor Day Cookout

Peanut Butter Custard Brownie Pie

Summer is quickly winding down. I can’t believe how fast it’s flown. While it will still be warm for a bit, Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of cookout season. To celebrate, I’m planning one last summer hurrah with some very tasty food!

Cookouts aren’t complete without a burger – the more napkins needed, the better the burger in my mind. Cora Swindoll’s One Killer Burger is definitely a two-napkin burger. “A great, juicy and flavorful burger,” teases Cora.

Cora adds chorizo to her ground beef which gives the burger a great smoky flavor. The burger alone rocks. But add the toppings and the chipotle mayo, these burgers are amazing!

Since they’re inexpensive, flat iron steaks are great for serving a crowd. The key to this steak is the marinade. Delores Ward took easily accessible sauces, mixed ’em together and created a unique and delicious marinade.

“My family and friends love this Grilled Flat Iron Steak and ask for it at dinner and cookouts,” shares Delores. This is an easy and oh-so-flavorful way to prepare steak that will leave guests asking for seconds and thirds.

Since not every guest likes steaks or burgers, I’ll also be serving Susan Din’s Tomato Basil Chicken Pasta Salad. With chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and a homemade basil pesto, this salad is a meal in itself. It can be made the day before so it’ll be one fewer thing to have to cook-up the day of the party.

Baked beans are another must-make on my menu, and I plan on serving a batch of Laura Huffman’s Baked Beans with Bacon. “I make these for our backyard cookouts and holidays,” says Laura. One bite, and you’ll see why they’re always requested.

The barbecue sauce, ketchup, and garlic powder give these baked beans great flavor. Or, it could be the bacon on top … bacon makes everything better!

I love serving Jane Asher’s quick and easy Grape Tomato Salad too. With only six ingredients, it comes together in a snap. Plus, it’s perfect for a cookout because you don’t have to worry about refrigeration. I love it with Feta cheese, but Jane suggests trying it with blue cheese or Gorgonzola. I may try one of those cheeses this time. It’s always fun to experiment with flavors!

Who doesn’t like something sweet to end their day? Lora Di’G created a scrumptious Peanut Butter Custard Pie that tastes exactly like one of my favorite candy bars. “I wanted to make something for my friend’s birthday,” explains Lora. “She loves chocolate and peanut butter so this was made.”

Oh, this is very good. The filling in the pie is really creamy and a brownie crust is this chocolate lovers dream. The chopped peanuts and chocolate chips on top add that last bit of crunch. I see this going very fast!

I’m going to savor these last days of summer with good friends and great food. What’s your favorite recipe to bring to a cookout? Let us know and share the recipe!