The Perfect Labor Day Cookout!
Throwing a backyard cookout doesn’t have to be exhausting! Especially when you anchor your meal with these tried and true recipes.
A cookout’s not complete without a burger. Mix it up a bit this year and go with sliders instead. This recipe creates incredibly juicy sliders dripping with gooey cheese, bacon, and a punch of Sriracha. They’re easy to handle, can be stacked with multiple toppings to satisfy everyones tastes; and they are delicious!
Round out the meal with a nice light potato salad. Reminiscent of the old fashioned potato salad from your childhood, but lighter – and better! And, the beauty of this salad is it gets more flavorful the longer it sits in the fridge. So, make it the night before and relax with your friends while you flip burgers!
And, if you’re looking for a little something to snack on, try simple roasted tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. It’s simple and delicious and a great way to get the most out of the abundance of late summer tomatoes.
Add a few friends, cold drinks, maybe some chips or a simple green salad, and it’s a party!
Happy Labor Day!
For more great recipes like these, check out No More To-Go.
Bacon Cheese Sliders with Sriracha Aioli
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 12 slider buns or dinner rolls
- 3 slices cheese, quartered
- 12 slices bacon, cooked
- 1 cup mixed baby greens
- Sriracha Aioli
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Sriracha
- 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high.
- Combine beef, egg, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Form 12 small patties a little larger in diameter than the buns. Make a small indention in the center of each patty with your thumb.
- Grill patties for about 3 minutes, flip, and grill another 3 minutes. Add cheese when there is about a minute or two left to grill.
- While patties grill, combine the ingredients for the aioli.
- Spread a small amount of aioli on each bottom bun; add some greens, a patty, and a piece of bacon. Close each with the top bun and serve.
Nutritional Information
The Best Potato Salad
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups red new potatoes, cubed
- 6 slices bacon
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, or plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3-4 large eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
DIRECTIONS
- Boil potatoes in water with a little salt until they are fork tender.
- While the potatoes are cooking, cook bacon (I cheated and cooked my in the microwave) and chop or crumble. Set aside.
- Combine mayonnaise, Dijon, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.
- When the potatoes are cooked, drain them and transfer to the bowl with the dressing. Toss to combine and coat.
- Top with bacon, eggs, and green onions, and toss lightly to combine.
- Refrigerate until serving. The longer you can let it sit, the better it will taste.
Nutritional Information
Fresh Mozzarella with Roasted Tomatoes
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounce fresh mozzarella ‘ball’
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 pint grape tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- kosher salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons basil, torn, optional
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Transfer the sheet to the oven and let roast for about 20 minutes. Tomatoes should be shriveled and browned in spots.
- Gently tear mozzarella ball into large pieces and arrange on a serving plate. Spoon tomatoes onto plate with mozzarella. Lightly drizzle olive oil over both the cheese and the tomatoes. The sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper, and garnish with basil.
- Serve with crackers or crusty bread.