What to Cook This Weekend

What to Cook This Labor Day Weekend: August 31 - September 3

Grilled chicken, grilled steak, grilled corn...and, fine, some recipes you don't need the grill for. (Happy Labor Day!)

By Becky Hughes

August 30, 2018

Image may contain Food Dish Meal Salad and Platter

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
1/14
Grilled Chicken With Mustard Barbecue Sauce and Tomato Salad
Wake up grilled chicken by glazing it with a sweet-and-tangy barbecue sauce, and pairing it with a salad of grilled onions, raw tomatoes, and pickled green beans.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
2/14
Grilled Corn on the Cob With Salt-and-Pepper Butter
This low-fuss, spreadable salt-and-pepper butter makes seasoning your grilled corn a one-step affair at the dinner table.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
3/14
Grilled Steak and Mixed Peppers
Top grilled strip steaks with charred shishito and mini bell peppers for a sweet, smoky, occasionally spicy summer dinner.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
4/14
Grilled Shrimp, Zucchini, and Tomatoes With Feta
This summery, Greek-inspired dinner comes together in a snap with the help of a grill basket.
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Photo by Marcus Nilsson, Prop Styling by Amy Wilson, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
5/14
Antipasto Salad
Long sweet peppers show up at farmers’ markets during the peak of the season and may be sold as long sweet yellow, sweet banana, Hungarian Sweet, or Cubanelle. You can substitute two medium red, orange, or yellow bell peppers (don’t use the green ones).
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Photo by Gentl & Hyers
6/14
Middle Eastern Limonana
This bright-green combination of lemon and mint is found on tables throughout the Middle East.
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Photo by Tara Donne, food and prop styling by Ali Nardi
7/14
Tomato Toast With Peaches, Mozzarella, and Mint
Tomatoes and peaches top fresh mozzarella and toasted brioche in this unbelievably easy (and flavorful) take on Caprese.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
8/14
Caramel Corn Clusters
The only thing better than Cracker Jack is homemade Cracker Jack.
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Photo by Danny Kim, food and prop styling by Ali Nardi
9/14
Campanelle with White Beans, Lemon, and Burrata
The only cooking involved here is boiling the noodles—the rest is just tossed in there. That's what August is all about, right?
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
10/14
Mussels With Chorizo and Tomatoes on Toast
Topping fried bread with brothy mussels, beans, and tomatoes turns it into a hearty knife-and-fork dinner.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kate Schmidt
11/14
Granola Bars with Dried Fruit and Seeds
A combination of nut butter, dried fruit, and lots of seeds makes these chewy homemade granola bars downright irresistible. For a crispier bar, toast them in the oven after baking.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
12/14
Spanish-Style Fried Chicken with Grilled Avocado
This fried chicken from chef Suzanne Goin of LA’s A.O.C. gets a spicy boost in both the marinade and the breading.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
13/14
Blackberry-Cucumber Mule
This easy, gingery cocktail can be made with gin or vodka. No blackberries on hand? Sub in any fresh or frozen berries.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
14/14
Crab Rangoon (Cream Cheese Crab Wonton)
Maybe the most American recipe of all time, and thus perfect for Labor Day.
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Becky Hughes is the social media editor for NYT Cooking where she's written about the New York City restaurant scene and the return of the espresso martini. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and food theory from the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University. During college, ... Read More

Associate Social Media Manager Emeritus

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