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Easy Labor Day Backyard BBQ

August 22, 2024 by Kimberly Snyder Leave a Comment

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Labor Day marks the end of summer for many families. So why not celebrate by throwing a backyard BBQ? Here’s my easy Labor Day barbeque menu!

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photo collage for Labor Day BBQ

Labor Day is a day for celebrating workers and all that they do. It’s also a great excuse to throw a big barbecue and enjoy delicious food. Here is my easy Labor Day Barbeque menu!

hot dogs, hamburgers & baked beans

My Recommendations for An Easy Labor Day Barbeque Menu!

It really doesn’t get much easier than hamburgers & hot dogs! My favorite easy to prepare side dishes include baked beans, a delicious Jello salad, and grilled corn on the cob.

Red, White & Blue Layered Jello Salad

This layered jello salad is perfect for a backyard BBQ.  It is easy to prepare and oh so delicious!

layered Jello salad

Red white & blue jello salad

Red, White & Blue Salad

a layered Jello salad
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
final chill 8 hours hrs
Course Dessert, Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 15 people

Equipment

  • medium saucepan
  • small saucepan
  • 9 x 13 x 2 inch dish
  • 2 large mixing bowls
  • hand mixer
  • wooden spoon
  • spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 1 3 ounce package raspberry-flavored gelatin
  • 1 3 ounce package blueberry-flavored gelatin
  • 3 cups boiling water, divided
  • 1 envelope unflavored gelatin I use Knox brand
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1 cup Half & Half
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanillla extract
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 21 oz. can blueberry pie filling

Instructions
 

  • Dissolve raspberry gelatin in 2 cups boiling water. Pour into a 9 x 13 x 2 in dish; Chill until firm
    1st layer of 3 layer Jello Salad
  • Sprinkle unflavored gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water in a medium saucepan; let stand 1 minute. Cook over low heat, stirring until gelatin dissolves.
    Knox gelatin
  • Combine half & half with sugar in a small saucepan; cook over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Combine this with the unflavored gelatin mixture, vanilla and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth.
  • Gently pour cream cheese mixture over first layer of salad. Cover and chill until firm
    2nd layer added to Jello salad
  • Dissolve blueberry gelatin in remaining 1 cup boiling water. Stir in blueberry pie filling.
  • Gently pour pie filling mixture over first two layers of salad.
    Red white & blue layered Jello salad
  • Cover and chill at least 8 hours or until firm. To serve, cut salad into squares.
    layered Jello Salad
Keyword layered jello salad
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Honey Butter Sauce

grilled corn on the cob

This recipe is perfect for any summertime gathering. You can grill corn on the cob right before serving so it stays warm and juicy. After shucking the corn, simply place the ears of corn directly on the grill. Turn the ears every 2 minutes until the kernels soften and become lightly browned. Total grill times will be about 10 minutes.  If the corn starts to char before the kernels are soft, move the corn to the cooler side of the grill and close the lid to allow additional cooking.  Once the corn is done, remove the ears from the grill.  Then drizzle honey butter sauce over each ear of corn and serve immediately

white plate with butter and honey on it

A Watermelon Basket filled with Fresh Fruit

A simple fruit salad can be prepared with assorted fresh fruits including watermelon, strawberries, bananas and grapes.

Watermelon & strawberries on a cutting board

If I have time, I like to turn the watermelon into a decorative basket and serve the fruit salad from the basket. Let me tell you how I make it!

watermelon carved into a basket and filled with fruit salad

All you need is a sharp knife, cutting board and a garnishing utensil that will make the V shaped cuts.

Things to Know-

  1. Before cutting into the watermelon, wash the outer surface thoroughly with cool tap water to remove any dirt.  You don’t need to use any soap on it, simply scrub the outside with a clean produce brush.
  2. Be sure to also wash all food-contact equipment including cutting boards, knives, and garnishing tools thoroughly with hot soapy water and rinse well.  Use a food safe , no rinse sanitizing spray and allow to air dry.  Be sure to read the directions on any sanitizing spray.

Let’s Make the Basket

  1. In order for the watermelon to sit flat, use a sharp knife to cut a thin slice off of the bottom of the melon.
  2. Draw a horizontal line around the center of the melon using the point of the knife.  To make the handle, draw two vertical lines approximately three inches apart over the top of the melon.  The handle should be centered over the top of the melon.  To help mark your cutting lines, you can use masking tape or painters tape.
  3.  Now you are ready to start cutting using the V Shaped cutter.  Place the V shaped cutter where the horizontal line touches the line for the handle.  Push the cutter into the melon. Make a second cut next to the first cut.  You want to be sure your cuts are connecting.  Work your way around the melon, away from the “handle” continuing to make cuts.  Be sure to push into the melon so that you are cutting through the rind.
  4. Continue around the melon until you reach the marking for the handle in the back of the melon.  Take the cutter and make cuts up and along the edge of the handle.  Repeat this process until you have worked your way all the way around the melon and the handle.
  5. Once you have finished with your cutting, now you will work one of the sections loose from the handle area.
  6. Carefully lift off the side pieces. Remove fruit from both sections and cut into balls.
  7. Once all the watermelon is removed, wrap the watermelon basket in plastic wrap and chill until you are ready to fill it with mixed fruit.
  8.  When it is time for the party, fill the basket with a mixed fruit salad.  Enjoy!

Tableware

Now that we have the menu figured out, we need a few decorations & tableware to round out our celebration!

If you have been following me for a bit, you know that my Mom liked a lot of things. And she kept most of them!  She loved to decorate her tables for the various holidays.  She  had several different sets of dishes and lots of different things to use as centerpieces.  She loved to decorate with the American Flag and other red, white and blue items.  I think I may have inherited my decorating gene from her!

One of the cutest things I found when I was going thru her things was this adorable California Farmhouse relish set!  I love to use it when we have a cookout! Isn’t it just adorable?

condiment server on wrought iron stand

To keep things simple for this celebration, I decided to use the place mats and tableware that I used for a previous late Summer celebration.   All of the details can be found here: How to Create A Simple Summer Tablescape

sunny sunflower place setting

Using paper & plastic will make the clean up super quick & easy as well!  If you prefer to use plates that can be used more than once, I really like plates made from melamine. 

Now I think it is thyme to sit back & relax!

wicker chair with pillows

Let’s Celebrate Autumn with an Outdoor Living Area Reveal!

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Filed Under: Blog Post, Recipes Tagged With: entertaining, Family, Labor Day, outdoor living, summer

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Hello! Kimberly (Kim) Snyder and I'm glad you're here. An entrepreneurial spirit, I've owned a flower shop and antiques store, a pizza parlor and now we're in Florida living a new adventure. Join me as we downsize into our new digs and continue the adventures! WRITER & BLOGGER

Kimberly Snyder shares the adventures of moving to Florida and beginning again in a new space as a herbalist, a creative, and a serial entrepreneur

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Mowgli isn’t quite sure about the hat! But he is Mowgli isn’t quite sure about the hat! But he is sure that it is thyme to celebrate Summer! #summertime #fromfarmhousetoflorida #chugsofinstagram #kimstyledecor
Pretty in Pink for Spring! Thinking about layering Pretty in Pink for Spring! Thinking about layering in some aqua for Summer. What do you think? #kimstyledecor #coastalfarmhouse #coastalfarmhousestyle #fromfarmhousetoflorida #decoratingwithshells
Summer thyme is just around the corner! Let’s re Summer thyme is just around the corner! Let’s refresh your outdoor area! #fromfarmhousetoflorida #kimstyledecor #outdoorlivingspace #summervibes☀️ #coastalhomedecor #coastalfarmhouse
It is so easy to refresh a wicker basket with a co It is so easy to refresh a wicker basket with a coat of chalk paint! I used some left over chalk paint for this project. After the basket was dry, I filled it with a couple pots of blooming plants! #chalkpaint #wickerbasket #basketmakeover #basketlover #gardenstyledecor #kimstyledecor #fromfarmhousetoflorida
We had the house painted last fall. I finally got We had the house painted last fall. I finally got the vintage urns out of storage and added white mums.  #brocantestyle #brocante #gardenantiques #gardenstyle #kimstyledecor #whitemums #fromfarmhousetoflorida
Instagram post 18044738081437452 Instagram post 18044738081437452
I love to use my Mom’s vintage Hamilton Beach mi I love to use my Mom’s vintage Hamilton Beach mixer! It still works after all these years. I did have it re-wired several years ago because the original cord was frayed. #hamiltonbeach #fromfarmhousetoflorida #vintagekitchenwares #mothersday #farmhousekitchendecor
Not sure if I ever shared this version of the pott Not sure if I ever shared this version of the potting bench. I started decorating it with a lavender theme. I must have gotten distracted before I finished it! It just needs a few potted lavender plants ti finish it! #lavender #farmhousedecorating #gardenstyle #fromfarmhousetoflorida #pottingbench
Simple Summer sugar mold idea! I made the flower o Simple Summer sugar mold idea! I made the flower out of the trim from an old pillowcase.  #sugarmoldcenterpiece #sugarmolddecor #fromfarmhousetoflorida #farmhousedecor #fauxhydrangeas #gardenstyledecor #cottagedecor #kimstyledecor

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