It’s Labor Day weekend-already!  This is quite the holiday for us-as my parents were married on Labor Day.  This Tuesday will be their 52nd Anniversary.  Wow!  A few days after that it will be our daughter’s 4th anniversary.  

By the time you read this, my husband and I and the rest of the clan will be at an El Torito buffet celebrating the previously mentioned marriages.  Tonight, we are going to meet our daughter-in-law-to-be’s father and girlfriend.    

Tomorrow, the actual Labor Day I’m planning to read (I’m also the book reviewer here on fab40 and have a lot of novels sitting here to read and review), so our dinner will no doubt be BBQ, our favorite.

Actually, I’ve always maintained that if the Almighty had really wanted us to use the broiler in our ranges, he/she wouldn’t have made BBQ’s so readily available and easy to use here in California.

So, what will be served?  First off, I’m going to use some of the vast amount of rosemary and mint in my yard.

Yes, I’ve got hedges of one and a huge corner of the other.  It’s okay, they meld well.  Here’s the menu:

Chicken marinated in rosemary, 3 types of mint, garlic, kosher salt, lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil.  I’ve already taken out the chicken to defrost.  I’ll make more of a paste than an actual marinade out of all of the above and let it sit in the fridge from Sunday afternoon until the grill gets hot on Monday.

Sweet white corn-soak the corn (with husks on) in ice water for about 30 minutes.  Dry and de-silk.  Make a paste out of either olive oil or margarine/butter and garlic and rosemary and rub it on the corn.  Carefully open the corn and rub on the kernal-don’t be miserly either!  Grill about 10 minutes a side.

Sweet peppers-these have been great this year and don’t really need anything.  Just grill them until they start to caramelize, but still have a bit of crunch.

Dessert?  I’m going for a mix of grilled stone fruits (peaches, plums and nectarines)brushed with just some warm honey that has been infused with some of the mint.  Those who would like it I’ll have some fat-free vanilla yogurt.

And dinner is served, without a single bit of heat in my kitchen.

Wednesday-a reader’s request!