Labor Day has always been a treasured holiday for the student, employee and American alike. As Labor Day is the first Monday in September, it typically falls right around those first few weeks of back-to-school, early-fall craziness. It’s a nice reprieve for the bone-weary employee who’s worked the summer away, or for the wiped-out student who is already craving a break. Blessedly, Labor Day rolls around with its end-of-summer day off, and everyone sighs in collective relief.

Whether you’re celebrating this Labor Day with a tried-and-true family barbecue, a visit to the San Antonio River Walk, or just by relaxing with a nice, cold beer next to the pool, we are here for it. After all, Labor Day was created by hardworking Americans for hardworking Americans. Labor Day serves as a yearly tribute to the achievements of American workers, and should be celebrated in honor of the labor the working folk put in on a daily basis.

So, kick back, relax, and enjoy your Labor Day weekend! Trust us, you’ve earned it.

Photo courtesy of Keith Zars Pools

Labor Day Delicious Dishes

We’re all about making your Labor Day weekend as simple as possible. In honor of that, we think it’s always nice when someone else figures out what’s on the menu, especially if you’re thinking about throwing a Labor Day barbecue. Here at SA Woman, we don’t mind doing the planning for you. You’re welcome 😉

We’ve put a Texas spin on some traditional barbecue faves – you know, because we’re awesome and creative like that. San Antonio is prime real estate for delectable, delicious local ingredients, and we’ve given you a few different ways to incorporate them into your Labor Day dishes.

Hatch Green Chiles

In Texas, Hatch Chile Season counts as the unofficial fifth season of the year, and in many of our minds, it’s more of a favorite than any of the others. Hatch Chiles aren’t around for long, so while they’re here, why not utilize these hot and heady peppers to the best of our culinary abilities? We’ve come up with an easy way to incorporate them into a spread fit for any late summer barbecue!

Hatch Green Chile Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Dip:

We love ourselves some H-E-B Hatch Green Chile Bacon, y’all. Bacon, naturally, is a favorite add-on to most barbecue munchies, and mixed in with this easy and delicious dip, it’s sure to be a hit with a kick!

Serves 10

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 slices of Hatch Green Chile Smoked Bacon, cooked the way you like it and crumbled
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• A few dashes of hot sauce (depending on your spicy tolerance)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 4 tablespoons chopped parsley (fresh)
• 4 green onions (slivered)

Mix it all up in a big bowl, sprinkle with some extra cheese and bacon, and refrigerate at least an hour before serving. Serve it up with crackers and veggies!

Hill Country Peaches

Living in such close proximity to Fredericksburg provides San Antonians with a sweet opportunity to take advantage of the perfect peaches they produce each and every peach season. While there’s no shortage of ways to incorporate this yummy fruit into a plethora of recipes, we thought these two sounded especially delicious for a Labor Day feast. Let us know what you think!

Fredericksburg Peach BBQ Chicken Breast:

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tbsp BBQ seasoning
• 1 cup Fredericksburg peach preserves
• 1 ½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dry mustard
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• A pinch of salt & pepper to taste

Pat the BBQ seasoning on both sides of the chicken breasts. Next, whisk together the peach preserves, dry mustard, garlic, cayenne pepper, soy sauce, and the salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until just about done, then brush the peach sauce generously on both sides during the last few minutes of cooking. Serve the leftover sauce on the side to dip your chicken in because it is to-die-for.

Grilled Peaches a la Mode:

Sometimes, it’s worth it to just let the delicious jewels of Texas Peach Country speak for themselves.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe peaches, cut in half and seeded
• ½ stick butter
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• Ice Cream of your choice (can’t beat tried-and-true vanilla!)

Melt butter in a bowl and stir in brown sugar. Toss peaches in the mixture, and throw on the grill. Grill them cut-side down first until they’re soft, then flip them over and grill the other side for about 2 more minutes. Remove from heat, allow to cool down a bit, then top with your favorite ice cream and dig in!

Enjoy this Labor Day weekend, and take advantage of your hard-earned day off! You’ve earned it!

XOXO – SA Woman