Labor Day!

Many see Labor Day weekend as the official end of summer so why not have some extra fun as summer ends and fall begins? Keep reading for some great ideas for fun you can have as a family or invite some friends over (while practicing social distancing, of course!). 

GAMES

Tic Tac Toe Frisbee

A few materials that you most likely have at home is all you need to get the fun started with this game. You can use a sheet or a tarp, some painters tape and some frisbees (10 frisbees total, 5 each of two colors)....that's it!! Using your painters tape and sheet/tarp, make your tic tac toe board. Once that is done spread it out on the ground (you may want to stake the corners down) and start playing! It's just like the old fashioned tic tac toe on paper, except lots more fun!! 

                                   Photo credit: u-createcrafts.com

Yard-zee

Yard-zee has become very popular lately. Think the dice/paper version of Yahtzee and make the dice bigger and play it outside! You can find sets to buy just about anywhere these days, but here are a couple of links:

Splinter Woodworking Co Yardzee

LoveBugandHoneyBee (this is able to be personalized)

If the weather looks like it will be hot over the weekend, we put together a list of water games/acitivities on a blog titled Splash! just a couple of weeks ago.

If you purchased the Bannor Limited Horseshoe or Golf Sets in the past, this would be a great time to get those out and have some safe play with wooden toys that will last for years! (And if you missed out on those items....remember the holiday season is coming and you never know what Bannor Toys may be up to!)

FOOD

You can't have a celebration without food! Whether you grill or go a completely different route, here are a few delicious recipes to get you going!

Apple BBQ Chicken

Plainchicken.com has a wonderful Apple BBQ Chicken recipe that is just as simple and it is delicious. 

Notes:

Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness before marinating to ensure even cooking.

To cook chicken without a grill, pan sear chicken in a skillet or grill pan for 3 or 4 minutes per side. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.

Marinated Steak Kabobs

Joyfulhealthyeats.com supplies us with this mouth-watering recipe. 

Ingredients

Marinated Steak

• 2 lbs. beef tenderloin (ribeye or top sirloin) cut into 2″ cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons tamari sauce
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon dry rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Kabobs Ingredients:

• 2 green peppers, cut into 1” cubes
• 2 red peppers, cut into 1” cubes
• 1 red onion, cut into 1” cubes
• 1 lb. baby yukon potatoes, sliced in half
• 1 pint of baby bella mushrooms

Instructions

1. To a medium bowl add, olive oil, tamari sauce, worcestershire sauce, dijon mustard, fresh lemon juice, dry oregano, dry rosemary and pepper. Using a whisk, mix everything together.
2. Add meat to a large bowl or ziplock bag. Pour half of the marinade over the meat and toss to coat. Reserve remaining marinade.
3. Let meat marinade for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. In the meantime, add potatoes in microwave safe container with 1/2 cup of water. Cover and cook on HIGH for 7 minutes to slightly cook potatoes. (should be able to pierce with a fork or knife)
5. Assemble kabobs: alternate red pepper, green pepper, red onion, meat, yukon potatoes and mushrooms. Repeat. (I try to get 3-4 pieces of meat per skewer) Continue process until ingredients are gone.
6. Heat grill to medium high heat, about 375-400 degrees F.
7. Make sure that grill grates are clean. Spray grill grates with cooking spray or rub down with an olive oil soaked rag.
8. Place steak kabobs directly on the grill. Grill each side for 3-4 minutes, you want a nice char. Basting the kabobs with remaining marinade while grilling. Remove the kabobs from grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
9. Serve.

 

If you are having more people over and you want to do something other than grilling, try a Taco Bar. Fix your taco meat (beef, chicken, pork...whatever you'd like) with your favorite recipe and get all of your toppings prepared and ready to go. Set it up and it can be an easy self-serve meal for a group!

                                                   Photo credit: catchmyparty.com

 

No matter what you do over Labor Day weekend this year, we hope that you enjoy time with family and/or friends and you get to relax and unwind for a bit.