Labor(less) Day

This morning I woke up shivering in a knot of covers. Mother Nature seems to have flipped the seasonal switch from summer to fall, literally, overnight! Then again, it is Labor Day weekend. The time for sweatshirts and college football is once again upon us. Last year I was home in Chanhassen, Minnesota spending time with my family, doing what we do best: sharing beer and eating bar-b-que.  

Perhaps it is our German roots, but we love fermented grains.
My brother, Mike, home brews with his roommates and has
become the family's beer epicure. This picture shows our
line-up of tasters for an afternoon well spent on the back
porch, where we could also sample smells from Dad's grill .

Introducing, Tony, also known as "The Daddio".
Self-taught chef, Kansas City BBQ zealot, and
Chimichurri advocate. Snow, rain, and hail
won't stop this man from firing up the Webber.

This year, I will be spending Labor Day with my hubby. He has a rare day off and we plan on exploring some urban bike trails near home, since traffic will be a nightmare as flocks of Denver residents with a "get out of work" pass head to the mountains. We also planning on doing lots of relaxing with good food and drink. If you want a quick and easy Labor Day feast minus the labor (it is your day off after all), try the following two recipes. Add a tossed salad and watermelon and BAM! A final salute to summer without fuss or charcoal. 

Lazy Bar-B-Que Chicken 

Serves 4

1 pkg. whole chicken, pre-cut

1/2 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the meantime, wash the chicken pieces in cool water and pat dry with paper towels. Discard organs and neck. Arrange chicken on roasting pan, season lightly with salt and pepper. Smother the exposed sides of the chicken pieces with your favorite sauce using a sauce brush. Cook chicken, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove and increase oven heat to 375 degrees F. Flip each chicken piece, season and apply more sauce. Return to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until a inserted knife allows for clear juices.  

My personal BBQ sauce favorite is Gates from Kansas City.
I highly recommend picking some up if you ever find yourself
driving through KC. I tried substituting with a local favorite:
The Rib House, all natural BBQ sauce. The makers originated from
KC, and sure enough, the sauce was more vinegary, peppery, and
runny than the thick, sweet BBQ sauces found in the upper Midwest.
It's great to be close to Kansas again.

Sauced and ready for the oven. 

I grew up with grilled meats, so I was a bit reserved about
charcoal-less BBQ. However, this chicken is juicy, tender
with a slightly crisp exterior! Serve with additional sauce.

Cowgirl Cornbread

Spending a few years in Texas as a child, I have residual fascinations with the Old West, as well as enduring cravings for sweet n' salty cornbread. I can imagine this cornbread being made over a campfire after a long day on the range.  

Serves 6-8

1 1/4 cups cornmeal, coarsely ground

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4  cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup milk

1/3 cup sour cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 stick butter, melted

Place a 9-in cast iron skillet in the oven and then being preheating to 400 degrees F. In the meantime, combine flours, sugar, salt, baking power and soda in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, wish the milk, sour cream, eggs, and butter. Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir just until a moist batter is formed and most of the clumps are pressed out. Once the oven finishes preheating, carefully remove the hot skillet. Brush the pan with 1 tablespoon butter or pure olive oil. Pour the batter into the skillet and return to oven to back 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Note: Sprinkle sea salt over the top of the batter before baking if you desire a more savory bread, or granulated sugar if you prefer it sweeter. Leftovers are great for a rustic breakfast.

Perfection! This smells amazing.

Serve with soft butter and honey. Or substitute the honey for fruit jam
(love, love, love it with raspberry jam!), or even molasses.