Recipe(tried): Labor Day Dinner at our house - Cornell BBQ Sauce for Chicken, Peach, Strawberry and Blueberry Fruit Salad, Colorful Potato Salad, Texas-Style Pinto Beans, Corn Bread, Fresh Strawberry Pie

We enjoyed:
Cornell Barbeque Sauce for Chicken
Peach, Strawberry and Blueberry Fruit Salad
Colorful Potato Salad
Texas-Style Pinto Beans
Corn Bread
Louisiana Fresh Strawberry Pie
on Labor Day, here in Western MA. We had great weather - sunny with a high in the low 80's, a beautiful blue sky, and very low humidity.

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CORNELL BARBEQUE SAUCE FOR CHICKEN
Enough for 2 chickens, cut into quarters or pieces

1 cup oil (canola, corn, vegetable)
1 pint (2 cups) vinegar (just plain old white, cider vinegar)
1 egg
3 Tbsp. salt. (Yup! 3 Tbsp.!!!)
1 Tbsp. Poultry Seasoning
1 tsp. black pepper

Mix all ingredients. Pour over cut up chicken pieces, with skin. Marinate overnight or up to 2 days in refrigerator. (When we are in a hurry, we have only marinated for a brief time and it is still wonderful but we like it best when we marinate the chicken longer in the sauce in the "frig." I like the way the vinegar cuts the richness of the fat in the chicken.) Discard unused sauce if you have had the raw chicken in it.

Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before grilling to allow it to come to room temperature.

Grill chicken over medium heat, turning several times and basting frequently until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear, about 45 to 60 minutes.

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PEACH, STRAWBERRY AND BLUEBERRY FRUIT SALAD

I don't feel that this fruit salad needs any dressing but feel free to add some if you like.

2 ripe peaches or nectarines, peeled and sliced
1/2 pint strawberries, rinsed and hulled
1/2 pint blueberries, rinsed and picked over discarding stems and bad berries
Sugar to taste (I like about 1/2 Tbsp.)
1/2 to 1 tsp. Fruit Fresh* (I just sprinkle it on, then mix it in with the sugar)

Bring a deep pan of water to a boil over high heat (deep enough to cover the peaches with the water). With a sharp paring knife, cut a small X in the end of each peach or nectarine. Place them in the boiling water for 20 seconds. Remove immediately and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

Peel and slice the peaches and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar and Fruit Fresh and mix.

Slice the strawberries and place in the bowl with the peaches. Add the blueberries and mix the fruits. Place salad in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to serve.

*Fruit Fresh is a powdered ascorbic acid which keeps the peaches from turning brown.

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COLORFUL POTATO SALAD
This is best made while the potatoes are still warm, and a day ahead of time or early in the morning you plan to serve it, giving the flavors time to "marry."

2 1/2 lbs. of medium-large red potatoes
4 eggs (After cooking, reserve 1 for garnish)
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 stalks of celery, fairly finely chopped
1 heaping tbsp. sugar
2 to 3 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 of a 4 oz. jar chopped pimiento, well drained
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. prepared yellow mustard such as French's
1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tbsp. pickle juice from a jar of Mrs. Fannings Bread and Butter pickles
TO SERVE:
Green leaf lettuce, rinsed and dried
1 small tomato cut into 5 or 6 wedges
Paprika

Place potatoes and eggs in a large pan or stock pot. Cover with cold water to about 1 1/2 inches above potatoes and eggs. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. As soon as the water comes to a boil, uncover and turn heat down so that the potatoes and eggs cook at a high simmer.

While this is cooking chop the green onion and celery and place in a large bowl.

After 10 minutes, remove eggs and plunge into cold water. Crack and peel immediately. While the eggs are still warm, chop 3 of them into fairly large pieces and add to bowl with green onion and celery. Reserve 1 hard-boiled egg, covered and refrigerated for garnish. Cover bowl with onions, celery and eggs lightly while the potatoes finish cooking and cooling, The potatoes should continue cooking for another 15 or 16 minutes, after the eggs are removed, or until tender and they can easily be pierced with a knife.

Remove potatoes to a colander and cool for 45 to 60 minutes. While still warm, peel and cut into approximately 3/4-inch pieces, adding to bowl with green onion, celery, and eggs.

Sprinkle sugar, parsley and pimiento on top of potatoes. Add mayonnaise, mustard, red wine vinegar and pickle juice. Mix with a large rubber spatula to keep from breaking up eggs and potatoes. Cover tightly and chill several hours in the refrigerator.

TO SERVE:
When ready to serve, line a large bowl with green leaf lettuce. Pile potato salad into bowl on top of lettuce. Garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg, wedges of tomato, and sprinkle with paprika.

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TEXAS-STYLE PINTO BEANS
These are also better, in my opinion, made the day before, then reheated before serving, giving the flavors time to marry.

1 pound dried pinto beans
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
2 smoked ham hocks, fat or rind scored with sharp knife in two or three places
1/2 to 1 tbsp. salt, or to taste (Add near end of time when beans finish cooking)
Black pepper, to taste

Place beans in a colander and rinse under cold water, picking over for any bad beans or small stones. Place in large bowl or stock pot and cover with cold water so water is about 1 inch above all the beans. Cover and soak overnight. Alternatively, place beans in stock pot and cover by 1 to 2 inches with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for two minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let sit for 1 hour. Drain in colander and rinse beans. Rinse or wash stock pot.

Place beans back in pot, covering beans with cold water so that water is about 1 inch above the tops of the beans. Place beans on stove over high heat. Bring to boil.

While beans are coming to a boil, add chopped onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin and ham hocks. After all has come to a boil, lower heat so that the beans simmer. Continue cooking, partially covered, adding more water as necessary.

When meat begins to fall off ham hocks, about 1 hour, remove them and when they are cool enough to handle, remove and discard fat and bones. Chop meat, adding it back into the beans. Add salt and pepper and continue cooking until beans are tender, about 1/2 hour more. Total cooking time should be about 1 1/2 hours.

Take the back of a spoon and mash some of the beans to thicken the sauce.

MAKE AHEAD TIPS:
If made a day before serving, add about 1/4 cup water or more as needed and reheat in a paper towel covered bowl, in a microwave, for several minutes, or reheat on stove, in pot, over low heat, adding water as necessary, stirring frequently, and being careful beans don't burn and stick to the bottom of the pot.

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CORN BREAD

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I like canola oil.)
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (425F if using a glass casserole). Grease a 9x9-inch pan or Pyrex casserole.

Place and mix all ingredients in bowl about 1/2 minute on low speed, then another minute on high. Pour into pan.

Bake at 450 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of bread come out clean. If using a glass casserole, decrease oven temperature to 425 degrees F. My oven may be hot, but I find that about 18 minutes is enough when I use a glass pan.

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LOUISIANA FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE

1 (9 inch) pastry shell
1 quart fresh strawberries, divided use
FOR THE GLAZE:
3/4 cup water
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
TO SERVE:
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Line a baked pastry shell with fresh strawberries. Reserve about 1 cup of the berries for the glaze.

PREPARE THE GLAZE:
Simmer 1 cup of berries and 3/4 cup water for 3 to 4 minutes. Combine cornstarch and sugar. Add this to the berries along with the lemon juice. Cook this mixture until thickened and clear.

Pour over the berries in shell and chill in the refrigerator.

Top with whipped cream.