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Here’s What to Cook Every Night This Week (August 28 – September 3)

Labor Day weekend, summer’s unofficial end, is days away. There’s only one appropriate way to bid our favorite time of year adieu: with an epic seasonal dinner. Here, we’ve rounded up seven simple, shareable dinners that fit the occasion, from a drool-worthy burger to a crisp salad pizza. So, fire up the grill and gather your friends and neighbors—this final feast is going to be a scorcher.

55 Labor Day Recipes That Will End Summer on a Delicious Note


what to cook this week august 28-september 3: hands putting limes into a mesh bag at the supermarket
jchizhe/Getty Images

Shopping List

Produce
6 limes
2 poblano peppers
9 garlic cloves
1 head bibb lettuce
1 red onion
4 pounds sweet potatoes
1 tomato
4 leaves butter lettuce
1 sweet onion
2 summer squash
1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes
1 small cabbage
3 medium carrots
2 medium heads fennel
1 small piece ginger
1 pound baby potatoes
4 ears corn
3 lemons
2 bunches scallions
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch microgreens
2 bunches basil
1 bunch chives
2 bunches parsley
1 bunch mint

Meat
8 chicken thighs
1 pound ground beef
2½ pounds chicken drumsticks
1 pound unpeeled shrimp
1 pound smoked andouille sausage
1½ pounds flank steak
3 anchovies

Dairy
18 ounces ricotta cheese
8 ounces pearl mozzarella cheese
4 slices cheddar cheese
2 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese
8 ounces plain Greek yogurt
1 stick unsalted butter

Grains
4 hamburger buns
1 pound pasta

Canned and Packaged Goods
One 14-ounce can corn kernels
1 pound pizza dough
2 ounces pepperoncini

Pantry Ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, dried oregano, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, Italian seasoning, Himalayan pink salt, cumin, avocado oil, ketchup, seasoned rice vinegar, honey, sriracha, vegetable oil, chili powder, smoked paprika, dried thyme, crushed red pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, malt vinegar, whole-grain mustard

Monday: Lime Chicken with Corn and Poblano Salad

This bright, zingy main is begging for a spot on your picnic table. The skin-on thighs are dredged in a citrusy, spiced flour blend before being roasted to perfection. While they cook, you’ll assemble the corn and poblano salad in minutes. How easy is that?

Tuesday: Chopped Italian Salad Pizza

Balance is everything, no? Don’t sweat the dough: The recipe calls for using minimal fuss store-bought. Pair this crunchy, fresh pie with cold soup, cured meats and a glass of vino to complete the masterpiece.

Wednesday: The Ultimate ‘Sweet Laurel’ Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

We’d be remiss to not include a juicy, impeccably seasoned burger in our edible ode to summer. Beef is the go-to, but ground chicken, turkey, lamb or even bison would be fine substitutes. Just don’t skip the garlicky sweet potato fries on the side.

Thursday: Skillet Pasta with Summer Squash, Ricotta and Basil

Bursting with yellow zucchini and golden cherry tomatoes, this skillet delight is as sunny as it is scrumptious. Add burrata or crumbled bacon if you’re feeling decadent, or sun-dried tomatoes for a tart punch.

Friday: Grilled Honey-Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks with Fennel-Cabbage Slaw

These char-kissed drums are so much more elegant than hot dogs, yet just as timely and fun to eat. You could use the swicy sauce on breasts or thighs instead, but we try to avoid cutlery whenever we can in the summertime.

Saturday: Shrimp Boil Skewers with Corn, Sausage and Potatoes

Savor the later summer glory of a seafood boil with essentials like tender potatoes, succulent shrimp, smoky andouille sausage and corn on the cob, all slathered in zingy Cajun butter that you’ll concoct yourself. Simply lay newspaper across the patio table, place the skewers on top and let your guests dig in.

Sunday: Grilled Flank Steak with Lemon-Herb Sauce

Seasoned with malt vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, herbs and garlic, the steak is guaranteed to turn out flavorful and beyond tender. As for the lemon-herb sauce, it’ll come together in the hour that the steak marinates (meaning you’ll have plenty of time for a cocktail break).


taryn pire

Food Editor

  • Contributes to PureWow's food vertical
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  • Studied English and writing at Ithaca College