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Is August the end of summer or the forerunner of fall? A little bit of both. There will be some warm summer weekend cookouts, and then Labor Day Weekend will be the “cookout weekend.”

Linda: I think a cookout would be the perfect time for a delicious fruit punch. Children, as well as adults, love a tasty, cold punch on a hot afternoon.

Lucy: I have a delicious strawberry punch recipe that goes back many years. I made it when I was pregnant with my son, who is now in his 50s, and served it at my baby shower. It was so good that I saved the recipe all these years.

Linda: That sounds wonderful. I know that burgers seem pretty basic for a cookout and that many people make their own special burgers. I have one recipe that makes a very good burger. Then, I found some other tips online. If you provide lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and other condiments, people can finish making their own to taste.

Lucy: I know that you and I love potato salad, but only when it’s homemade. Store potato salads are heavy with mayonnaise or sometimes coated in a mustard sauce. Our Homemade Potato Salad recipe is the best. It’s an old recipe from a 1960 Better Homes and Gardens cookbook.

Linda: You are right. And the recipe can also be found in our Two Sisters Cook cookbook. I haven’t been able to have a booth at the Landrum Farmers Market this summer. Walking pneumonia knocked me down! But you can purchase our cookbook at Page and Flame Bookstore in Landrum.

Lucy: Let’s dig out these recipes so our readers can plan a summer cookout.

 

Strawberry Party Punch

 

Serves 13 ¾ cups each. ½ recipe can be made

Ingredients

6 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened, thawed strawberries

Place in food processor and process until smooth

Stir in ¾ frozen lemonade or lime concentrate and

8 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice

Add 4 cups chilled lemon lime (7Up) soda.

Serve over ice

 

Classic Burger Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds 80% lean 20% fat ground beef or ground chuck

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Small onion chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Optional: 4 slices of cheese

4 hamburger buns

Optional: hamburger toppings – l

Lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, mustard, mayo, etc.

Instructions

Preheat the grill to 375 degrees F (medium-high).

In a large bowl, add the beef. Sprinkle evenly with the Worcestershire sauce, chopped onions, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until they are just combined. Divide the meat mixture into fourths. Take ¼ of the meat mixture and use your hands to press it into the shape of a hamburger patty that is about ¾ inch thick. Make an indention in the middle of the patty to prevent bulging in the center of the hamburger as it cooks. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture, making 4 hamburgers. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook 4-5 minutes on the first side. Flip the burgers over and cook an additional 4-5 minutes, until the burgers have reached the desired doneness. (I usually cook for 4 minutes on each side for medium-well burgers. Some chefs tuck an ice cube into the middle of the patty to make juicy and tender.) If adding cheese, lay a slice of cheese on each burger patty about 1 minute before taking the burgers off the grill, so the cheese has a chance to melt. Serve the burgers on hamburger buns with optional hamburger toppings.

 

Classic Potato Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

3 medium potatoes

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp vinegar

1/2 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup mayonnaise

Directions

Boil potatoes with skin on 30- 45 minutes until tender. Place in cold water to cool. When cool, peel and cube. Sprinkle with sugar and vinegar. Add onion, celery, and mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix to combine flavors. Use hard boiled egg slices to garnish top of salad. Keep cold until serving. Can be made a day ahead of time.