Celebrate Labor Day
September 3rd, 2012

If I Had A  Million Dollars
by 10,000 Maniacs

On September 5, 1882, the first Labor Day parade was held in New York City. Twenty thousand workers marched in a parade up Broadway. They carried banners that read "LABOR CREATES ALL WEALTH," and "EIGHT HOURS FOR WORK; EIGHT HOURS FOR REST; EIGHT HOURS FOR RECREATION!" After the parade, there were picnics all around the city. Workers and celebrants ate Irish stew, homemade bread and apple pie. At night, fireworks were set off. Within the next few years, the idea spread from coast to coast, and all states celebrated Labor Day. In 1894, Congress voted it a national holiday.

Make This Traditional Labor Day Celebration Meal

County Cork Irish Stew

  8 ea. Small lamb chops, thawed
1 ea. Salt and pepper
1 TB Vegetable oil
1 x Parsley, bay leaves 1 x Peppercorns, thyme, rosemary
1 LB Potatoes (3 to 4 medium)
2 c Finely shredded cabbage
1  Medium onion, chopped
1  Large leek white thin sliced
12 Small white onions
1-1/2 c Celery stalks, diced
1-1/2 c Peas
1 x Chopped fresh parsley
Season chops with salt and pepper. heat oil in saucepan wide enough to hold all chops in a single layer. Brown on both sides. Spoon off any melted fat and add enough water to cover chops. Bring to a boil and add parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme and rosemary enclosed in cheesecloth. Lower heat and simmer. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and shape into bite sized rounds. Chop trimmings from potatoes into small pieces. Add potatoes, trimmings, cabbage, onion, well-rinsed leek, white onions and celery to chops and liquid. Simmer 20 minutes then add peas. Add a little more water if needed during cooking. Simmer 10 minutes more or until potatoes are tender. Correct seasoning. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Yield: 4 servings

  White Pan Bread

2 cups warm tap water - about 110 degrees
2 1/2 teaspoons (1 envelope) active dry yeast
5 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil
Oil 2 (8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/2-inch) loaf pans
Whisk yeast into warm water and set aside while preparing other ingredients. To mix dough by hand, place 5 cups flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and stir in yeast mixture and melted butter. Continue to stir until mixture forms a rough dough. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. If dough is excessively soft and sticky, add remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time. To mix dough in a heavy duty mixer, place flour, salt and sugar in a mixer bowl, add yeast mixture and melted butter and mix on low speed with dough hook for about 5 minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. If dough is excessively soft and sticky, add remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. To mix dough in food processor, place flour, salt and sugar in bowl fitted with a metal blade. Pulse several times to mix. Add yeast mixture and butter and pulse 8 to 10 times until dough forms a ball. If dough is excessively soft and sticky, add remaining flour 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse, until dough forms a coherent ball. Let dough rest for 5 minutes, then run the machine continuously for 30 seconds. Place dough in oiled bowl and turn to oil all surfaces. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour. Turn risen dough out onto a lightly floured work surface (you may need the help of a scraper). Deflate dough and divide into two equal pieces. To form loaf, make sure the surface is free of excess flour, then stretch dough into rectangle. Fold in short ends of dough until it is approximately the length of the pan, then fold the far long edge over to the middle. Fold over the other long side and compress to form a tight cylinder. Place the loaf in the pan, seam side down. Cover the pan with plastic wrap. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Allow to rise until doubled. When loaves are almost doubled, preheat oven to 400 degrees and set rack at middle level. When loaves are completely risen, place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the loaves are golden brown and firm and the internal temperature is about 210 degrees. Unmold loaves to a rack to cool on their sides.

Apple Pie

  8 Tart apples, pared; cored (6c)
3/4 c Sugar
2 TB Flour
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 dash Nutmeg
2 Crust uncooked pastry
2 TB Butter
If apples aren't tart, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Thinly slice apples. Combine sugar, flour, spices, salt and mix with apples. Line 9 inch pie plate with pastry. Fill with apples, dot with butter. Adjust top crust. Cut slits for escape of steam in top of crust. seal. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 400 F for 50 minutes or until done.
Yield: 6 Servings

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Labor Day is a day for families to get together for parades, picnics, barbeques, swimming, and ice cream.  It is a day for friends and family to celebrate.  

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This page last updated on 10/24/11
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