Woohoo!  Is it hard for anyone other than me to believe it is already Labor Day Weekend?  Where has the time gone?  I wish I were up in Northern MI so I could walk the bridge on Monday, but no such luck this year – it is an amazing walk!

Here are a few simple recipes to help get you through the weekend – let’s start with a simple, tasty appetizer:

Veggie Wrap Appetizers

Ingredients

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained
• 1 can (3.8 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons real bacon bits
• 8 flour tortillas (10 inches)

Directions

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and dressing mix until blended. Beat in the onions, green chilies, olives, celery, red pepper and bacon. Spread over tortillas. Roll up. Cut each into 1-in. slices. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: about 5 dozen.

Seafood Skewers

Ingredients

• 24 medium fresh mushrooms
• 24 cherry tomatoes
• 8 bacon strips, cut into thirds
• 1 pound halibut, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 pound sea scallops
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• CHIVE BUTTER:
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 2 to 3 tablespoons minced chives

Directions

• On 12 metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread two mushrooms, two tomatoes and two pieces of bacon with four pieces of fish or seafood. Brush with melted butter.
• Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 5-7 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and scallops are opaque, turning once. Combine butter and chives; serve with brochettes. Yield: 1 dozen.