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Labor Day pasta salad — three ways

For most of us here in the North Country, Labor Day signals the end of summer. Summer people and tourists leave, schools and colleges begin classes, the weather cools down and the threat of frost is imminent for those who garden.

While today we celebrate the waning heat of summer with family picnics, Labor Day began as a day for political organizing. On September 5, 1882, around 10,000 of New York City’s union workers took an unpaid day off to march in America’s first Labor Day parade. By 1894, several states had endorsed the holiday, and Congress passed a law recognizing Labor Day as a national holiday dedicated to the contributions of American workers to the strength and prosperity of our country.

Labor unions have played a major role in our history. In the sixties, when union membership was at its peak, more than 30 percent of workers were union members. Through American history, unions have played a major role in ending child labor, closing sweatshops, bringing a forty-hour workweek, guaranteeing a fair wage and protecting workers’ rights. Today, many fail to see a role for trade unions, and less than 15 percent of Americans are union members. Yet, we’re working more hours for less pay, and many of the hard-won benefits Americans have come to take for granted, such as the forty-hour workweek, health insurance, and retirement, are on the decline. As a result, many of the workers who cleaned the chickens and harvested ripening produce for our Labor Day feast are unable to buy the fruits of their labors.

Although history has shown that unions and similar organizations are important counterbalances to the corporate and industrial giants or modern society, today we no longer celebrate Labor Day by honoring the contributions of the American worker. Instead, Labor Day now marks the end of summer and the start of school. It is one of the most traveled days of the year, as we take that vacation we’ve been putting off all summer long. It is a day for shopping at back to school sales as we get ready for the new school year. It is a day to gather with family and friends and enjoy the last warm days of summer with cookouts.

If you’re squeezing in the last picnic of summer on this long weekend, here’s a picnic salad recipe that will serve a crowd of family and friends.

Main dish pasta salad three ways

Ingredients:

Herbed Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup olive oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

2 teaspoons minced onion

2 teaspoons basil

1 Tablespoon parley

Salad Ingredients:

1 pound whole grain pasta

10 oz. tri-colored pasta

1 can garbanzo beans

10 ounces green beans

10 ounces Romaine lettuce

1 small bunch celery, sliced

2 cups diced zucchini

2 cups diced summer squash

This is your basic pasta salad. Now, here are three ethnic varieties:

For Mexican, add:

1 can corn kernels

1 can black beans

2 green peppers, diced (or red or yellow bell peppers)

jalapeno peppers (optional)

8 oz. grated Cheddar cheese

For Greek style salad, add:

1 can black olives

8 oz. crumbled feta cheese

For an Italian touch, add:

2 to three tomatoes, diced

3 cups broccoli flowerets

6 oz. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine dressing ingredients. Shake vigorously. Combine with pasta. Stir in beans, lettuce, zucchini and squash. Divide in three bowls. Stir in additional “ethnic ingredients.”

Author of the award-winning cookbook Garden Gourmet: Fresh & Fabulous Meals from your Garden, CSA or Farmers’ Market, Yvona Fast lives in Lake Clear and has two passions: cooking and writing. She can be reached at www.wordsaremyworld.com or on Facebook as Author Yvona Fast.

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