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Labor Day is going to take on a special meaning for Aly and I this year. We decided to host an exchange student for the whole school year, and he’ll be arriving this week, just in time for Labor Day weekend.

His name is Guglielmo, and he is from a small town in Italy, and we couldn’t be more excited to host him for these next 10 months!

Lucky for him, he’s arriving on my favorite grilling weekend of the year so he’s going to get a very early introduction to barbecue, char marks and smoke flavor after coming from pasta, tomatoes, butter and cream!

But, I’ll be SURE to share some authentic Italian recipes while he’s here, as he likes to cook!

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SWEET & TANGY GRILLED COUNTRY-STYLE PORK RIBS

4 tsp. packed brown sugar (1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp.)

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1 tbsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 lbs. bone-in country-style pork ribs, trimmed

1/2 c. your favorite barbecue sauce, plus extra for serving

Combine brown sugar, salt, chili powder, and cayenne in bowl. Rub mixture all over ribs. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 24 hours.

On a gas grill, turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 10 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burners to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.

Oil the whole cooking grate, place ribs on hotter side of grill. Cover and cook until well browned on both sides, four to seven minutes total. Move ribs to cooler side of grill and brush with 1/4 cup sauce. Cover and cook for six minutes. Flip ribs and brush with remaining 1/4 cup sauce. Cover and continue to cook until pork registers 150 degrees, 6 to 11 minutes longer. Transfer ribs to serving platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve, passing extra sauce separately. It should feed 4-6 comfortably, but don’t be fooled by bone-in country ribs, either. There can be a lot of bone and ligaments in it so although four pounds sounds generous for 4-6 people, it’s just perfect, depending on the appetites. 

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Tri tip is such an underrated cut of beef. It’s flavorful, tender and packed with juices. It’s not too expensive, either, at least when compared to ribeyes and filets.

GRILLED TRI TIP

1 2-3 lb. tri tip roast (fat cap removed)

2 tbsp. beef rub

MOPPING LIQUID

1/4 c. olive oil

1/4 c. red wine

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

4 cloves garlic

Preheat grill to medium (350 degrees) for two-zone grilling. Season the tri tip on all sides with Beef Rub.

Combine all ingredients for the mopping liquid in a small bowl and set aside.

Place the seasoned tri tip roast directly on the grill grates over indirect heat. Close the lid and grill for 30-40 minutes, flipping every 6-7 minutes. Mop liberally with mopping liquid after each time you flip the roast. Continue to grill the tri tip until the internal temperature reads 125 degrees F (for medium rare).

When the roast reaches an internal temperature of 120 degrees F, move it over to direct heat and grill for 2-3 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness (See notes below for each temperature).

Remove the tri tip from the grill. Rest the meat for 10 minutes then slice against the grain and serve.

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This next one is simple, sweet and oh-so-delectable. The best part is it’s a fruit dip, so technically you’re at least eating something healthy with it, even if the dip itself is loaded with things that are not so good for you

DREAMY FRUIT DIP

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. marshmallow creme

1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Assorted fresh fruit

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in marshmallow creme. Fold in whipped topping. Serve with fruit. Store in the refrigerator.

My absolute favorite fruits with this recipe is strawberries, but pineapples, thick-cut kiwis and grapes are also great. Blueberries and raspberries go perfect with the taste of this dip, but have a tendency to either break apart when dipped or are just hard in general without getting your fingers sticky since this is a pretty thick dip.

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WATERMELON & BLACKBERRY SANGRIA

1 bottle (750 ml) white zinfandel or rose wine, chilled

1/4 c. watermelon schnapps liqueur

1-1/2 c. cubed seedless watermelon (1/2-inch cubes)

1 medium lime, thinly sliced

1/2 to 1 c. fresh blackberries, halved

1 can (12 oz.) lemon-lime soda, chilled

Ice cubes

Fresh basil or mint leaves

In a large pitcher, stir together wine and schnapps; add watermelon, lime and blackberries. Chill at least 2 hours. Just before serving, stir in soda. Serve over ice. Garnish with basil or mint.

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PISTACHIO MALLOW SALAD

1 large carton (16 oz.) whipped topping

1 package (3.4 oz.) instant pistachio pudding mix

6 to 7 drops green food coloring, optional

3 c. miniature marshmallows

1 can (20 oz.) pineapple tidbits, undrained

1/2 c. chopped pistachios or walnuts

Additional whipped topping, optional

In a large bowl, combine whipped topping, pudding mix and food coloring if desired. Fold in the marshmallows and pineapple. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. Just before serving, top with additional whipped topping if desired, sprinkle with nuts.

TFD: “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”

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