Memorable Memorial Day Menu
by Wen Zientek-Sico
Light up the grill and get out the patio furniture! Summer is here and it is time to celebrate with some great recipes especially for Memorial Day Weekend.
Summer is almost here...well, at least the "unofficial" start to summer here in the United States is almost here. Memorial Day is the perfect time to throw off the last memories of winter and break out the grill, the outdoor furniture, and the ice cubes!
I live in the Northern United States, and Memorial Day is a big day here. Our summers are short and we cherish every second of them, so it is pretty common to have a really big Memorial Day bash. Here are the recipes that we commonly serve on Memorial Day and all summer long. We might fill in the menu a bit with some corn on the cob, salt potatoes (a regional specialty), and sliced watermelon, but this is the basic menu. Enjoy the sun and the recipes!
Citrus Slush Grilled Rosemary Garlic Pork Loin Chops Roasted Pepper and Garlic Turkey Burgers Honey Grilled Onions Fruited Coleslaw Creamy Seafood, Pea, and Pepper Salad Tomato Basil Pasta Salad Strawberry-Cantaloupe Salad with Marshmallow Dressing Inside Out Cannolis Chocolate Toffee Ice Cream Pie Menu Notes:
All of the recipes can be made ahead of time to a certain degree. The Grilled Rosemary Garlic Pork Loin Chops, Roasted Pepper and Garlic Turkey Burgers, Honey Grilled Onions cannot be cooked in advance, but the burgers can be mixed and formed 24 hours in advance, and so can the marinade and glaze.
We normally make the Inside Out Cannolis and
Chocolate Toffee Ice Cream Pie a day in advance. The Citrus Slush is something that just always seems to be in the freezer once it gets warm out.
The Fruited Coleslaw, Creamy Seafood, Pea, and Pepper Salad, and Strawberry-Cantaloupe Salad with Marshmallow Dressing are best made a few hours in advance. You can also make the Tomato Basil Pasta Salad in advance, but I personally prefer it at room temperature, so I throw it together while the main dish is grilling.
| 
