Memorial Day is a time for family and friends to gather and honor our fallen heroes. As a military family we, as most people, greatly appreciate all that men and women in the military have done for us. Honor the day with traditions: by flying your flag at half staff until noon; visit memorials; participate in the National Moment of Remembrance at 3 p.m.; perhaps fly the POW/MIA flag; attend a parade and clap loud, long and hard for the veterans in attendance; thank a person in uniform for their service.
Gather together and celebrate these heroes lives by enjoying the freedoms they have given you with family and friends. Enjoying good company and a good meal is a privilege not everyone in the world enjoys. Below are some ideas for food, mostly healthy, all tasty.
First a suggestion: always begin with the freshest and most flavorful produce you can get. If you have any farmer’s markets or roadside stands that sell produce, take a look and enjoy the ripe fruits and vegetables. There is nothing better than a vine ripened tomato or fresh, ripe strawberry (substitute in your favorites!). Other suggested ingredients are found at regular grocery stores.
Red, White and Blue fruit platter ideas:
Fill a bowl with fresh strawberries sliced in half, blueberries, red grapes, and raspberries (if available) and add some mini marshmallows.
Ok, so I’m cheating with the white by adding marshmallows.
Or dip whole strawberries in white chocolate and arrange with blueberries and red grapes on a platter. (Let’s face it…it doesn’t have to be all healthy)
Family favorite BBQ sauce
1 bottle of chili sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs. vinegar (white, cider or balsamic….depends on your preference)
1 tsp liquid smoke
I like to add 1/4 cup very finely diced sweet onion, but it’s not necessary.
Stir together and use as you like. BBQ chicken, ribs, spread on hamburgers.
Delicious with a mild curry flavor, add more if you like more curry. A nice salad that
won’t easily spoil like dairy based salads.
1 pound boneless, cooked chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
5 cups cooked pasta, cooled: bow tie; rotini; or large shell are good
Place these in a large bowl
Mix together:
3/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
1 cup finely diced roma tomatoes
1/2 cup finely diced sweet onion
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp paprika
1 chopped garlic clove
Whisk all together and pour over pasta and chicken. Stir well to coat all. Let sit for flavors to blend
for about 1 hour or more. Delicious the next day too. If the pasta soaks up all of the vinaigrette and
seems dry, mix up more without the tomatoes and onion and add to it.
Chocolate crinkle cookies
This simple recipe is from the side of a box of cake mix (don’t laugh!); I’m not even sure what brand. My daughter who hates the kitchen, began making these in grade in elementary school. They were easy for a beginner in the kitchen. Great for getting the kids interested in baking, as they are simple enough for a child to mix up and bake without assistance up to putting it in the oven (for little ones). As simple as they are they are delicious and throughout the years of school (she graduates high school this year) her classmates have always asked for the cookies. Memorial Day weekend is also very close to my daughter’s birthday, so enjoy her recipe even more.
1 box chocolate cake mix (Duncan Hines, Betty Crocker, or generic brand is ok but keep it the size of those brands)
(you may also substitute your favorite cake mix flavor: Funfetti seems to be a huge favorite)
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
Mix together. Chill if the dough is sticky. Roll into 1 inch balls, then roll in powdered sugar to coat well. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes. (They are done when they “crinkle” and the inside of the crinkle looks slightly moist still. Don’t overbake!)
These are slightly crispy outside and chewy inside. Memorial day idea for these cookies: Use white cake mix and add red and blue sprinkles to the mix.
Always have jello with layers of red, Cool Whip, and blue jello. What would a backyard bbq be like without it? Drink ideas:
Rootbeer floats; iced tea…use different flavored teas for a change; provide lots of water on a hot day.
Try a red white and blue cocktail (sweetness alert):
Layer in a small glass (pour each liquid carefully over the back of a spoon to layer)
1 shot grenadine
1 shot blue Curacao or bleu Alize (very different flavors so choose your preference)
1 shot heavy cream
Serve layered. You’re just showing off with this one and obviously this is not for kids.
