Memorial Day is the unofficial start to summer

It is hard to believe Memorial Day weekend is already upon us. I can fondly recall my grandmother and parents called this special holiday "Decoration Day". It was a time to pay respects to those who had passed away by placing flowers on the graves and headstones.

Like so many things in our world today, this tradition has nearly gone by the wayside. For many people, this weekend means a day off from work, a time to head to the lake and kick off the summer. For others, it may include a family gathering with a barbeque supper or picnic.

However your family chooses to spend this holiday, I'm sure it will include food and possibly new recipes to try.

I have put together a small collection you may wish to include in your plans for the holiday weekend.

Spicy Lemon Chicken Kabobs

When I see Meyer lemons in the store, it must be spring. I like using them for these easy chicken kabobs, but regular grilled lemons still add the signature smoky tang.

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 tablespoons white wine
• 1-1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 medium lemons, halved
• Minced chives

In a large shallow dish, combine lemon juice, 3 tablespoons oil, wine, pepper flakes and rosemary. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate up to three hours.

Drain chicken, discarding marinade. Thread chicken onto six metal or soaked wooden skewers. Grill, covered, over medium heat until no longer pink, turning once, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, place lemons on grill, cut side down. Grill until lightly browned, eight to 10 minutes. Squeeze lemon halves over chicken. Drizzle with remaining oil; sprinkle with chives.

Source: www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/spicy-lemon-chicken-kabobs/

'Secrets in the Sauce' BBQ Ribs

A sweet, rich sauce makes this BBQ ribs recipe so tender, moist and flavorful. And the aroma is wonderful.

• 4 1/2 pounds pork baby back ribs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 2 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
• 3/4 cup cherry preserves
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Cut ribs into serving-size pieces; sprinkle with pepper. Place in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over ribs. Cook, covered, on low until meat is tender, six to eight hours. Serve with sauce.

Source: www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/secret-s-in-the-sauce-bbq-ribs/print/

Strawberry Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

This strawberry salad recipe features strawberries, mandarin oranges, pistachios, cranberries and crumbled feta paired with a zesty honey mustard dressing.

Strawberry Salad:

• 10 ounces mixed spring green lettuce or fresh spinach
• 1-pound strawberries, thinly sliced
• 4 peeled mandarin oranges (separate the segments)
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup pistachios (or nuts of your choice), shelled and coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta or whichever cheese you like
• Sliced avocado, optional

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon mandarin orange zest
• 2 to 4 tablespoons juice from oranges
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1-2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the lettuce, strawberries, orange sections, avocado, and dried cranberries in a large bowl. Toss these ingredients together.

Salad Dressing: Add all of the ingredients listed except for the oil in a food processor or blender and blend. Then add in the oil while pulsing the processor or blender until well combined (should only need to do this for 10 to 15 seconds or so).

Add the dressing to the tossed salad ingredients (you may not need it all) and toss again.

Before serving scatter strawberry slices, orange slices, and avocado on top and sprinkle a bit more feta and nuts if desired to make a beautiful salad to serve.

Source: www.southernplate.com/strawberry-salad-honey-mustard-dressing/

Dr. Pepper Congealed Salad

This quick and easy 4-ingredient congealed salad recipe includes a deliciously sweet and refreshing combination of cherry Jell-O, cherry pie filling, Dr. Pepper, and crushed pineapple.

• 1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained, reserve juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 (3-ounce) boxes cherry gelatin
• 1 (20-ounce) can cherry pie filling
• 3/4 cup Diet Dr. Pepper

Drain pineapple, reserving the juice, and set it aside.

In a saucepan, bring pineapple juice and water to a boil. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved.

Stir in Diet Dr. Pepper, then the cherry pie filling, then the crushed pineapple.

Pour into a mold, small mason jars, or a serving bowl and refrigerate until firm. Serve cold.

Top with whipped cream, if desired.

Note: You can use sugar-free gelatin if you like as well as a low-sugar cherry pie filling! It will turn out just as delicious. Add 1 cup of chopped pecans or chopped walnuts, or 1 cup of finely chopped celery for something different!

You can use any flavor of Jell-O and pie filling in this recipe:

Strawberry Jell-O salad with strawberry Jell-O and strawberry pie filling.

Grape Jell-O salad with grape Jell-O and blueberry pie filling or fresh blueberries.

Cherry lime Jell-O salad: follow this recipe and add 1/4 cup of fresh lime juice and 1 tablespoon of lime zest.

A similar option: green Jell-O salad with lime Jell-O and cherry pie filling.

Orange Jell-O salad with orange Jell-O and canned mandarin oranges instead of the canned pineapple.

Source: www.southernplate.com/congealed-jello-salad/

Mexican Macaroni Salad

Also known as ensalada de coditos (which roughly translates to "elbow macaroni salad"), this classic Mexican dish is usually served at picnics and family gatherings. Recipes may include different types of cubed vegetables like red peppers, carrots and celery, but the pickled jalapeno and cubed ham come standard. That's what makes this dish different from other macaroni salad recipes. A crowd-pleaser all year round, you can't go wrong bringing this colorful dish to the table for your next get-together!

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon juice from pickled jalapeno slices
• 3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) mixed vegetables, drained
• 1/3 cup pickled jalapeno slices, chopped

In a saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni to al dente. Then drain and rinse with cold water to get rid of the extra starch. (This keeps pasta from getting mushy when tossed with the dressing.) Cool pasta completely before mixing with other ingredients.

First, make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, jalapeno juice, mustard, salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine ham, mixed vegetables, jalapenos and cooled cooked macaroni. Pour in dressing slowly, gently tossing to coat ingredients.

Refrigerate until serving, at least 2 hours. This allows the flavors to meld together. To serve, garnish with additional pickled jalapeno slices, if desired.

Source: www.tasteofhome.com/article/mexican-macaroni-salad/?_cmp=holiday&_ebid=holiday5192023&_mid=604069&ehid=44C76A2B8B0C507F53318C25776BD00D4D622677&os_ehash=44C76A2B8B0C507F53318C25776BD00D4D622677&_PermHash=26c42d347a716295d58ff36ec50ef386a9d466e5db42de7aae0e17d0c424a8ea&tohMagStatus=NONE

Beef Kebabs

For the marinade:

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 tablespoons honey, divided
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, divided

For the kebabs:

• 1 1/2 pound sirloin or New York strip, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, large stems removed
• 1 red onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

For the marinade: Whisk together the vinegar, Worcestershire, olive oil, garlic, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon each of the honey and mustard in a medium bowl. Transfer 1/4 cup of the marinade to a small bowl; whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon each honey and mustard to make a glaze. Set the glaze aside.

For the kebabs: Add the marinade and the meat to a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and massage it gently to coat all of the meat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours. Remove the meat from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling.

If using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400 to 450 degrees). Thread the meat, mushrooms, onion, and peppers on the skewers, alternating as you like.

Grill the kebabs uncovered until grill marks form, about 4 minutes. Turn the kebabs, and brush the grilled side with half of the glaze. Continue grilling until grill marks form on the bottom side, 3 to 4 minutes more. Turn the kebabs, and brush with the remaining glaze; grill to desired degree of doneness (about 135 degrees for medium), about 1 minute more.

Let kebabs rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley just before serving.

Source: www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a40060247/beef-kebab-marinade-recipe/

Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade (Crowd Size)

• 2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
• 2 cans (12 ounces each) frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 2 cans (11 1/2 ounces each) frozen raspberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed
• 12 cups water
• 4 cans (12 ounces each) lemon-lime soda pop
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced

Carefully spoon raspberries with syrup into 2 ice-cube trays. Add enough water to just cover raspberries. Freeze 3 hours or until firm.

In large plastic or glass pitcher, mix lemonade concentrate, raspberry juice concentrate and water. Refrigerate until serving time.

Just before serving, stir soda pop into lemonade mixture. Place ice cubes in glasses; pour lemonade mixture over ice. Garnish with lemon slices.

Source: www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/sparkling-raspberry-lemonade-crowd-size/4afada9a-939c-494f-a5ba-79b0cd983e0e

Pineapple Pork Tenderloin

A slightly sweet ginger sauce and broiled pineapple create an absolutely delicious pork tenderloin. If you have access to an outdoor grill, grill this recipe if you'd like. Grilled pineapple is fabulous!

Pineapple:

• 4 slices (1/2-inch-thick) fresh pineapple

Pork:

• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons grated, peeled fresh ginger
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons pineapple juice
• 2 teaspoons grated, peeled fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Prepare the pork and pineapple: Heat the broiler. Place the pineapple slices on a foil-lined baking sheet.

In a small bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, ginger, garlic and mustard. Rub the pork with the sauce.

Place the pork in the broiler, about 4-inches from the heat; place the pineapple on the rack below the pork. Broil the pork until it registers 145 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the broiler (let rest 10 minutes before slicing- the temperature will rise to 150 degrees. as the pork sits). Turn the pineapple slices; cook until browned in spots, about 10 minutes more.

Halve the pineapple slices; arrange on a platter with the sliced pork. Drizzle the pork with the pan juices; season with salt and pepper. Serve with quick ginger sauce.

Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together all sauce ingredients; season with salt and pepper.

Serve the sliced pork tenderloin and pineapple with the sauce.

Note: Peeling ginger: it's easiest to grate ginger when it's frozen. Shave the peel off with a potato peeler and place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes or so before grating. When you're finished, you can put the remaining fresh ginger piece in a zip bag and keep in the freezer for future use. It keeps just fine in the freezer.

Source: www.recipegirl.com/glazed-pork-tenderloin-with-pineapple/?fbclid=IwAR2GrFRAqaNkQxusZKL3DHrbDrhQIvhY-Oky2PTtgyxomgYQ6jOzEmSDyP4

Crockpot Baked Beans

These easy baked beans are a delicious addition to BBQs, potlucks, picnics and game day celebrations! Made from scratch, this thick and hearty baked beans recipe can be served hot or cold — your choice!

• 16 ounces dried navy beans — any small white bean will work
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard
• 5 cups water
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2-pound bacon cooked, drained and cut into small pieces or crumbled

Rinse and pick through beans thoroughly. (You want to pick out any bad beans that are cracked, darker than the rest, has holes or is shriveled.)

Combine beans, onion, dark brown sugar, molasses, apple cider vinegar, mustard, water, and black pepper in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add bacon.

Stir just until ingredients are combined. Cover and cook on low until the beans are tender, about 12 hours.

Stir in salt to taste and additional pepper if desired. Start with half a teaspoon and go from there.

Turn slow cooker to warm until ready to serve.

Source: www.momontimeout.com/the-best-baked-beans-recipe/?fbclid=IwAR1ExHvyvZHTAekDSXSH9je40HywWcfX3FeppZ2WyQ-7gcWXNJWe4mN04oI

German Potato Salad

• 2 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 16 slices cooked thick cut bacon, reserve grease
• 1 small white onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley

In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until tender.

Saute onion in reserved bacon grease for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in vinegar, water, ground mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, add potatoes, celery, and dressing. Gently toss and top with crumbled bacon and parsley.

Source: www.myincrediblerecipes.com/german-potato-salad/?fbclid=IwAR07S169IupCjYKO7vMQeYun7A4Q9BY66sJPC_KVhnd2FnCL7Zu_8-eZLaA

Unbelievable Chicken

This unusual combination of common ingredients is fabulous! Everyone who tastes it almost always asks for the recipe. You will love it and the many compliments you get.

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons prepared coarse-ground mustard
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

In a large glass bowl, mix the cider vinegar, mustard, garlic, lime juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Place chicken in the mixture. Cover, and marinate for 8 hours, or overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat.

Lightly oil the grill grate. Place chicken on the prepared grill, and cook 6 to 8 minutes per side, until juices run clear. Discard marinade.

Source: www.allrecipes.com/recipe/30522/unbelievable-chicken/

Corn Salad

Fresh sweet corn and spicy jalapeño come together in this flavor-packed side dish. There's also a creamy dressing made with smoky chipotle.

For the chipotle-lime dressing:

• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the salad:

• 4 large ears yellow corn, shucked
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
• 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco, plus more for garnish
• Lime wedges, for serving

For the chipotle-lime dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, hot sauce, kosher salt, chipotle chile powder, cumin, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.

For the salad: Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat and season generously with salt. Add the ears of corn and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the corn from the pot and let it cool to room temperature. Slice the kernels off the cob. (You should have about 4 cups of corn).

In a large bowl, gently toss together the corn, tomatoes, avocado, red onion, jalapeño, chopped cilantro, and queso fresco. Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with more cilantro, queso fresco, and chipotle chile powder. Serve with lime wedges.

Tip: Substitute 4 cups of drained, canned corn for this recipe in place of the fresh corn on the cob.

Source: www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a43413083/corn-salad-recipe/

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.