It sounds like traveling on Memorial Day will most likely be unpleasant, with traffic and airline delays and crowds. Why not stay home and invite family and friends to do the traveling instead?
Our family always enjoyed staying home for Memorial Day and cooking out. We’d invite friends over and have a wonderful and relaxed time. Of course, that took some planning. No one wants to be slaving in the kitchen when everyone else is enjoying themselves outside.
Here are some of our favorites for a Memorial Day Menu, which you can adjust according to the amount of people you’re expecting. Or, look under the Recipes tab and make your own selections. Of course, you don’t need to make everything. And don’t be shy about asking others to bring a dish. Most people really enjoy making or buying something to contribute, especially desserts. For those friends who don’t cook, ask them to bring drinks. We always have extra water and/or iced tea around too. We like to make a few salads instead of vegetable sides so they can be done ahead of time and served whenever we’re ready to eat.
Chef’s Tip: Ask your guests to let you know what they’re bringing so you can plan around it. A general category will provide enough information, for example, “green salad” or “cookies.”
Beverages
Watermelon Grape Power Punch
Water and/or Tea
Beer, Wine, Etc. (great item for friends to bring!)
Appetizers (choose one or both)
Hummus and Raw Veggies
Caprese Tray with Bread
Main Dish (choose one or both)
Smoked Paprika Chicken
Sweet Potato Black-eyed Pea Burgers (vegetarian option)
Sides (choose one or two)
Vietnamese Spring Roll Salad or Mango Coleslaw
Roasted Sweet Potato Chipotle Salad or Red Potato Salad
Desserts (choose one)
Chocolate Strawberry Ice Box Cake
Peanut Butter Cookies
This should be a fairly easy menu to serve, as long as you do as much as possible beforehand. And, as a reminder, don’t feel compelled to make everything if you don’t have the time. Ask someone to bring a dessert, appetizer or salad, and cross that one off your list.
Three to seven days before: Shop for groceries, decorations, paper goods, etc. Make cookies. You can even make them earlier and freeze.
Day before: Assemble Ice Box Cake. Make hummus and cut vegetables, storing in the refrigerator. You can make the Mango Coleslaw and/or potato salad the day before.
Morning of: Put together the Caprese Tray and make salads, if not already made. Make Punch. Set up tables, etc.
About 1 hour before cooking: Marinate chicken. Cook Sweet Potato Black-eyed Pea patties and prepare buns, toppings, etc., to assemble the “burgers.” Set out appetizers, punch and other drinks.
Time to Cook: Heat up grill for the chicken and start cooking! When done, quickly heat up cooked sweet potato patties on the grill on in the oven or microwave. Bring salads out when main dish is ready.
