Wow, this year is flying by. How is it almost Memorial Day? With life slowly returning to normal I’m having a group of friends and some family over for a Memorial Day barbecue. This year, I’m keeping the menu simple by grilling a couple of steaks, serving a few sides, and, of course, dessert.
I tend to grill burgers, chicken, and steaks. With a smaller crowd, who I know love steak, this year I plan to just make steak. Dene Mitzel’s Marinated & Grilled Rib Eyes are a great option.
“This is a simple, but delicious recipe,” thinks Dene. “It’s the one my mom always used when we had steak when I was young. It is now the one I always use when we have steak in my own family.”
The marinade is the key to Dene’s recipe. It’s really a mix of what seasonings you like, along with Worcestershire sauce and olive oil. No fancy ingredients here.
The flavor of Worcestershire sauce is hard to describe. The best I can do is it’s savory, tangy, and adds umami flavor to the meat.
Dene’s family likes these steaks so much that she tried to use a store-bought marinade and it did not go over well. These rib eyes grill up perfectly with so much flavor.
I think baked beans belong at every barbecue but not everyone agrees with me. If you like them, give Sara Andrea’s (Eugene, OR) Hearty Baked Beans a try.
“My 85-year-old father-in-law loves beans and these are at the top of his list,” shares Sara.
Full of flavor and super delicious, there are a variety of beans cooked with ground beef, bacon, and onion. The recipe is seasoned with a bit of brown sugar, cider vinegar, salt, pepper, and a little liquid smoke.
The light smokiness and sweet flavor mixed with the beef and beans mixture is exceptional. The consistency is a little thinner than typical baked beans, but this is one great recipe for summer barbecues.
Susie Huckvale’s (Camas, WA) Ma Huck’s Smoky Potato Salad is an excellent option to serve if you’re looking to switch up your go-to recipe.
“This is the hands-down best potato salad out there,” says Susie. “Everyone who tries it can’t stop eating it. Even my friend who doesn’t generally care for potato salad raves about this one!”
Creamy with a hint of smokiness, the potato salad has a light onion and mustard flavor with crisp peppered bacon and chopped hard-boiled eggs folded in. You’re going to have a hard time not falling in love with this potato salad.
Pasta salad is always popular with my friends and family. Megan Todd’s (Warren, OH) Colorful Party Pasta Salad makes a ton which is great because you’re going to want leftovers.
“This recipe is a family favorite that is requested for every bonfire, birthday party, holiday get-together, or any family occasion,” explains Megan.
There are a lot of fresh veggies, herbs, cheese, and pepperoni. If that isn’t enough, the homemade dressing is amazing and the star of this pasta salad recipe. After pouring the dressing on the salad this chills in the fridge and it sits for a few hours, that’s where the flavor magic happens.
Carla Hurst-Chandler (Greencastle, IN) has a Memorial Day weekend tradition of serving her Nonna Rosa’s Cream Cake With Fresh Strawberries. It’s easy to make and very festive.
A boxed cake is made richer by adding a little almond extract. Topping it with fresh blueberries and strawberries makes this a patriotic dessert. You can make this for July 4th and Labor Day and your family won’t complain.
They’ll think you worked really hard on this dessert when in reality it was a cinch to throw together.
Let’s have a tasty start to the unofficial beginning of summer. Any of these recipes will make for a memorable day. Do you have a go-to recipe for your holiday cookouts? Share a link to them below. I’ll need some Fourth of July inspiration. Happy Pinching!