Memorial Day is the day we commemorate those who have died serving in the country’s armed forces. And although summer doesn’t officially come until mid-June, the holiday is also the unofficial start of summer grilling. With warmer weather and outdoor gatherings with friends, it doesn’t get better than Memorial Day weekend for transitioning from spring to summer. After all, what better time of the year to enjoy fresh stone fruits, juicy melons and summer vegetables? Those are just among a few of the delicious essentials for summer grilling the season has to offer. And whether you’re hosting a party or attending an outdoor gathering, you know that this is the perfect time to break out the grill for some backyard grilling.
Appointed grill masters, take note. Allow us to introduce you to our summer favorites such as burgers, tacos and shish kabobs for your Memorial Day weekend menu. They’re simple yet appetizing crowd-pleasers that are great for feeding your party and are sure to grace your table for future outdoor parties and BBQs to come. We’ve also included a couple of cool, refreshing and kid-friendly drink options that makes use of some of our tastiest summer fruits.
Grilled Teriyaki Turkey Cheeseburgers
No Memorial Day Weekend celebration is quite complete without burgers present. After all, ’tis the season for burger grilling. We love a good classic American cheeseburger to get into the spirit of summer but we’re thinking turkey burgers with grilled pineapple this time around. Turkey patties are leaner than beef patties and go deliciously with the sweet, smokey caramelized flavors of our grilled South African Baby Pineapples. Use your favorite teriyaki marinade to keep up with the island theme of this recipe.
This East-meets-West fusion recipe is the perfect reason to break out the grill. Delicious, tender tri-tip is bathed in a flavor packed Asian-inspired marinade with plenty of garlic and Serrano Chiles for heat for up to eight hours. This recipe is finished off with Butter Lettuce, Roma tomatoes, red onions and cheese, which turns it into a healthy alternative to tacos. This recipe is from The Great Pepper Cookbook and is just one of many appetizing recipes that work wonderfully with grilling season.
One of the best things about summertime is all the fresh corn you can eat. Sweet, crunchy corn can be eaten all kinds of ways but a classic party recipe is to simply throw them onto the grill. Red Corn has recently come into season and can be enjoyed at your upcoming Memorial Day BBQ or any outdoor summer party. Its gorgeous, vibrant hue and sweet, nutty flavors make it an eye-catching side dish.
Nothing says Memorial Day weekend, or any outdoor BBQ for that matter, like shish kabobs. Simple to put together, they’re great for feeding a crowd and are easily customizable to suit your guests’ tastes. Our scrumptious surf and turf version has chicken, shrimp and beef. The shrimp is flavored with our simple and zesty Pico de Gallo Seasoning, while the chicken and beef marinade is up to you. Accompanying the skewers is a colorful and delicious mix of our Boiler Onions, Veggie Sweet Mini Peppers and Baby Heirloom Tomatoes.
Tostadas are great for backyard parties and outdoor gatherings because you can top them with pretty much anything. Get creative for Memorial Day Weekend with these crunchy and flavorful Mini Grilled Shrimp Tostadas. The smokiness of the grilled shrimp complements the cool, creaminess of a delectable yogurt sauce, which gets its zing from organic limes, organic garlic, cilantro and jalapeño chiles. Finished with a garnish of Organic Roma Tomatoes and diced avocados, this tasty outdoor treat is sure to be a hit for the rest of the summer.
Japanese Grilled Miso Eggplant
One of the things we look forward to most about summer is grilling vegetables. Grilling vegetables are a marvelous way to enhance their flavor and natural sweetness. While smaller items such as cherry tomatoes are better off skewered, vegetables with a little more sturdiness can be grilled whole such as eggplant. Japanese Eggplant is more delicate in flavor than regular eggplant, and is our first choice for a satisfying Memorial Day Weekend side dish. Martin Yan’s grilled eggplant is packed with plenty of terrific Asian flavors such as soy sauce and miso.
Coconut, Lemongrass and Pineapple Drink
Warm weather at an outdoor party means that refreshments are definitely a must-have. After all, how else would you be cooling off? Ice cold sodas and beers are easy enough to have on hand but you’ll really impress your guests with something homemade. Use our Sweet Young Coconuts, which are filled with sweet, refreshing coconut water and blend with lemongrass and fresh pineapple. One of our favorite summer drinks, this is great for keeping your guests cool all afternoon long.
Summertime means it’s watermelon season! Melons are at peak season during that time of the year, which means there are plenty of ways to enjoy them. Nothing beats feasting on slices of sweet, juicy slices of watermelon on a blisteringly hot day. For a delicious libation, our Watermelon Ginger Ale Cooler is perfectly refreshing and bubbly. To make this cooler, use red watermelon, organic red seedless watermelon or organic mini red seedless watermelon.
What are your plans for Memorial Day weekend? What foods do you like to feast on during the holiday?