Whether it’s Memorial Day or any summer day, you can put together a delicious, quick and perfectly tasty meal that brings in all of your favorite summer flavors into one dynamic menu guaranteed to please and impress your special guests. And guess what? It’s easy, too!
See what we’re serving up this Memorial Day and give it a go today or any day. Don’t forget to stop by your favorite local beach and farmers markets to bring in that farm-to-table element that adds local flavor to your dishes. You won’t be sorry and neither will your guests.
Here’s our favorite Memorial Day Menu. You’re welcome!
Fresh and Bright Caprese Salad
Combining basil, tomato and fresh mozzarella creates a whole dish that is greater than the sum of its parts. It’s truly a magical combination. The verdant green of the basil and the bright red of the tomato stand out on a palette of white, fresh, soft and delicious mozzarella cheese. Top it off with lines of thick, dark balsamic vinegar reduction and a drizzle of olive oil and it’s a masterpiece for your mouth and your eyes.
Caprese salad is the essence of summer on a plate. Find the freshest local tomatoes and basil if possible, and you’ll immediately taste the difference. Fresh mozzarella trumps the processed kind every single time.
The best part is that caprese salad is super easy and does not require much prep time. Just prepare the ingredients, arrange them beautifully on a serving platter and top with vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. You can chop the basil chiffonade-style if you prefer or just keep the leaves whole.
Here’s our favorite caprese salad recipe.
Grilled Glazed Salmon Skewers
Food tastes better on a stick, right? Yes! We chose salmon here, but by all means, if you find fresh fish or seafood at your local market and it’s sturdy enough to hold up to being skewered and grilled, buy it! If you’re on the Gulf Coast of Florida, you of course want to buy local and enjoy the bounty of the area’s waters.
The method is easy and doesn’t require much more than a few ingredients for the marinade (which doubles as the finishing glaze and/or a dipping sauce), some quality boneless and skinless salmon or whatever fish you decided upon, and soaked wooden skewers ready for use. Oh, and a nice hot grill!
Here’s a simply delicious grilled and glazed salmon on skewers recipe. So easy, too!
Grilled Vegetable Kebabs
We like keeping our meat or fish separate from the veggies when it comes to kebabs. Why? There are different cooking times involved and it’s just easier to cook things to the appropriate doneness and in a consistent manner this way. It also helps to choose or chop vegetables of equal size to skewer, so that they all require approximately the same cooking time.
Here’s another great opportunity to raid your local farmers market for the freshest local produce. Choose the vegetables you and your guests like, and choose what can easily be skewered, because the method here is what’s most important. The actual ingredients are completely versatile and can be tailored to your preferences.
It’s really quite a simple and mouthwatering way to eat your veggies. Remember, everything is better on a stick! You might even convince the kids that vegetables are pretty tasty this way.
Here’s what you need to know about perfectly grilled vegetable kebabs.
Super Simple Grilled Corn on the Cob
We sense a theme here. Grill it, baby! Corn on the grill is divine. Summer corn is sweet and lovely in and of itself, but grilling it adds a smoky flavor to the inherent sweetness. It’s pure bliss.
There are many different methods and preferences when it comes to grilling corn: in the husk, out of the husk, finished with elaborate herb butters or simply just as-is. Again, do what you like. This is your Memorial Day menu and at the end of the day, you know yourself and your guests best.
We’re minimalists when it comes to grilling corn. Shuck it, oil it, grill it, season it, eat it. As long as your corn is cooked (but not overcooked, please!) and has speckled char marks for your eyes to behold, you’re on the right track.
Here’s the basic method for super simple and totally delicious grilled corn on the cob. Make it your own and adjust the flavorings as you please.
Patriotic Strawberry Shortcake with Fresh Whipped Cream
Hey, it’s Memorial Day! Make your strawberry shortcake patriotic by incorporating some blue(berries) into that red and white palette. So pretty, so good!
Oops, remember to pick up some fresh strawberries and blueberries from your local market while you’re there. You’ll be glad you did. The shortcake recipe is not complicated at all and requires only the most basic baking ingredients. Let’s not forget the piece-de-resistance: homemade whipped cream. Oh yeah!
Put it all together and you have decadent dessert bliss perfect for the holiday (remember it for the Fourth of July, and Labor Day, too). You can find the mouthwatering strawberry shortcake recipe here. Homemade whipped cream instructions are included.
Are you hungry yet? What are you waiting for? Get cookin’! Don’t forget that all of these Memorial Day menu items are easily made from the comfort of your Gulf Coast vacation rental. Take full advantage of your amenities while you’re there. Happy Memorial Day!
Do you have a Memorial Day go-to menu or recipe you love? Share it!
