It is a bit hard to believe that the unofficial kickoff to summer is almost here! Since we had nearly two feet of fresh snow here just over a month ago, it still feels a little strange to be sitting in the 90 degree heat on my porch today. Don’t get me wrong, I am loving every minute of this heat wave, but it was definitely odd to go from snow boots to sandals so quickly!
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Last weekend we featured some recipes for great summer grilling. It’s a fantastic roundup of recipes that I know I’ll turn to again and again this summer. For this week’s Good Food Reads: Memorial Day Weekend, I’ve put together a list of some of my go-to sources for feeding a crowd as well as some new recipes I’m hoping to try this summer. Do you have any fun food traditions for the Memorial Day holiday? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. We love to hear from you (and share your great recipes)!
A recent favorite of mine – and what I’ll be serving this weekend – is the Indecision Chicken from the amazing Small Victories cookbook by Julia Turshen (*affiliate link). If you don’t have this cookbook already, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It is full of great recipes for weeknight dinners and entertaining. I find myself picking it up again and again!
If you want to give one of her recipes a try before you buy, check out this one: Buttermilk & Pimentón Fried Chicken, as featured on Food52. She uses a genius buttermilk soak that makes a huge difference in the taste and texture!
I think the chicken would be awesome with this Grilled Asparagus and Dill Butter. It’s a fun and easy twist on a seasonal staple vegetable. Another great option would be a huge platter of these Roasted Carrots and Chickpeas.
Not wanting to do chicken? Grilled shrimp is such an easy option. Try our Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Jalapeño Chimichurri. They are super simple and pack an awesome flavor punch.
Speaking of chimichurri, this recipe for Chimichurri Panzanella Salad with White Beans would also be fantastic for a Memorial Day gathering.
Since everyone knows that a summer BBQ or party has to have at least one good pasta salad, why not make this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. I usually make a batch of this Cherry Chicken Pasta Salad (the recipe is from a local grocery store and is fantastic!) but I might switch things up a bit this year.
If you don’t want to do a pasta dish, maybe give our Curried Cauliflower Quinoa Salad a try. It’s easy to double, or even triple, the recipe to feed a crowd and is full of flavor. It pairs beautifully with grilled chicken!
Another great party staple is a cheese board. I love a big, varied board with lots of simple but tasty options. Check out this article with some tips on how to make yours really stand out.
Joy, the genius behind the Joy the Baker blog and books, just put out this gorgeous new recipe for Chicken Enchilada Bake. I love the idea of a summer casserole! It’s got great, simple ingredients and would make a great weeknight dinner, too.
Oooh…and last, but most definitely not least, doesn’t this Lemonade Frosé look amazing? Perfect for those hot (almost) summer days this weekend. Cheers!
Happy early Memorial Day weekend, friends! Here’s hoping you have a great, safe, weekend full of friends, family and good food.
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