Memorial Day Menu Plan

Take a break from the normal picnic food and try this incredible Memorial Day menu.

I love summer and picnics, don't you? While I really like a charred hot dog and a juicy cheeseburger which is what we have come to expect at summer picnics, I sometimes want a change. That is exactly what this menu is - a change to the normal, everyday picnic fare. There's nothing overly complicated about it - it's just different; good different!

 
To get this picnic underway you will first have to make my Plum and Jalapeno Barbecue Sauce. That's pretty easy to do and let me tell you that this original creation is the bomb. It's so good! You can use chicken (any part of), pork chops, pork butt (for pulled pork) or ribs and basted with this barbecue sauce, they taste amazing. Forget the dogs and the burgers or that stuff from the shelf you smear on your chicken. This is the real deal. Homemade and your chicken or ribs are going to taste 1,000 times better! Keep your eyes out for sales on chicken parts and pork. Our store has pork butt on sale for one dollar a pound. That's ideal for feeding a lot of people.

Instead of tuna mac or potato salad, my Mozzarella and Genoa Pasta Salad was a huge hit at a summer picnic we went to last year and that's why it made it into today's menu. It's so full of flavor and texture and I can't tell you enough how great tasting it is. Plus it's colorful, so who could resist grabbing a big spoon full of this? This salad can be prepped a day in advance and dressed the day of your picnic.

Another great salad to add in to the picnic menu is my Green Bean & Bacon Salad with Vinaigrette. What a superb salad this is. Lightly dressed and beside the fact that it tastes fabulous, this is very bright and colorful too! And - it has most everyone's favorite - bacon! It's easy to make and can be made a day in advance and dressed the day of your picnic.

I love the idea of a signature cocktail at parties and picnics. It's just fun to do. Last summer I came up with a cocktail that I really loved. Pineapple Cocktail. Oh my this is delicious and really refreshing. And what doesn't scream summer than fresh pineapple. You can have fun with this by looking for those paper umbrellas at your local party goods store to dress each one up and add a slice of pineapple on the side of the glass.

And last, a delicious dessert - something most everyone loves is cheesecake. And lots of people associate strawberries with summer, so my No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pie is perfect for your picnic. I also have Peachy Cream Cheese Cake just in case you have someone with an allergy to strawberries.

MENU REVIEW

1. Pulled pork, pork ribs or chicken with Plum and Jalapeno Barbecue Sauce
2. Mozzarella and Genoa Pasta Salad
3. Green Bean and Bacon Salad with Vinaigrette
4. Pineapple Cocktails
5. Desserts: No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Pie and/or Peach Cream Cheese Cake