Make Memorial Day Memorable!
It’s not difficult to guess what’s on your list: hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, carrot sticks, lemonade… there are certain classics that are everyone’s expected choice for Memorial Day get-togethers with friends and family. And there’s nothing wrong with any of these foods! In fact, at Bliss Shurfine Food Mart, they’re featured front and center to make your Memorial Day food shopping easy and convenient.
But maybe you’d like to be a little more adventurous in your food planning this Memorial Day… and make it more memorable. If so, here are some suggestions for something a little different:
- Israeli couscous with mint and lemon. It couldn’t be easier: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add couscous, and cook until al dente. Drain, and drizzle with just enough oil to coat. Spread on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Combine couscous with mint leaves, lemon zest, golden raisins, pine nuts, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Let it stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- Shrimp pasta salad. In another large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Add shrimp, and cook just until opaque throughout, about 30 seconds. Drain, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again. Transfer it to a bowl; toss with thinly sliced cucumber and dill. In another bowl, whisk together 2 T mayonnaise, 2 T olive oil, 2 T lemon juice, and 1 t Dijon mustard; season with salt and pepper. Add dressing to pasta mixture, and toss to combine.
- Dressed hot dogs. If you really want to stick to the old dependables, then try dressing your hot dogs up with Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onions, and jalapeño peppers.
- Amazing fish tacos. Combine 1/2 c. sour cream, 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup fresh cilantro with 2 T of a commercial taco seasoning mix. Cut 1 lb of white fish (cod works well) into bite-sized pieces, and add 2 T lemon juice, 2 T vegetable oil, and the remainder of the package of taco seasoning. Cook in a skillet over medium heat until fish flakes easily. Fill taco shells or tortillas with fish and top with sour-cream mixture.
All of these are easy and quick to make and will make your Memorial Day cookout or picnic memorable! Remember to stop by Bliss Shurfine Food Mart to stock up on all of your groceries for the long weekend, and happy summer from all of us!
photo: Shutterstock