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Sitting on your back porch, the sizzling of the grill behind you pulls your mind momentarily away from the intriguing book in your lap. With an intense burst of excitement, you realize summer is approaching much more quickly than you realized.

How do you know? It’s Memorial Day, the first holiday of the year often associated with fabulous summer festivities. The smell of a dozen well-done hamburgers and hot dogs accompanies the familiar hiss of each individual item being flipped onto its belly.

The neighborhood has come alive with the joy and laughter of friends and family as they come together to celebrate this late-May holiday. Whether you’ve planned your own celebratory gathering or insist on spending the rest of the evening with a good book, hunger is bound to catch your attention as the night rolls on.

Potato salad, vegetable platters—there is a wide variety of Memorial Day menu items to choose from when planning a party or casual get-together with friends or family. As far as main courses go, there are options for the beef-lover, the chicken fanatic and the vegetarian alike. CL has a few great recipes to try this Memorial Day. Which ones will be the most memorable to you?

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BLT Burgers by Good Housekeeping

The Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen Cookbook provides multiple recipes for any particular taste or special occasion. These made-for-grilling burgers (p. 461) combine the familiarity of the classic hamburger with the delight of a BLT combo. So heat up the grill and prepare for the meal of a lifetime.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup mayonnaise, light
• 1 tablespoon mustard, yellow
• 1 ¼ pounds ground beef chuck
• 8 slices bacon
• 4 sesame-seed buns, split and toasted
• Sweet onion slices, tomato slices, and romaine lettuce leaves

Directions:

1. Prepare for direct grilling over medium heat.
2. In a bowl, stir ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard with fork until blended. Set aside.
3. Handling meat as little as possible, shape ground beef into ¾-inch-thick burgers.
4. Wrap each burger with two strips of bacon arranged perpendicular to one another.
5. Place burgers on grill turning once. Grill 10 to 12 minutes or until desired doneness.
6. Serve burgers on buns with onion, tomato, lettuce, and sauce.

Shrimp and Scallop Kabobs by Good Housekeeping

Try out these quick and easy kabobs for a light and fresh new taste, or to please the fish-lovers in the family.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound shrimp, large
• 1 pound sea scallops, large
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablesoons rice vinegar, seasoned
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated and peeled
• 1 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 bunch green onions, cut diagonally into 3-inch-long pieces
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 6 metal skewers (12-inch)

Directions:

1. Prepare for direct grilling over medium heat.
2. Shell and devein shrimp and rinse with cold water.
3. Rinse scallops. Pat shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels.
4. Mix soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic in large bowl.
5. Add shrimp and scallops and toss until evenly coated.
6. Alternately thread shrimp, scallops, green onions and tomatoes onto metal skewers.
7. Place skewers on hot grill rack over medium heat, turning occasionally. Baste with any remaining soy sauce mixture halfway through cooking. Grill 6 to 8 minutes.

Chicken Burgers by Good Housekeeping

Want more than just an ordinary burger for dinner this Memorial Day? Consider tossing chicken into the mix for something surprisingly and satisfyingly different.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground chicken breasts
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
• 2 minced green onions
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 4 hamburger buns, warmed
• Sliced cucumber, lettuce leaves and green onion (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare for direct grilling over medium heat.
2. Combine chicken, carrot, green onions, and garlic in medium bowl.
3. On waxed paper, shape chicken mixture into four 3 ½-inch round patties.
4. Place patties on hot grill rack over medium heat. Grill for 12 minutes, turning once.
5. Place burgers on warmed buns and serve with cucumber slices, lettuce leaves and green onions if desired.

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All-American BBQ Chicken by Good Housekeeping

You can’t resist the taste of chicken grilled to perfection, especially when barbecue sauce is the main ingredient.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cans tomato sauce (15 oz. each)
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup mild molasses
• ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 chickens, whole, each cut into quarters

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium heat in 10-inch skillet. Add onion and cook until tender.
2. Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and cayenne and boil over high heat.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered until sauce thickens slightly. Reserve 1 ½ cups sauce to serve with chicken. Meanwhile, prepare for grilling over medium heat.
4. Place chicken quarters over hot grill rack. Grill 20 minutes, turning once.
5. Generously brush chicken with remaining barbecue sauce. Continue grilling 20 to 25 additional minutes, turning pieces often and brushing frequently with sauce. Serve with reserved sauce.

Southwestern Black Bean Burger by Good Housekeeping

Grab a skillet, some nonstick cooking spray, and a handful of classy vegetarian companions to enjoy this meatless masterpiece. With a little bit of spice and a lot of hearty flavor, this main course won’t leave much extra room for dessert this holiday.

Ingredients:

• 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, light
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried bread crumbs, plain
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 cup loosely packed lettuce, sliced
• 4 warmed mini whole-wheat pitas
• ½ cup salsa, mild

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mash beans and mayonnaise with potato masher or fork until almost smooth with a few lumps.
2. Stir in cilantro, bread crumbs, cumin and hot pepper sauce until combined.
3. With lightly floured hands, shape mixture into four round 3-inch patties. Lightly spray both sides of each patty with nonstick cooking spray.
4. Heat 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add patties and cook until lightly browned.
5. Use a wide spatula to turn patties over and cook until heated through.
6. Arrange lettuce on pitas, top with burgers, then salsa, and serve.

Want more recipes to try while you’re waiting for Memorial Day to arrive? Check out the articles below for some basic recipes and tips spanning over a variety of delicious and healthy foods.

While you’re waiting for your chicken to defrost, take a moment to share your favorite summer holiday dishes with us. Still not thawed all the way through? Take our fun awards survey and you could win a prize—just in time for summer!

“Gluten-Free Recipes 101”

“Yogurt 101”

“Pancakes 101”

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