southwestern bean salad
I like traditional three-bean salad, and I also like southwestern recipes. I decided to create a cold salad from these two ideas. This bean salad is sweet and tangy, with a little heat. We enjoy it with grilled chicken and baked ham, but it would be a nice accompaniment to most meats, poultry, and even fish. If you like low carb recipes, you can use Splenda instead of sugar. Yes, beans have carbs, but they also provide protein and fiber.
barbecue pork loin
My favorite grocery store had pork loins on sale this past week, so I bought one for some barbecue cooking. Most of the time, I either marinate meat or use a wet or dry rub, but this time, I decided to do both. The pork loin turned out perfect! I’ll definitely be using this method again.
Filed under BBQ Cooking, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day recipes, Thanksgiving Recipes by on Jun 7th, 2011. 2 Comments. 
Wings photo by roboppy
Serve these wings at your Memorial Day, July 4, or Labor Day cookout. They’ll be nice for your guests to snack on while they’re waiting for the main course to get done. Why are these wings red, white, and blue? The sauce is red, the chicken flesh is white, and you dip them in blue cheese dressing!
Filed under BBQ Cooking, Chicken Wings, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day recipes by on May 10th, 2011. Comment.
Grilled pork chops photo by WmJR
These grilled pork chops will be a big hit at your Memorial Day, July 4, or Labor Day cookout! The pineapple juice acts as a natural tenderizer, and the oil will provide moisture. The chops will be sweet and tangy, and if you want to add some heat, mix in a teaspoon or two of ground red pepper. Be sure to provide lots of wet wipes!
Filed under BBQ Cooking, Caribbean-Inspired Recipes, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day recipes by on May 10th, 2011. Comment.
Watermelon boat photo by Emily Barney
I’ve made several watermelon boats for fruit salads, especially for parties and cookouts. If you’re having an outdoor event for Memorial Day, July 4, or Labor Day, make one of these! You can do it – it’s really easier than it looks, and it makes a festive container for fruit salads.
Filed under Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day recipes, Party food, snacks, and candy by on May 10th, 2011. Comment.
Cheeseburger photo by Alaina B.
Making homemade hamburgers is a great idea for Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day. Who doesn’t love burgers on the grill? Heck, hamburgers are even good in the skillet! These hamburgers are for the real cheese aficionados – they have cheese on top, like a traditional cheeseburger, but they have a surprise on the inside, too – more cheese! You can use two slices of the same kind of cheese, or you can use one cheese variety on top and a different one for the inside. Personally, I like to use mozzarella on the inside and cheddar on the top, but use your favorites! From my experience, I’ve found that the cheese on the inside melts better and more evenly if you use grated or shredded cheese.
Filed under Hamburgers, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day recipes by on May 10th, 2011. Comment.
Barbecued chicken
Chicken is a great choice for BBQ cooking. It’s tasty, it’s inexpensive, and it comes in single-serving-size pieces. You’ll also have a choice between dark meat and white meat, so everyone is happy. Chicken isn’t the easiest flesh to cook on the grill, however. There’s a fine line between getting the meat done and drying it out. Another problem is that chicken parts vary in size and thickness.
Filed under BBQ Cooking, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day recipes by on May 9th, 2011. Comment.
Quick and easy BBQ beans
If you’re doing some BBQ cooking but don’t have hours to bake traditional baked beans, use this quick and easy recipe, instead. No, they’re not as good as the beans that I layer with bacon and bake low and slow, but these are a heck of a lot better than the beans straight from the can! These barbecue beans will be ready in a snap, and they’re great with hot dogs or hamburgers.
Filed under Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day recipes by on May 9th, 2011. Comment.
confetti corn salad
This is a refreshing dish to serve at cookouts for Memorial Day, July 4, or Labor Day. You can use canned corn, if you like, but frozen or fresh corn is much better!
Filed under Entree Recipes and Side Dishes, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day recipes by on May 9th, 2011. Comment.
Smoked pork shoulder, or Boston butt
Planning on doing some BBQ cooking for Memorial Day, July 4, or Labor Day? Why not throw a Boston butt or two on the smoker for a pulled pork recipe? A Boston butt is a fresh pork shoulder roast, and in my experience with BBQ cooking and smoking, it makes the best pulled pork – period. This is because it’s more tender and contains more fat than most other parts of the pig that might be used for pulled pork.
Filed under BBQ Cooking, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day recipes by on May 9th, 2011. Comment.
