The official first day of summer may be June 20th but for some, it starts Memorial Day. The three-day weekend and the excitement of school ending puts many in a true summer state of mind.
While this weekend is a great start to summer, it is first about remembering our fallen soldiers. To begin the day, consider attending a local Memorial Day observance. The Provo City Cemetery has a program at 10 a.m. which will feature a 21-gun salute and a wreath-laying ceremony, led by Provo Mayor John Curtis. Go here for more information, as well as to see other events around Utah County.
Next up, find a great park at which to host a good old-fashioned, American barbecue. Don’t know which parks have barbecues or a horseshoe court? Go here to select which park will meet all your party needs.
Now it’s time to fire up the grill. While burgers and hot dogs are fun, here’s a cheap and easy marinade if you’re looking for something a little different. It kicks grilled chicken or salmon up a notch and is a crowd-pleaser.
Madison Moniz, a senior studying human development, said she isn’t a fan of salmon but her friends really wanted it for dinner one night so they made this marinade. They had salmon, she had chicken and everyone was happy.
Marinade
1 can (12 oz) 7-Up or Sprite
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp lemon juice (only if marinading fish)
Mix all ingredients and pour into a shallow resealable container or storage bag. Marinade meat for an hour in the fridge. Grill chicken until it is no longer pink in the middle. Grill fish until it flakes apart.
Tip: Grill fish on a piece of aluminum foil to keep it from falling into the flames and to make clean up easy.
While the barbecue is going, you might as well grill up a delicious side and corn on the cob is a perfect option.
“I love grilling corn,” said Alison Mercer, a junior from Los Angeles. “It makes the corn so much sweeter than boiling.”
Grilled Corn
You can either shuck the corn or leave the husks on, depending on if you want grill marks on the corn or not. Grill for about 15 minutes, rotating every few minutes or so. Eat plain or with a little butter, salt and pepper.
Finally, it’s not a party without desert. Here’s a sweet and salty twist on a classic Jell-O salad. And luckily, this one is not green and there isn’t a carrot in sight. The recipe calls for strawberries and strawberry Jell-O but raspberries and raspberry Jell-O tastes great as well.
Pretzel Jell-O Salad
Get the recipe here.
After everyone is full or the food is gone–whichever comes first–round off your classic barbecue with some lawn games like badminton, Bocce ball or croquet.
Here’s to summer.
