Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day, which is the unofficial start of the summer.

Its also a chance to thank a soldier and all who have served for their time in the military. Its because of their sacrifices we are able to go about our summer time fun.

When I was a teenager, it meant going down the shore.

Yes, my friends and I went to Seaside, but it was nothing like it is portrayed on Jersey Shore.

We'd go and lay out on the beach and play in the water during the day and then hit the boardwalk at night. It was all about playing games and going on rides.

We live 1300 miles from the shore, but every year there is a carnival that comes through town so at least the Little Man can experience the rides and games part of our childhood.

For our Memorial Day, we are having firecracker burgers, grilled veggies, corn on the cob and flag cake.

Firecracker burgers
1 lb ground turkey
1 egg beaten, with 1 tsp ground red pepper
1 pkg onion soup mix
1/3 c veg broth
1/2 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs
top with pepper jack cheese, jalenpenos, salsa and diced scallions

mix meat, egg, soup mix, broth & bread crumbs together. form into patties and grill.

grilled veggies

zucchini
yellow squash
peppers
onions
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp season salt
2 tsp fresh ground pepper

slice veggies. mix dressing together, pour over veggies in a bowl, let marinate for about an hour. place in a grill basket and grill about 10 minutes on each side.

Flag cake

1 box white cake mix + all ingredients to make cake
1 tub cool whip
red & blue food coloring
strawberries, sliced
blueberries

preheat oven to 350. coat a 9x13 pan & set aside. mix up cake mix. pour into pan. add food coloring to sections, mix lightly. bake according to directions, let cool. frost with cool whip, add sliced fruit to look like a flag.

An easy craft to make with the kids while the food is cooking (and help them remember what the holiday is about) is a construction paper flag.
You need:
red construction paper
blue construction paper cut into  square
white tissue paper or paint
glue

glue the blue square onto the left hand corner
tear the white tissue paper into pieces to make stars OR paint with white paint
paint stripes with white paint