Memorial Day has been deemed the official day to the start of summer. The time when pools start to open, everyone is starting to plan their vacations and the kids are counting down the minutes until the last day of school. The holiday weekend gets everyone in the mood to dust off their grills and get them roaring with a fire. However, a Memorial Day celebration doesn’t have to be the same as last year and you don’t really have to celebrate in the “traditional” way. Here are a few ideas to make the three day weekend, something different.
Atlas Puzzle – More Fun Than a Game of Horseshoes
Well, maybe not to those who are a pro at horshoes, but this can give others something else to do without breaking a sweat. Find a state map that you can enlarge a print out. You will need two of these for two teams. Cut out each state as puzzle pieces and whichever team that assembles the map correctly will win the game.
You Bring It, We’ll Grill It
Want a different variety on the grill other than hotdogs and hamburgers? If you are the cook and don’t mind, then have guests bring some food that they would like to have grilled. All guest will be eating what they like and not go home hungry. Of course you can still throw in a few dogs and burgers if you like.
It Doesn’t Have to be All Red, White & Blue
The traditional theme consist of flags and more red, white and blue then you ever seen, but you can turn it into something different. Choose a theme and just put a few of the flags and colors in to incorporate the day. You could do a Hawaiian theme, a Southern BBQ or a California theme.
Here in the south, you always have to have a pitcher of sweet tea at a BBQ, no excuses. So here is recipe for sweet tea with a little kick.
Spiked Lemonade Sweet Tea
Ingredients
3 cups water
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 family-size tea bags
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 (12-oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
4 cups cold water
1 cup bourbon or spiced dark rum
Garnishes: pineapple slices
Directions
In a 2 quart saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat, add tea bags and fresh mint. Stir. Cover and allow to steep for 10 minutes.
Discard the mint and tea bags. Stir in the sugar until it has dissolved. Pour the tea into a 3 quart container and stir in the lemonade concentrate and 4 cups of cold water.
Stir in 1 cup of bourbon before serving the tea over ice. Garnish with fresh pineapple slices.
Happy Memorial Day
Photo Credit: Thinkstock
