MEMORIAL DAY…A TIME TO REMEMBER THOSE HEROS…4 Appetizer and Salad Recipes to Celebrate


MEMORIAL DAY…A TIME TO REMEMBER THOSE WHO FOUGHT TO DEFEND OUR COUNTRY…  MANY OF THEM LOSING THEIR LIVES…A TIME FOR REFLECTION AND REMEBRANCE.

Everyday it seems a hero passes away.  A member of the Greatest Generation. A person who fought against evil and tyranny.  This weekend let’s celebrate all those courageous souls who fought to protect our American values…family…god…country…friends…freedom to live, love and worship as we see fit.

I remember and honor my father,  James Edward Lovett, who fought in the European theatre.  I also remember and honor my sisters’ father in laws,  Van Earl Fillingim and James Maynard Hawkins who served in the Pacific.  Both experienced Iwo Jima.

Just recently our community lost a very special Marine.  Calvin Atwood. He fought on Iwo Jima, was wounded, but saw that flag being raised.  Calvin was a special person who persevered the war, came home to attend college and spent a lifetime in academia.  He also married the girl of his dreams later in life.  I spent several wonderful evenings with Cal learning about his experiences.  One of my favorite take aways from our time….he always was more interested in asking me about what I was doing….how was Dave…always interested in other peoples lives and happiness.  Cal will be missed in our community Everyone knew how special he was!

Not quite two years ago I wrote an article for South Island Living about 2 Iwo Jima survivors that I had the pleasure to know…and I  wanted them to meet.  Calvin Atwood and Hap Varner. Please click HERE  to read their story.  In such a short time, both of them are gone.  You are missed by your family and friends, but also by our country.  Heros…Thank you…

Let’s celebrate Memorial Day… a time for families and friends to get together.

Memorial Day???? Yikes it is early this year!!!!

 I kept thinking I had another week to come up with some good recipes to serve at your Memorial Day gatherings.

Double Yikes!

Since most Memorial Day activities and parties are outside, salads and cold appetizers seem perfect for the start of summer.

I love a good cheese ball and these miniature balls with pretzel sticks are the just right size… bite sized appetizer.  The pretzels give a nice crunch to this appetizer.

CHEESE BALL BITES

Cheese Ball Bites with Bacon and Jalapeno photo by Kathy Miller

Cheese ball bites via Delish

Use this recipe from Delish or your own cheese ball recipe.

Cheese Ball Bites

Serving Size: 18 balls

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 c. shredded Cheddar
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked and finely chopped
  • 1/3 c. finely chopped fresh chives
  • 1/3 c. finely chopped pecans
  • 18 pretzels sticks

Instructions

  1. Mix together cream cheese, cheddar, garlic powder, and paprika and season with salt and pepper. Form into 18 small balls and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.
  2. In a shallow bowl or on a plate, stir together cooked bacon, chives, and pecans.
  3. Roll balls in bacon-chive-pecan mixture and insert a pretzel stick in each ball.
  4. Serve. (If not serving right away, loosely cover with plastic wrap and return to fridge. Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.)

By KathyMillerTime
Recipe Adapted From Delish Photo Delish

KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

I love this idea for a new twist on the old traditional 7 layer dip!

GREEK 7 LAYER DIP

Hummus is on the bottom instead of the traditional bean dip.

Greek 7 Layer Dip photo Kathy Miller

Adapted from  skinnytaste.com

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 ounces hummus (recipe below) or store bought
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill
  • juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons vidalia onion (sweet)
  • 1 cup English cucumber diced
  • 1 cup tomato, diced and seeded
  • 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
  • feta cheese
Hummus Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2 cups canned chickpeas, drained (reserve a little liquid)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • garlic cloves, minced (about a teaspoon)
  • 1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste -found in the peanut butter section of your grocery store)
  • 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice ( 2 lemons)
  • 1-2 tablespoons reserved liquid or water
  • 8-12 dashes hot sauce (your favorite!)
  • pine nuts for topping

Instructions for Hummus

  1. Place all ingredients in food processor and whirl away until coarsely pureed. Taste for seasoning. Add pine nuts on top.
  2. Drizzle with a little olive oil if desired.
  3. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

 Instructions for 7 Layer Dip

 
  1. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, dill, lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.
  2. In a serving dish, layer the hummus, yogurt mixture,  onion, cucumber, tomatoes, feta and olives.
  3. Serve with pita chips or baked corn chip
   

By KathyMillerTime

KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

Salads are always great at a picnic or tailgate and this one is especially refreshing as it is served room temperature.  Another time I may try substituting orzo pasta for the rice.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

ITALIAN WHITE RICE SALAD

Italian White Rice Salad photo by Kathy Miller

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups good quality vegetable or chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
  • 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
  • 1 cup artichoke hearts, quartered
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
  • 1/4 cup roasted red peppers, short julienned strips
  • 1/4 cup hearts of palm, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, julienned
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Make the rice risotto style:  Saute onion in 2 tablespoons olive oil until transparent.
  2. Add garlic, and cook for a minute.
  3. Add rice, stir to coat.
  4. Add salt, thyme and wine and cook a few minutes until wine is absorbed.
  5. Slowly pour in stock, stirring and let simmer until rice is cooked.
  6. Pour rice mixture onto a baking pan to cool.
  7. Combine pine nuts, capers, artichoke hearts, olives, roasted red peppers, hearts of palm, and basil in a large bowl.
  8. Add cooled rice.
  9. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, pepper and salt.
  10. Serve at room temperature.
 

By KathyMillerTime
Recipe Adapted From chef Katie Button of Nightbell and Curate in Asheville, NC via Garden & Gun

KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

And finally what is better at a picnic than caprese????

This adaptation serves the skewers 3 different ways.  Let your guests choose their favorite.

Watermelon, Feta, Cantaloupe, Proscuitto and Tomato Caprese Skewers photo by Kathy Miller

INGREDIENTS

Watermelon Salad Skewers
  • watermelon cubes
  • feta cubes
  • basil leaves
Cantaloupe, Prosciutto, Mozzarella Salad Skewers
  • cantaloupe balls
  • prosciutto slices
  • mozzarella balls
  • basil leaves
Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Caprese Skewers
  • grape tomatoes
  • mozzarella balls
  • basil leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Alternate ingredients on skewers.
  2. Drizzle with a little olive oil.
  3. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.
  4. Serve chilled.
 

By KathyMillerTime via Gloria MacDonald

KathyMillerTime

Recipe Printed from www.kathymillertime.com

HAVE A WONDERFUL TIME WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS AS WE CELEBRATE OUR VETERNS! COME CLELBRATE WITH ME.  I’LL SAVE YOU A SEAT AT THE PICNIC TABLE.

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8 Comments

  • Kay says:

    Thank you, Kathy, for this tribute to our fathers and all who served our country. I am so grateful to all who served and those who are presently protecting our freedoms. May this Memorial Day be a time of remembrance and thankfulness for all of our blessings.

    • Kathy Miller says:

      Thanks for your response Kay. Hope we all take the time to remember those brave men and women who serve our country.

  • Janet says:

    A wonderful tribute to all who served to make us free. If we only
    could have more among us like Calvin Attwood to remind us what
    sacrifice was. We will greatly miss him in our presence.
    I will love serving your recipes at Camp Winape this summer.

    • Kathy Miller says:

      Well said Janet! Know you will be serving lots of good food at Camp Wine and I would be thrilled to know you are using some of my recipes.
      Thanks!!!!

  • Dickie Anderson says:

    All sound good. Eager to try. Summer is here.

    • Kathy Miller says:

      Hope you try some of these recipes this summer. And hope you will be going to Maine as ususal. Dave and I are traveling Vermont and to Maine and I will be doing posts from our travels. Love that part ot the country. Lobster here we come!

  • Vern says:

    Kathy- I so enjoyed reading this post and especially the tribute you had done previously to Cal and Hap. I loved Hap so much and enjoyed getting to meet Cal on that special day you bought them both together. A great way to spend part of Memorial Day honoring these 2 special men.

    • Kathy Miller says:

      Thanks Vern. Hap was a very special man and as he would say, “Bless your heart!” Cal will be misses as well. Both great men who served their country well.

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