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Kickoff to Summer – Our Best Memorial Day Recipes!

byCaylie Crossland Updated:

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Memorial Day is almost here (!!), and I’m officially in summer mode.

overhead image of pandowdy with scoop missing and two spoons inside pie plate.

I just got back from a weekend trip to see some of my oldest childhood friends—the same ones I used to spend every summer with—and now I’m fully in that sunset-chasing, barefoot-in-the-grass, cook everything on the grill mindset. All I want to do is make food that’s simple, fresh, and makes people want to hang out just a little longer.

This recipe round-up has a little bit of everything: easy mains for backyard dinners, light sides, berry-packed desserts, and the kind of drinks you want to sip while sitting outside with a good playlist.

Whether you’re heading out of town or staying close to home, these recipes are here to help you kick off the season with zero stress and maximum flavor.

Let’s make it a good one!

– Something to Sip 🍹 –

Peach Moscato Sangria
sangria in glass with a flower and mint on top
Spicy Watermelon Lime Margarita
Three glasses of watermelon margarita with lime and jalapenos.
Strawberry Moscato Slush
strawberry slush spilling over the side with a metal spoon, flowers, mint, and a wood plate
Frozen Mango Margarita
mango margarita on a marble coaster with a mint sprig, lime wedge, copper spoon, and cocktail shaker

– Apps & Snacks 🥨 –

Asparagus Prosciutto Brie Pastry Bundles
pastry bundles on parchment paper with fresh asparagus and flowers around.
Pull-Apart Pepperoni Pizza Bread
pepperoni bread on parchment with sliced pulled away and dipped in tomato sauce
Soft Sourdough Pretzels
sourdough pretzels on wood board
Easy Brown Butter Popovers
brown butter pop over broken open and laying atop four other pop overs with a spoon and jar of brown butter
Melon Skewers with Honey Lime Mint Drizzle
melon skewers on white platter with mint sprigs and white flowers
Olive Oil Potato Chips with Sour Cream and Onion Dip
close up of sour cram dip with chip dipped in it
Southern Pimento Cheese Spread
pimento cheese in a jar on a white plate with crackers and flowers around.
Homemade Caramel Apples
close up of caramel apple on marble cake plate with flaked salt

– Mains & Sides 🥪 –

Chicken Caprese Sandwich
sliced chicken caprese sandwich on wood board with basil sprig beside
BBQ Chicken Pizza
pizza on parchment paper with two slices on white plates beside, chopped cilantro in white bowl and bowl of lime wedges on marble surface
Rosemary Garlic Roasted Potatoes
roasted potatoes on white platter with spoon beside.
Mixed Greens Steak Salad
steak salad with white flowers, herbs, a copper serving spoon and a white napkin on a wood board
Sourdough Discard Hamburger Buns
six hamburger buns on parchment paper with two stacked behind and a knife
Creamy Four Cheese Mac and Cheese
overhead shot of bowl of mac and cheese with two forks beside, bowl of grated parmesan, and time sprigs around with white flowers
Fresh Tomato, Arugula, and Feta Pizza
pizza on round wood board with slice on stack of plates beside, with arugula beisde, two glasses of beer, and bowl of crumbles feta
Buttery Homemade Mashed Potatoes
mashed potatoes in white palte with butter, thyme, a napkin, salt, and serving spoons

– Sweets 🧁 –

Summer Triple Berry Pandowdy
berry pandowdy on marble surface with berries, white flowers, and white plates around.
The Easiest Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream (No Eggs!)
two scoops of ice cream in waffle cone with another one beside standing up in glass.
Apple Slab Pie
square slice of apple slab pie on plate with forkful of pie beside with white flowers around.
Brown Sugar Bourbon Peach Shortcake
peach shortcake on parchment paper with three more behind and two forks beside.
Cherry Swirled Cheesecake Bars
angled close up of cherry swirled cheesecake bar with more cheesecake bars around and a cherry beside.
Easy Fruit Pizza Recipe
overhead shot of fruit pizza with slice cut into it with a white plate beside with another piece of pizza on it, with white flowers around on marble surface, a bowl of honey, stack of white plates, three empty glasses, a cake knife, and a bowl of berries.
Lavender Blackberry White Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
stacked ice cream sandwiches on marble plate with blackberries, white chocolate chips, and purple flowers around.
Honey Grilled Peaches with Spiced Crumble
overhead shot of grilled peaches on round platter with ice cream scoop and bowl of crumble, ice cream toppiong three peaches, with mint leaves, more peaches, and white flowers around
No Churn Banana Pudding Ice Cream
banana pudding ice cream in two sugar cones inside glass bowl on a marble surface with flowers and vanilla wafers around, antique ice cream scoop behind, and sugar cones behind
S’mores Icebox Cake
s'mores icebox cake with two s'mores beside, mini marshmallows toasted on top, empty glasses behind, with graham cracker crumbs and mini marshmallows scattered around on marble surface
Brown Sugar Cinnamon Peach Cobbler Crisp
overhead shot of two spoons dug into peach cobbler with two scoops of vanilla ice cream melting atop cobbler with a serving of cobbler on small white plate beside, peaches and flowers around on marble surface.
No Bake Strawberries and Cream Cheesecake Bars
square slices of cheesecake on parchment with strawberries and flowers.
No Bake S’mores Pie
five slices of s'mores pie on small white plates with white flowers and stack of graham crackers and chocolate squares behind, with two empty glasses.
Mixed Berry Ice Cream Vanilla Pound Cake
ice cream pound cake on white wood board with flowers and berries on top and surrounding cake, a stack of white plates, two empty glasses, and a jar of strawberry jam behind cake on marble surface.
Peach and Brown Sugar Puff Pastry Tarts
close up overhead shot of mini peach tarts piled on top of each other with white flowers around.

This list has me ready for the season ahead—grilling on impulse, baking with whatever fruit I grabbed too much of, and slowing down just enough to actually enjoy the moment.

Let me know what you’re making this weekend, and if there’s anything you’d love to see more of this summer. I have a list of ideas that just keeps growing!

Happy almost-summer. ✨
xo,
Caylie

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