I have to say, it’s been so fun since the beginning of the year to spend holidays with my family! We haven’t done this for a couple of decades so my kids and I have a lot to make up for. This year, for Memorial Day weekend, we’re going to be doing some grilling like we did for Mother’s Day a couple weekends ago! After Doodle’s baseball game last night he and I headed over to Martin’s.
We had such a fun time grilling I convinced dad he needed to do it again! Mom and I talked and agreed we should have a variety this time: burgers, brats, and steaks! Yes, I’m a meat and potato kind of gal!
Last year I started doing a lot of grilling and really enjoyed it. I tried everything except chicken! I was a little nervous I might not cook it through enough! We had steaks, burgers, brats and pork chops! I think getting my digital thermometer last year helped me to feel like I was more safe grilling. Oh, and I love charcoal grilling. Gas grills scare the nonsense out of me. Needless to say, the boys were pretty impressed with my skills and Buddy pretty much asked for burgers the entire summer!
So, grilling on another weekend meant stocking up on salads, dips, veggies. Instead of just t-bone steak that we had for Mother’s Day, Martin’s had Grass-Fed beef rib eye so I grabbed a couple of them and a porterhouse! I also picked up some beef patties and brats! Listen, my dad served in Vietnam and my brother is Army Guard. And while Memorial Day is to remember those we’ve lost, I want to also honor the men who served and continue to serve. I want them to sit back, relax and enjoy the day!
In the past we either went up to Aitkin to spend the weekend with Gram or stayed home and gone to the Memorial Day parade. We always had bocce ball and other lawn games and since we aren’t going anywhere as a family this year, grilling outside and chillin’ in the backyard is exactly how we want to spend our Monday. Gram always had angel food cake and strawberries to pour over it. We miss spending that time with her and like to remember her in these little ways! So yes, I picked up the angel food cake (and forgot the frozen strawberries).
Have I mentioned my parents have a fantastically, big backyard? The boys and I have a bocce ball set back at home and it would be so much fun to pick up a badminton, horseshoes and croquet. Doodle is a huge fan of picnics and truly loves setting everything up. Last year he wanted to do it over and over again. He’s so sweet! We could bring our potato salad down and our broccoli salad! Put everything out, if we had a huge enough blanket, so the whole family could sit together! Sigh…staycations really can be so nice!
The last thing I did pick up, was a bottle of bug spray! I think I’m going to seriously need to invest in a truck load of that stuff because there are more bugs here than in MN and I didn’t think that was possible! I hadn’t even thought of it during the planning and shopping so when I ran across the display I did a happy dance!
Are you prepared for Memorial Day? What’s your number one “must have” for holidays like this?
Every holiday, my brother always wants apple crisp and every year, I forget about it and never make him a "good" one. So this year, he's getting his apple crisp! And I have to add, being from Iowa we push corn all the time but even this Iowa girl has to admit grass fed beef is the way to go!
ReplyDeleteYou have a Martin's near you? I'm so jealous! I had one right by my house in Michigan and I loved it. The meat was really good quality, so I can see why you picked some up for grilling.
ReplyDeleteDear Martin's, build a grocery store near me in NC now!!!!!
That grass fed beef looks yummy! I love grilling, but prefer gas. Even though we have a charcoal grill, go figure! Have a great Memorial weekend!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you are a lucky girl with a great family!!
ReplyDeleteGas grills make me nervous too, and my favorite way to grill is with charcoal. I think it gives the food a flavor you just can't get with a gas grill. I love your menu and all that meat, yum!!
I miss grilling... my husband sold his grill when he became a vegetarian. We just tried to host a "bbq" and I had to fry the burgers and boil the hotdogs inside... totally not the same. Martin's looks like a fab place... we don't have them locally!
ReplyDeletehey martin's must be same as our stop and shop- i recognize the logos- COOL
ReplyDeletewe always played bocce or croquet at family get togethers. i think we'll bust those out this weekend to play!
i love that you check if the pineapples smell pineapply. that's a word i use
Gosh reading all of this makes me want to come visit you so I can come to your BBQ haha :) Oh and on a side note... I wish our stores had grass fed beef!
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