Easy Entertaining Memorial Day Menu

Menu: Serves 10-12
Gourmet Hamburger Bar
Tangy Dill Potato Salad
Fruit Salad with Brown Sugar-Lime Dressing
Gran's Blackberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream

Gourmet Hamburger Bar
Makes 12 hamburgers
12 slices bacon
1 package (12 ounces) sliced white mushrooms
Salt to taste
1 large red onion, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
Olive oil for brushing
2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tomatoes, sliced
12 red leaf lettuce leaves, washed and dried
Sliced sweet and dill pickles
12 slices assorted cheeses (Cheddar, Swiss, jack, pepper jack)
4 pounds lean ground beef, Sirloin-7% fat, or ground turkey or garden burgers
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
12 gourmet hamburger buns
Ketchup
Mustard
Mayonnaise

Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp; drain on paper towels. Sauté the mushrooms for 5 minutes in 1 tablespoon of the leftover bacon grease; salt to taste. You may grill some of the onion slices if desired. Brush with olive oil and grill for 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Prepare the other accompaniments (avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, and cheese). When slicing the avocados, sprinkle with the juice of 1 lemon. This will prevent them from turning black.
Mix the ground beef or turkey with the kosher salt and pepper in a large bowl. Shape into 12 patties about 3/4 inch thick. Light a fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill to medium. Coat the grill with cooking spray and grill the patties. Turn them once, and do not squish down with the spatula as this will squeeze out all the juice. When cooked to the desired doneness (4 to 5 minutes on each side), put on a serving platter. If making cheeseburgers, put slices of cheese on the burgers and leave on the grill until the cheese is just soft and a little melted, probably no more than 1 minute. Let guests pick their toppings from your gourmet bar.
Tip: Most grocery stores carry a line of gourmet hamburger buns, such as potato, onion, or seven-grain or you can get fresh French or ciabatta rolls from your bakery. For this meal, definitely do not buy the white enriched bargain buns. The idea is gourmet hamburgers!

Tangy Dill Potato Salad
Makes 10 to 12 servings
2 1/2 pounds potatoes (about 8 medium)
2 teaspoons salt for boiling potatoes
4 eggs
3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup light sour cream
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill (preferably) or dried dill
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Peel the potatoes with a vegetable peeler and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a saucepan, and add water to cover and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil, cover, set the heat to low, and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, or until just tender when you stick the potatoes with a fork. Do not overcook. Drain in a colander.
Meanwhile, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Set the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 13 minutes. Drain, put the eggs back in the pan, and cover with cold water. When the eggs are cool, drain. Tap each egg on the counter and roll it between the palms of your hands. Peel off the eggshells. Discard the shells and chop the eggs.
In a large bowl, combine the celery, onion, mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the potatoes and eggs. Stir well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tip: Never leave potato salad unrefrigerated for very long. The eggs and the mayonnaise can spoil fast at room temperature and even faster if left in the sun.

Fruit Salad with Brown Sugar-Lime Dressing
Makes 10 to 12 servings
1 cantaloupe, cleaned and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pint strawberries, cleaned and sliced
4 cups cubed seedless watermelon (1-inch chunks)
1 cup red seedless grapes
2 cups cubed fresh pineapple (1-inch chunks)
Brown Sugar-Lime Dressing
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
Mix the fruit together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
To make the dressing, mix the lime juice, brown sugar, and yogurt together in a small bowl. Add to the fruit salad right before serving.

Tip: You may also use a melon baller to scoop out small balls of the cantaloupe and watermelon.

Gran's Blackberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream
Makes 10 to 12 servings
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into 12 pieces
5 cups blackberries, fresh or thawed frozen
2 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose unbleached flour, divided
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups cold water
1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream, purchased or homemade
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Melt the butter in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan in the oven. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix the blackberries, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and 3 tablespoons of the flour, and pour over the melted butter in the pan. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups sugar and 2 cups flour with the salt, baking powder, and water, mixing with a whisk until the lumps are gone. Pour this over the blackberry mixture and butter in the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream.
Variation: For peach cobbler, omit the blackberries, 1/4 cup sugar, and 3 tablespoons flour, and add two 16-ounce cans peaches in light syrup. Drain and pour over the butter. Pour the batter over the top and bake.