Missing some essential #grilling tools for your upcoming #Memorial Day #cookout? Look no further than the local #thrift and #secondhand shops supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org. Thrifts are a great source for the dishes, bakeware, tools and small appliances that make #cooking a breeze — and a great source of festive holiday decorations, too. You never know what you’ll find at the thrift, and the proceeds from your purchases go toward essential #veterans programs. What better way to observe Memoiral Day? #MemorialDayHacks
Author: Jordank
Editorial Coordinator
Dress up Store-Bought Sides for Your Cookout
If you’re hosting a #Memorial Day #cookout but don’t have a lot of time, Today suggests following chef J.J. Johnson’s last-minute, labor-saving hacks to make people think you spent hours in the kitchen. You can “dress up” store-bought potato salad with your own own hard-boiled eggs, sweet relish and salt and pepper, or doctor ready-made macaroni salad with Old Bay seasoning. Add unexpected fun to burgers by supplying a crunchy topping such as chips, and make “batched” drinks. And for dessert, get a store-bought pound cake and add your own whipped cream and berries. Put on a festive playlist and get the party started! #MemorialDayHacks
How to Grill the Perfect Burger
To make perfect burgers for #Memorial Day, start with a clean, hot #grill, Litehouse recommends. Baste your burgers with a pat of salted butter. Use a blend of beef and pork for flavor, or go with one of the cheaper cuts of beef, which have a higher fat content. Indent the center of patties with a thumb before cooking to keep them from puffing up, avoid pressing down during cooking to keep them juicy, and try to flip them just once before serving. And while it may be tempting to offer every topping under the sun, keep things simple by offering just two condiments and three toppings. #MemorialDayHacks
Hacks to Make Your Memorial Day Cookout
Thinking of having a #Memorial Day #cookout? Consider a few #barbecuing “hacks” to impress everyone with your #cooking and hosting skills. Cut an onion in half and rub it on the warm #grill, cut side down; it will impart flavor and keep foods from sticking. Mix drinks in batched pitchers for guests to pour and enjoy themselves. Try a condiment bar for your burgers and hot dogs — and use muffin tins to keep multiple toppings separate. Grill burgers inside a slice of raw onion, suggests 30 Seconds, or try stalks of rosemary instead of bamboo skewers for your kebabs. Finally, allows some time to enjoy socializing with your guests! #MemorialDayHacks
Get Your Garden off to a Great Start
Mid-May is when most areas put the threat of frost or freeze in the rearview mirror, meaning that it’s finally safe to #plant your favorite #flowers, herbs and #vegetables for summer enjoyment. But whether you’re a beginning grower or a longtime green thumb, it pays to do some prep to get those pots and plots off to a good start.
A container garden is (relatively) easy. Pick a good potting soil and the starter plants you wish to grow. Better Homes & Gardens suggests color-coordinating flowering plants and mixing up heights for a dramatic presentation, while paying attention to their individual demands for light and water. And if you like to cook, try growing your own herbs!
A vegetable garden can be a little trickier. It’s basically a small-scale farm, and farms can’t succeed just anywhere. Start by testing your soil, Almanac says, to make sure you have the right pH and nutrients for optimal plant growth. When you test, you can add fertilizers and other amendments to improve the soil’s texture and viability.
For example, manure enriches the soil with essential nutrients and organic matter, This Old House says; compost improves soil texture and fertility by adding a balanced mix of nutrients and enhances the soil’s water-holding capacity; and peat moss aids moisture retention and aeration while acidifying the soil.
Once your soil is ready, plant the vegetables and flowers you want, paying attention to which are compatible and have similar needs. For example, tomatoes and basil — good together on the plate — are great garden companions because basil deters the pests that target tomatoes, says House Beautiful.
If you want a one-and-done garden plot, try planting a bunch of perennials. Plants such as hostas, daylilies and coneflowers will thrive and spread with little attention, says Epic Gardening, lending splashes of color to your yard. Plant them in the right spots, and all you’ll have to do is thin them occasionally.
Whatever your #gardening goals, now’s the time to get started. Summer won’t last forever, so take an afternoon to plant, and you can enjoy your garden for months — or years — to come!