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Community Corner

Throwing a Party? Unique Recipes for Your Memorial Day Menu

Start your summer off right with these delicious ideas for your Memorial Day picnic.

When we heard from in Cranberry Township had changed up his menu to offer a fresh take on summertime favorites, we knew he was the perfect guy to consult for making a Memorial Day party extra special.

Sarel gave us a fresh and yummy take on backyard cooking -- and it wasn’t a typical assortment of chips and dip paired with hot dogs and hamburgers either. Read on for his recipes for succulent shrimp, tender beef, and Asian-inspired chicken skewers that, along with a spicy salad, make a feast to remember

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Appetizers

Throwing a party is stressful enough, and there's no reason to waste your time and energy on the first round of munchies. Instead, Sarel suggests his easy recipe for barbeque spare rib sliders.

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“These are really quick and easy to make, and they really fill you up,” he said.

For a mouth-watering treat to greet your hungry guests, take 5 pounds of boneless spare ribs and combine with your favorite barbeque sauce. Throw the mixture in a crock pot and simmer for eight hours.

Once the meat is cooked, shred it with a fork and place it on a brioche slider bun. Top with caramelized onions. (To caramelize, julienne the onions and saute them in 2 tablespoons of butter until they are soft and golden brown)

Add shredded cheddar cheese and pickles to each slider, and you're done.

If you're looking for something lighter to get the party started, Sarel suggests a fresh fruit tray -- hula style.

“Get all the fresh berries you can get your hands on [and] add some watermelon, pineapple and kiwi," he said. "It's not your typical fruit tray, and people will enjoy something different.”

The Main Course

Offering your guests a variety of scrumptious foods has never been easier.

Sarel’s sautee samplers consists of beef, chicken, and shrimp. Using several of the same ingredients in each dish, these delightfully different recipes are quick to make and mouth-watering. Choose just one item or make all three. Either way, your guests will be impressed!

First up are Asian-inspired hoisin chicken skewers.

“A sweet, thick Asian sauce is really good,” Sarel said. “Hoisin is a bean paste that is available in the ethic food isle at any grocery store.”

To make the skewers, take a jar of Hoisin sauce, add two tablespoons of chili powder and spread it on 5 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Skewer medium-sized pieces of chicken alternated with chunks of veggies. Grill until the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Although chicken always is a popular choice, Sarel's cilantro lime shrimp is equally scrumptious, and even easier to make.

“It’s a very easy recipe, and it tastes awesome,” he said

Take 2 pounds of shrimp,1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper, one whole lime (juiced with the zest) and one bunch of cilantro that's chopped and split half-and-half. Mix the lime, cilantro, and cayenne peppers and toss the shrimp in it. Then get it to the grill!

“You don’t want to cook each side of the shrimp anymore than 2 1/2 minutes," Sarel warned. "You will lose flavor if you overcook it."

Saving the best for last, Sarell also recommenda his cilantro ginger beef saute.

Take 5 pounds of flank steak that has been marinated in teriyaki sauce, 1 tablespoon of fresh minced ginger, one whole lime (juiced with the zest), and one bunch of cilantro that's chopped and split half-and-half. Mix the ginger, lime juice and cilantro, and top the steak with it. Cook the steak to your desired temperature.

“There’s nothing much to say about this recipe other than it is just delicious," Sarel said. "It really is my favorite."

For a side dish to make your meal complete, try Sarel’s three-bean Spanish yellow rice salad.

“There is so much flavor, it complements the main courses really well,” Sarel said.

To make, open an 8-to-12 ounce can of the following: kidney beans, black beans, and great northern beans. Dice one of each: red, yellow and green peppers. Then, dice a red onion and one bunch of chopped cilantro and toss them all together. Add ¼ cup of red wine vinegar, the zest and juice from a whole lime, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1 tablespoon of cumin. Top with cooked Spanish yellow rice and let sit for an hour.

The Signature Drink

Nothing says summer like an ice-cold mojito. Sarel suggests adding some blueberries for a little extra sweetness as well as patriotic flair!

For 1 gallon of blueberry mojtos, take a ½ pint of pureed blueberries and add 1 quart of Bacardi rum. Add 3 quarts of Sprite and 6 chopped mint leaves. Mix together and add crushed ice. Impress your friends by garnishing with a lime.

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