RED, WHITE & ’CUE All-american Memorial Day Barbecue

Though summer officially starts in June, for many, Memorial Day is the annual first chance to get together with friends for a warm weather cookout. Whether you’re just celebrating the return of Bbqing or remembering those who died serving in the military, take this holiday as an opportunity to get your grill on.

Spicy Coconut Grilled Chicken

Get these spicy coconut chicken thighs on the grill, you won’t regret it. They’re insanely tender thanks to a tasty duo of coconut milk and tenderizing pineapple juice in the marinade.

The marinade is easy to prepare: Just chop the ginger and garlic and stir the rest together; the thighs can be marinated for as little as 20 minutes or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Don’t discard the marinade. Boil it on the stovetop until thickened and drizzle all over the chicken before serving for maximum flavor. From there, it only takes about 10 minutes on the grill to finish off the dish. Yields 4-6 servings

Prep Time 15 mins

Total Time 50 mins

Ingredients

1 c. canned unsweetened whole coconut milk

3/4 c. pineapple juice

1/4 c. chili-garlic sauce

1/4 c. fresh lime juice

1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp. finely grated peeled ginger (from one 2” piece)

2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8 small) Kosher salt

Vegetable oil, for grilling

1 pineapple, sliced into rounds

1/4 c. packed fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk milk, pineapple juice, chili-garlic sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger until well combined. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes or up to 4 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and transfer to a baking sheet, letting excess marinade drip back into bowl; season chicken all over with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Reserve marinade.

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; preheat 5 minutes. (Alternatively, use a grill pan.) Lightly brush grates with oil.

Meanwhile, transfer marinade to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue to boil, stirring occasionally, until marinade is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Grill chicken and pineapple, turning once, until chicken is lightly charred in places and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165° and pineapple is tender and lightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer pineapple and chicken to a platter, drizzle with sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro.

Cheesecake Cupcakes

Who doesn’t love an ultra-creamy slice of cheesecake? This mini version is super-easy to make (no water bath!), but just as delicious as its full-size counterpart. Feel free to swap out the fruit for whatever is in season, or leave out fruit entirely and top with whipped cream and chocolate curls instead! Yields 16

Prep Time 10 mins

Total Time 2 hrs 50 mins

Ingredients

Cooking spray

14 graham crackers, crushed 4 tbsp. melted butter 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened

2 large eggs

1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Pinch of kosher salt

Fresh berries, for garnish

2 tbsp. orange marmalade or apricot jam

Directions

Preheat oven to 325º and line two 12-cup muffin tin with 16 paper liners. Spray liners with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and salt and stir until combined. Press graham mixture into paper liners.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add eggs, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined. Pour filling over graham crusts.

Bake until center is slightly jiggly, 20 minutes. Let cool in muffin tin, then refrigerate at least 2 hours. To serve Top with desired fruit. Combine jam with 1 tablespoon water and microwave on medium power for 15 seconds. Brush jam mixture over fruit before serving.