Memorial Day

Those abstaining from the cocktails will appreciate this equally refreshing use of basil and lemon, two flavors that pair beautifully.

This fragrant twist on the gimlet cocktail gets its clean green notes not from lime juice but from fresh basil. For extra glamour and aroma, tuck small sprigs of additional basil into each glass.

For easy eating on a picnic, chicken thighs and drumsticks are great because they can be firmly grasped without the use of utensils. This moist and flavorful recipe is delicious either warm or cold. Be sure to start the chicken marinating at least 30 minutes ahead.

The dog-and-relish combo, reinvented.

Across Southeast Asia, roadside vendors with small hibachis grill up delicious skewers and other street snacks. Inspired those fresh, tasty treats, this appetizer features grilled shrimp served with two simple yet boldly flavored dipping sauces.

This no-hassle mix-and-bake dessert is like the old-fashioned cake Grandma always had ready after dinner, even though you never saw her working on it.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Stonewall Kitchen Favorites. To read more about the book, click here. When people travel to Maine they want to eat lobster, and this sandwich — created by chef Cheryl Lewis — has become the number-one-selling dish at the Stonewall Kitchen Café. You can prepare the basil aïoli, the lobster salad, and the bacon up to 8 hours ahead of time and assemble the sandwiches at the very last minute. On a hot summer day or night, this sandwich makes an elegant and easy main course, accompanied by tangy coleslaw or potato salad. The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for a crowd. This recipe makes two very generous sandwiches; you will easily have enough for three to four more modest sandwiches.

Editor's Note: This recipe was originally part of a menu by Bobby Flay for a backyard barbecue. For the complete menu and Flay's tips on throwing a party, click here. I was taught to grill oysters on one of my trips to the Pacific Northwest. This is one of those dishes where organization is imperative. Because the oysters cook for only a few minutes, you've got to have the garnishes ready before you put the shells on the grill. The mango pico de gallo and the red chile horseradish are hot and sweet on your tongue. If you think that the red chile horseradish looks too spicy, don't worry, for the sweet mango provides just the right cooling sensation. The oysters actually "pop" when they are cooked and make for a great presentation.

The trick: Fake a little fat.
What better way to eat your fill of antioxidant-rich blueberries than via cheesecake? Executive chef Terry Conlan of Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, Texas, makes over dessert-tray favorites, like this Blueberry Icebox Pie, by mixing lowfat and nonfat products rather than using all fat-free foods. For your favorite recipes, replace full-fat dairy with 50 percent lowfat and 50 percent fat-free.

A bold medley of cumin, cayenne, corn, and cilantro ups the flavor here. Great with: Grilled-fish tacos, steak fajitas, or chipotle-rubbed chicken.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Icebox Desserts by Lauren Chattman. Strategically placed wafer cookies look like large polka dots when this cake is unmolded. Then, when you slice it, you see the stripes. Make sure the cake is fully frozen before slicing for the cleanest look.

Editor's note: This recipe is from Brini Maxwell's Guide to Gracious Living. For Maxwell's tips on throwing a summer pool party, click here. What family reunion would be complete without potato salad? This is my mother's recipe. It's delicious — tasty and tangy, just as potato salad should be.

The tangy flavor of seasonal rhubarb complements the taste of gin surprisingly well. You can double the quantities for a bigger batch.

Luis Miguel López Alanís of Morelia, Mexico, writes: "Although I grew up in Mexico, it was in Chicago of all places that I learned to cook Mexican food. During the two years I lived there, I missed my country's food so much that I wrote to my mother in Zitácuaro and asked her to send me recipes so I could cook for myself. "Now I work as a tour guide in Michoacán, my home state, where I lead tours on Morelia's colonial history and architecture, and show tourists the Paricutín Volcano and monarch butterfly sanctuaries. And sometimes I do restaurant and market tours. Whenever business slows down, I enjoy cooking for my family. " Mexico is known for its aguas frescas, delicious cold "waters" made simply from fruits or vegetables, water, and sugar. They're the perfect refreshment on a hot day.

Take this lemonade along on a picnic in a large Mason jar or a plastic container, stowed in the cooler with the other drinks.

If you prefer to grill the ribs — which will intensify the hoisin flavor — remove them from the marinade (do not bake) and grill them over medium heat until tender and lightly charred, turning often and basting occasionally with marinade, about 25 minutes. Look for chili-garlic sauce in the Asian foods section of supermarkets.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min