My Go-To Memorial Day Recipe and Hosting Essentials
Memorial Day is just 5 days away, and what better way to celebrate than with a cookout?! I always think of Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer. I love using this day to make my fabulous Turkey Burgers for friends and family… It’s the perfect way to kick off the season of outdoor hosting and grilling! In honor of Memorial Day, I thought I would share my go-to recipe for summer entertaining along with my most utilized summer hosting essentials.
As mentioned above, there’s nothing like spending Memorial Day on the grill surrounded by friends and family. This Turkey Burger has been a longstanding family favorite for years and years. This recipe is made with clean, everyday ingredients, and prepared in less than 5 steps. This recipe seriously could not be easier (or more delicious). I love that this juicy patty can be cooked on a grill, stovetop, or broiled in the oven. Minimal prep, short cooking time, and packed with mouth-watering flavor, this recipe is an irresistible, guilt-free burger experience that your guests are certain to love! Happy Memorial Day and Happy Hosting!
To shop the kitchen essentials used to make this recipe and more summer hosting essentials, scroll to the “Shop the Post” section at the bottom of this blog. As always, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes!
The Best Turkey Burgers
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 whole egg beaten
- ½ cup zucchini grated
- ½ cup carrot grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¾ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp coarse ground black pepper
- 4 brioche hamburger buns split and toasted
- Toppings of your choice: lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine turkey, egg, zucchini, carrot, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Gently mix ingredients together and form into 4 patties.
- Place patties on the grill. Cook approximately 5 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees; turning only once. Transfer to buns and top with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- As an alternative cooking method, cook stovetop with a grill pan (don’t forget to add a spray of olive oil) or in the broiler.
- I love brioche buns, but use whichever hamburger buns you prefer. For a gluten-free alternative, forgo the buns and use Romaine lettuce or Boston lettuce for the perfect wrap.
- Get creative with your toppings. Barbeque sauce, Thousand Island dressing, cheese, mayo, honey mustard, sprouts, caramelized onions and peppers, bacon… the list is endless. Yum!!
MY MOST-UTILIZED SUMMER HOSTING ESSENTIALS
Now that you’ve got the recipe down… it’s time to stock up on outdoor hosting essentials for the summer! While my list of recommended hosting items is extensive, I thought I would specifically highlight the items I just don’t want to host without! See more on my Amazon storefront!
SHATTERPROOF DRINKWARE
Over the years I’ve lost a fair share of glassware to outdoor hosting. To avoid shattered glass and the cleanup that comes along with it, I use shatterproof cups when hosting outside. Total game changer!
WEIGHTED NAPKIN HOLDER
I love festive cocktail and dinner napkins. When hosting outdoors I’ll use a napkin holder with a weighted arm to display them. This keeps the napkins all in one place and not vulnerable to unexpected winds taking them away. I love my Michael Aram holder, but this acrylic holder is another great option.
MOSQUITO REPELLENT
One of the worst parts of Texas summers… mosquitos! My husband and daughter are mosquito magnets, so mosquito repellent is a staple in our home… especially when hosting outside. I absolutely love the TIKI Table Torches and Mosquito Repellent Torch Fuel. These clean-burning torches are such an effective and aesthetically pleasing way to keep unwanted guests away!
FLY REPELLENT FAN
While on the topic of unwanted guests, a pet peeve of mine is having to constantly wave flies away from food and beverages when dining outside. To minimize this, I scatter these Outdoor Fly Repellent Fans on tables next to food. They truly work like a charm and can be moved so easily. These food tents should also do the trick.
NON-MELTING ICE CUBES
We all know that ice cubes melt. However, as my fellow Texans know, the summer heat expedites the melting process and leads to quickly watered-down drinks. These Reusable Non-Melting Ice Cubes eliminate the problem of ice melting, which means no more diluted drinks… such a great way to keep the original flavor of your summer beverage!
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