Patriotic Holidays

Memorial Day and the Fourth of July call for the same kind of menu – easy, crowd-friendly food that works just as well poolside as it does at a backyard cookout. This collection covers both holidays with the salads, sips, and desserts that make a summer gathering feel festive.

For the spread, BLT Salad and Ranch Pasta Salad are the sides I bring to every cookout, and Mexican Street Corn Dip never lasts long on the table. To drink, Watermelon Sangria and Strawberry Lemonade Sangria are red-white-and-blue ready, and Angel Food Cake Berry Trifle is a fun, festive way to finish the meal.