Back to the Classics BBQ for Memorial Day: Dessert Ideas

Don't forget the dessert! For this year's back-to-the-classics Memorial Day BBQ, you're going to need some refreshing old-school desserts to round out the menu. Here are a few easy suggestions: 

WATERMELON FREEZE

Everyone loves watermelon at a summer BBQ so I always have it on the menu. In addition to big wedges of watermelon, I've added a new favorite I call Watermelon Freeze. You can make this with or without the alcohol but we loved it with!

Use a small melon baller to scoop out about 10-12 melon balls per guest. Put them in a large mixing bowl and add 1 cup lemon-lime soda and 1/2 cup Limoncello liqueur. (I substituted Orange liqueur once and it was good, too) Toss well to coat the melon. Allow it to absorb the liquid for about an hour in the fridge then you can pop the melon balls into individual serving cups or you can transfer to large freezer bags if you need to transport. Place into the freezer allowing the melon to freeze for at least 2 hours. To serve, carefully scoop the frozen melon balls into serving dishes and top with a drizzle of the Limoncello- I keep my Limoncello in the freezer so it is really cold. Delish!

ICE CREAM DREAMS

I dream about ice cream, do you? Homemade ice cream is not as difficult as it was when I was a kid; there's no cranking these days! My mom made the best homemade ice cream so we never really complained about the cranking--- it just took too darn long to get to the good stuff! Here's a recipe I found on MyRecipes.com that is very close to my mom's fresh peach ice cream, which was one of our favorite treats every summer. Make ice cream sundaes, or just add a bunch of sweetened, fresh berries to your double scoop. Here's a whole ice cream slideshow to help you find the perfect recipe for your crowd.    

OH MY---PIE!

How about an ice cream pie? I've seen tons of beautiful cherries in the stores lately--- so perhaps your should pick this Cherries Jubilee Pie as your sweet ending? Yum.

So, you don't want to cook this holiday weekend? Then I have a little secret for you. Costco has the most amazing apple pie! It is soooo good and it is beautiful, too. I have served this several times and guests thought it was homemade. (I may or may not have corrected them) Take a look at this Costco apple pie topped with ice cream-- the ultimate old school dessert for our back-to-the-classics BBQ.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Update on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 at 9:14PM by Martie Duncan

Hey! I made the Watermelon Freeze again yesterday for a backyard BBQ with friends Sam and Carolyn--- two of my favorite foodie friends and most reliable recipe taste testers. Sam made his famous ribs and BBQ sauce-- more on that tomorrow!! Yum!

A few more tips for Watermelon Freeze:

If you don't want to fool with a melon baller, watermelon chunks taste just as good!

Save your watermelon juice to make Watermelon Mojitos--- recipe to come!

Use 1/2 of the amount of Limoncello to the lemon-lime soda. You can always add a little more if you like.

Leave it in the freezer for about an hour before serving--- max. Tastes best just slushy.

It looks really pretty when you add the lemon-lime soda-- it fizzes up. You might add a little at the table for show just before serving!

If you want to make it for the kids, skip the Limoncello and add a little sprinkle of lemon-lime Kool-Aid mix, and stir in the soda.