Bite by Bite
Conquering My Culinary Bucket List One Dish at a Time
By Emily Banks Wooten

Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who have died while serving in the United States armed forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. While its true meaning should never be lost or forgotten, many view Memorial Day weekend as the beginning of summer. School’s out, the days are longer and people are spending more time outside. Basically, Memorial Day weekend signifies a slower, more relaxed pace.

Whether you’re throwing a big bash, or just laying low with your family, I think this menu will be just the ticket to usher in summer. It’s fresh, colorful, fairly healthy and very filling.

You know we love our Buffalo-style hot wings. However, if you’re not a fan of Buffalo sauce, you may make these the flavor of your choice. We have friends who prefer garlic parmesan over Buffalo-style. No problem. Just substitute a cup of crushed garlic and a cup of parmesan cheese to the melted butter instead of the Frank’s hot sauce.

While thinking about various foods suitable for Memorial Day, I checked out numerous websites and blogs. And when I ran across Dave Lieberman’s potato, tomato, corn and basil salad on foodnetwork.com, it definitely spoke to me. The picture was so beautiful with all of those colorful fresh vegetables. It’s not keto-friendly due to the potatoes and corn, but other than that, it’s really a fairly healthy salad or side dish. And it was simple to make. Here’s wishing you all a fun and safe Memorial Day weekend. Let the summertime begin.

Buffalo-Style Hot Wings

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—2 packages full-sized chicken wings
—2 bottles Frank’s hot sauce
—1½ sticks melted butter

•Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
•Line a sheet pan with foil and place a baking rack on it.
•Pour 2 bottles of Frank’s hot sauce into a medium size bowl. Add 1½ sticks of melted butter. Stir and set aside.
•Coat wings thoroughly with olive oil, salt and pepper.
•Cook for 30 minutes then turn over and cook for another 20 minutes.
•Remove from oven and with tongs, dip each wing in the bowl with the sauce mixture and then place back on the baking rack on the sheet pan. Once all the wings have been dipped in the sauce, put back in the oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
•Repeat the above step and dip the wings in the sauce again and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Potato, Tomato, Corn and Basil Salad
By Dave Lieberman

—1 pound baby red potatoes, scrubbed
—5 medium ears of corn (about 3 pounds)
—1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
—1 small red onion, peeled and sliced thinly (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
—1 large bunch fresh basil, rinsed, dried and leaves picked
—¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
—2 large lemons, juiced
—1 teaspoon kosher salt
—About 15 grinds freshly ground pepper

•Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring to boil. Cook until just fork tender, about 15 minutes. Fish out the potatoes with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl of ice cold water to stop them from cooking.
•Shuck the corn and break each ear in half. Cook in the same boiling water for 5-7 minutes until tender but not soft. Remove the cooled potatoes to a dishcloth to drain. Immerse corn in the same ice bath until cool. Cut each potato into quarters and place in a large bowl.
•Remove corn from water and also let drain. Use a chef's knife to cut the kernels off each ear. Add kernels to the bowl. Add grape tomatoes, onion and whole basil leaves. Add olive oil and lemon juice and toss gently to combine. Season to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.