Quarantine Cuisine: 20 Recipes for a Memorial Day in Lockdown

Let’s face it: this Memorial Day weekend will not be like any we’ve had before. Sure, it’s the first signal of summer, but kids have been home for the last 3 months. Summer seems like it started in March this year because of the pandemic.

Not only that, but you can rule out any large gatherings with friends and family. Not big batches of potato salad, punch or ambrosia.

I thought I’d sift through my recipes to find ones that you can make at home to have a simple, quarantine-filled Memorial Day weekend. I went with recipes that are perfect for 2-4 people, or ones that can keep well in the fridge. There’s also a few recipes you’ll find that can be made into something else later in the week with their leftovers.

So, without further adieu, here are my 20 Memorial Day Recipes to Cook in Quarantine. They’re so good, you’ll want to social distance from others…

Appetizers

Potato skins can be a pain to make, but they’re absolutely worth it. These miniature versions are the perfect little bite–and they don’t make many, so they’re perfect for a small family meal.

Recipe for Baby Potato Bites here

These are like jalapeno poppers, but SO much better. The peppers are raw and crispy, and will keep in the fridge for a few days in case you have any leftovers. That’s assuming you have leftovers…

Recipe for Mini Pepper Party Poppers here

A good dip is always a good way to kick off a holiday, even if it’s just between you and your family. This Texas caviar is best when dipped with crackers (Ritz or Club) or tortilla chips.

Recipe for Texas Caviar Dip here

Main Course

Who doesn’t like a good barbecue chicken? This one comes from a former First Lady, and the best part is you can make it in the oven instead of on the grill.

Recipe for Lady Bird Johnson’s Barbecue Chicken

Another oven main course that’s good enough to mimic the grill. Bonus points for easy cleanup: this entree is all on one sheetpan.

Recipe for Sheet Pan Bratwurst and Pepper Sandwiches

This barbecue chicken is way different than most: it uses WHITE barbecue sauce. You’ll end up with some chicken leftover that can be made into lettuce wraps, enchiladas, or chicken salad.

Recipe for Pulled Chicken with White BBQ Sauce

Hobo dinners are a campfire classic. You can make these bratwurst packs on the grill, in the oven, or on a fire pit for added rustic-ness.

Recipe for Bratwurst Hobo Dinners

Make the barbecue dinner on your stovetop with this one-pan BBQ chicken dinner. A perfect Memorial Day dinner for 2.

Recipe for BBQ Chicken & Potatoes Skillet

Hot dogs & brats are the quintessential summer meals. These dogs are very fancy…but very easy to make (and delicious, to boot).

Recipe for Italian Blue Cheese Dogs

Grilled pork chops are simple and you really can’t mess them up. Try them with this herby mustard.

Recipe for Pork Chops with Herby Mustard

Another recipe for 2 here: Island pasta. Use a grill pan to grill the veggies and chicken and toss in a luscious sauce.

Recipe for Grilled Rasta Pasta

Side Dishes

You can’t make big pasta or potato salads when it’s just your family, so make a corn and corn chip salad instead. This recipe doesn’t make a ton, and it’s refreshing on a hot summer day.

Recipe for Corn Chip Salad

Grill your veggies for extra pinache. These are topped with a street-corn style topping. Refrigerate the leftovers separately and they’ll keep for up to a week.

Recipe for Mexican Street Corn Style Grilled Zucchini

A Souther summer classic: fried squash patties. Perfect for a small family gathering since you can spend more time in the kitchen and less time entertaining.

Recipe for Southern Fried Squash Patties