Memorial Day Recipes!

1. In a large punch bowl or pitcher stir together brandy and sugar until sugar dissolves.
2. Add white wine and all the fruit and give it a quick stir.
3. Leave in refrigerator overnight for the flavor of the fruit to mix together with the alcohol.
4. When ready to serve, add seltzer water and more sugar, if needed.Top off with ice cubes to keep chilled.
5. If you are planning on serving it straight away, skip placing the bowl in the fridge and add seltzer water to taste (optional) and ice cubes. Serve!

BBQ Chicken Kebabs

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2-3 slices raw bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

1. Trim chicken of excess fat, then cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the salt. Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
2. Turn all grill burners to high, close lid, and heat for about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on, but turn off other burners.
3. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the paprikas and sugar. Place the raw bacon in a food processor and pulse for about 30-45 seconds, until a smooth paste forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl twice throughout. Add the bacon paste and spice mixture to the chicken. Mix with hands or spatula until the ingredients are blended and chicken is coated. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, rolling or folding as needed to maintain 1-inch cubes.
4. Grill the chicken over the primary burner with lid closed, turning one-quarter of a turn every 2 minutes or so, until browned and slightly charred (about 8 minutes total for chicken breast and 10 minutes for thighs). Brush the top of kebabs with BBQ sauce; flip and cook until sauce is browned in spots, about 1 minute. Brush second side with sauce; flip and cook for another minute or so, until cooked through.
5. Remove kebabs from grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve, passing remaining BBQ sauce separately, if desired.

Pulled Pork Sliders

• 1 3-5 pound pork shoulder (mine was 3.75 lbs)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Your favorite barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's)
• Slider buns

• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 garlic clove)
• 2 pinches of black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives (I used Gourmet Herbs slightly dried chives)

1. Generously season the pork shoulder with salt, pepper and garlic powder, and rub pork shoulder with your favorite barbecue sauce (I used a pastry brush to help me do this). Place in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Once cooked, remove pork shoulder and slightly shred - discard any fatty parts. Careful no to shred the pork too much - you want nice chunks of pork on your sandwich. Add about ½ cup to 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce and gently mix.
2. To make the aioli, add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix.
3. Toast the slider buns in the oven at 375 for a few minutes until crispy.
4. Assemble sliders by adding the pork on the bun and topping with a dollop of aioli.