On this Memorial Day weekend while you enjoy time off work having fun with family and chowing on delicious barbecue, be sure to make time to remember those patriots who sacrificed all for our country, our freedom, our tomorrows.

 

 

Fly your flag. Say a prayer. Meditate on how lucky we are to live in a democratic society. Do something patriotic today and everyday.

We don’t have a flag yet for our new (old) house, but after searching and searching, I finally found the bunting which we brought from our Dallas house. It was hiding in a drawer. I love the look of bunting, especially draped on old porch railings.

 

I decorated our Little Free Library for Memorial Day too! If you live in the neighborhood, be sure to check out our book selection for every age reader. Books change daily! And there are seeds in the bottom drawer. Zinnias were recently added (although I can’t promise they are still there).

 

Oh, and eat some barbecue! John will be grilling ribs—he’s a master at it. If it’s raining where you are, and it seems to be raining everywhere, try these oven roasted barbecued chicken thighs I made last week. Trust me, this is simple. I made this dish using only my right hand. Why? Because my left index finger was wrapped in a paper towel held above my heart/head to keep myself from bleeding out. #DullKnifeProblems #Distracted #NoTimeForStitches

• Rinse and pat dry chicken. Place skin side down on an oiled cookie sheet. Roast at 425 for 30 minutes.
• Coat with your favorite sauce (see mine below). Turn and coat the other side. Roast 10 minutes skin side up.
• Slather on more sauce. Roast another 10 minutes. (Do not turn again.)
• Repeat one more time turning the oven up to 475.
• Let rest 10 minutes before eating.

I made the sauce using one cup of Bentley’s Batch 5 Reserve (my favorite!) mixed with two heaping tablespoons of apricot preserves and 3-4 chopped garlic cloves. (Recipe inspired by the one and only Pioneer Woman.) If you are a vegetarian, try this sauce with roasted veggies.

Happy Memorial Day folks!

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

[tweetthis]Take time out of your #MemorialDayWeekend to remember. #America #Freedom @BentleysBatch5 [/tweetthis]

America, The Beautiful – Cedarmont Kids