It’s the May long weekend. The sun is shining, and you’ve invited your friends and family over for some great times on the patio. The question is: what are you going to put on the grill? I mean, hot dogs and hamburgers are tried and true crowd pleasers, but life’s too short not to make something different once and a while. Let’s get creative, and barbecue some mouthwatering creations this year.

Make Some Memorable Marinades

Bring a touch of the Mediterranean to your lamb chops or chicken, with this fabulous marinade from Jamie Oliver. Add olive oil, lemons, garlic, pepper, and rosemary (dried or fresh) to your shopping list. You can also include more herbs, depending on the meat you are grilling. For lamb, mint and oregano add some great flavour. Chicken, on the other hand, always benefits from a bit of sage.

If you prefer to serve your guests some delicious BC salmon, try this honey-soy marinade from Betty Crocker. Ensure that you have the following on hand: brown sugar, butter or margarine, olive or vegetable oil, honey, soy sauce, and garlic. After only an hour in the marinade, your salmon will be ready for the grill.

Go Vegetarian

If some of your guests are vegetarian or concerned about eating healthy, offer some non-meat alternatives at your May long weekend barbecue. Have you heard of Halloumi cheese? It’s now available in local grocery stores, and tastes fabulous when grilled. Here’s a recipe for Halloumi kebabs with thyme & lemon baste from Good Food magazine. After you pick up your cheese, make sure to grab some zucchini, a red onion, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lemons, thyme, and Dijon mustard. The great thing about this recipe is that it can be prepared up to half a day in advance.

Another way to include more vegetables at your barbecue is to prepare a few salads. For some fabulous ideas, check out “8 Awesome Salads to Bring to a Barbecue”.

Break Out the Cocktail Shaker

This May long weekend barbecue wouldn’t be complete without some tasty bevvies. While wine, coolers, and beer are definitely good to have on hand, why not transport your guests to Hawaii with some retro tiki cocktails? Discover how to make a mai tai, zombie, blue Hawaiian, and more here. Don’t forget to buy some little umbrellas, funky stir sticks, and cool glassware to make the cocktail experience just a little more fun!