Natasha Feldman shares Memorial Day-inspired recipes

Get ready for a festive Memorial Day feast with these creative meals to make this weekend.

“The Dinner Party Project” author Natasha Feldman joined “Good Morning America” ​​on Friday to share a seasonal drink, vibrant salads, sides and an easy-to-make dessert for Memorial Day.

Check out her full recipes below.

Fresh water

Ingredients

Six 8-ounce drinks

2 cups water, plus more to taste

4 cups fresh cut fruit (try watermelon, pineapple and mango or cantaloupe)

2 tablespoons sugar, plus more to taste, depending on the sweetness of the fruit

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

A pinch of salt

4 sprigs of mint

Sparkling water, for the table

Toppings: piece of fresh fruit, wedge of lime, Tajín seasoning on the rim, salt and sugar (50/50) on the rim

Directions

Mix 2 cups of water, 4 cups of fruit, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 2 tablespoons of lime juice and a pinch of salt in a blender. Strain the pulp as you pour the agua fresca into a pitcher. Stir in additional water, sugar and lime juice to taste. Just before serving, add plenty of ice and the sprigs of mint to the pitcher and stir. Give everyone a cold glass garnished as desired, and turn off the sparkling water in case people want to add some.

Tips and schedule:

Pitcher drinks can be made (without adding sparkling water or ice) up to a day in advance and stored in the fridge. Just before serving, stir vigorously and add sparkling water and ice cubes. Cocktails should be prepared just before serving. But feel free to pre-measure all the ingredients for ease!

Regardless of the cocktail, first freeze the glasses for 10 minutes. This will keep the cocktail physically (and metaphorically) fresh.

Super crunchy green salad

For 6 persons

Total time: 10 minutes

“I really like this salad because it’s incredibly bright and can really round out a meal, but it’s also easy to make and fun to riff on. If you want to add more crunchy veggies or swap out the herbs, go for it “, wrote Feldman in the cookbook. “If you’re looking for a really simple meal, just add some grilled protein and call it a day!”

Ingredients

Bandage

1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped dill

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley leaves

salad

4 Persian cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

2 ripe Hass avocados, skins and pits removed, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups thinly sliced ​​green cabbage

1 head butterhead lettuce, cut into 1/2-inch strips

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

What’s left of the above herbs, coarsely chopped, to finish

To make the dressing: Mix 1/2 tsp lemon zest, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a jar with an airtight lid and shake it like crazy to emulsify. Add the dill and parsley and shake again.

To make the salad: In a large serving bowl, combine cucumbers, avocados, cabbage and lettuce and toss with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss just to combine. Add salt to taste. Serve with additional herbs on top

Tips and schedule:

The dressing can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Wash, prep, and store all salad ingredients (except the avocados) up to a day in advance. Store lettuce in dry paper towels in resealable plastic bags in the refrigerator. Put the cut vegetables in an airtight container with a damp paper towel on top to keep them from drying out. Assemble the salad with the cut avocados just before serving.

Garlic Cabbage with Whole Grain Mustard

For 6 persons
Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp salt, divided, plus more to taste
1 small purple cabbage, halved and cut into 1/8-inch ribbons (about 8 cups)
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons old-fashioned mustard
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley leaves

Directions
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until aromatic with tiny happy bubbles, about 2 1/2 minutes.
Add the cabbage and another 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is about half the size it started, about 6 minutes.
Add 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar and cook until most of the cabbage is tender and deep purple, about 10 minutes.
Mix 1 tablespoon of butter, 2 teaspoons of old-fashioned mustard and 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley until the butter is completely melted. Add more salt to taste.

Tips and schedule:
This keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Remove 1 hour before serving.

Rainbow Cookie Ice Cream Cake

For 6 to 8 people ; makes 1 loaf of bread
Total time: 45 minutes + refrigeration overnight

Ingredients
1 liter heavy whipped cream
3 tablespoons of sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Green, yellow and red food coloring
1 teaspoon of almond extract
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
1/2 cup (3 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped and melted
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2 boxes of Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers (or other thin and crispy chocolate cookies)
Flaky sea salt, to finish

Directions
In a stand mixer or with hand mixers, whip 1 quart cream with 3 tablespoons sugar and ⅛ teaspoon salt to soft peaks. (If using a stand mixer, cover the top of the mixer with a large kitchen towel for the first minute to prevent splattering as the cream swirls around the bowl.)
Once soft peaks have formed, add 1 teaspoon vanilla and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.
Divide the whipped cream evenly among four bowls.
In the first bowl, add 6 drops of green food coloring, 2 drops of yellow food coloring and 1 teaspoon of almond extract. Fold to incorporate.
In the second bowl, add 6 drops of red food coloring and 2 tablespoons of raspberry jam. Fold to incorporate.
In the third bowl, add 9 drops of yellow food coloring. Fold to incorporate.
In the fourth bowl, add ½ cup of melted semi-sweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder. You know what to do. (The chocolate layer may look a little marbled, and that’s okay!)
Line a standard loaf pan with plastic wrap. Make sure your wrap is long enough to cover the loaf pan once it’s full.
Place a layer of wafers (use whole wafers and fill with broken wafers) in the bottom of the mold, then spread a layer of half the chocolate whipped cream.
Add another layer of wafers and half of the pink whipped cream, followed by another layer of wafers and the rest of the pink whipped cream.
Follow with a layer of wafers and a layer of yellow whipped cream and repeat, then a layer of wafers and a layer of green whipped cream and repeat.
Finish with a layer of wafers, a layer of chocolate whipped cream and a final layer of wafers. Note: The loaf pan will be quite full and overflow. Don’t worry. No one has ever been mad at too much frozen cake.
Cover tightly with extra plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Turn the pan upside down and use a butter knife to remove the plastic wrap. Unwrap, slice and serve sprinkled with flaky sea salt.

Tips and schedule
Prepare and refrigerate 1 to 3 days in advance. The cake should take at least one night.
Don’t skimp on the whipped cream – the cookies will puff up and you want to see all those layers!
If you can’t find the chocolate wafer cookies thin and crispy, you can always use chocolate wafer sandwich cookies or split Oreos.

Recipes reprinted with permission from The Dinner Party Project by Natasha Feldman. Copyright © 2023 by Natasha Feldman. Reprinted with permission from Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.