Memorial Day has always been my favorite holiday. Well, except for all the fun around Christmas, of course. But Memorial Day marks the start of the summer season, and that makes me very happy. I love the sun, the beach, the good weather, growing tomatoes and having friends and family visit.

It’s also a day of remembering all the military veterans who gave up parts of their lives — and maybe their very existence — to ensure that we can enjoy our freedoms. But only for as long as we work to keep them. So, while we enjoy our holiday barbecues and picnics, let’s raise a toast to everyone who protects our beloved Constitution.

Now, how do we celebrate? With great American food, of course. Burgers and hot dogs are traditional. But let’s skip the boring mustard, ketchup and mayo. For instance, wrap the hot dogs in bacon, grill until cooked to your liking and then serve with chopped jalapeño peppers.

Try topping hot dogs in toasted buns with chili and a generous sprinkle of crushed corn chips, plus shredded cheese and maybe some chopped onion. For an extra-juicy burger, mix in some finely chopped button mushrooms with the ground beef before shaping into patties and grilling.

Mix ground turkey meat with chopped celery and onion, plus a dose of poultry seasoning. Cranberry mustard is especially good with this!

By the way, ensure that ground meat is cooked all the way through. If you enjoy rare or medium-rare burgers, you’re asking for possible food poisoning. Ground meat can pick up bacteria as it goes through the grinder.

Chicken wings can be prepped in the oven on large baking sheets if you expect a crowd. Season them with hot or mild spices. Cajun or jerk spices are especially good. Or try shawarma or other Mideastern blends.

Skewer and grill prawns or chicken breast chunks. Eat off the skewer or put them into a tostada or taco. Slow-cook a pork roast in your favorite barbecue sauce, or make your own. Shred the meat for pulled-pork sandwiches on crusty rolls. Pass the extra sauce.

Now for the sides

Pasta salads are a natural. But I prefer a version without mayonnaise. For this, I cook up farfalle or bow-tie pasta, and then I toss it with black and green olives, sun-dried tomatoes, chopped pepperoni and salami, small cubes of Swiss cheese, chopped celery and vinaigrette dressing.

Making baked beans from scratch can be time consuming. And canned varieties are rather blah. I use cans of pork and beans that have been drained of most (but not all) of the liquid. Bring to a simmer in a skillet or saucepan. Add molasses, brown sugar and whole-grain mustard. The amount really depends on your preference and how much you’re making. Taste as you go and adjust accordingly. Stir over medium heat until the sauce is thickened.

Mexican street corn is better than plain old corn on the cob with butter. For this, grill ears of corn, sprinkle with salt, chili powder and cotija cheese, and serve with lime wedges. Or use canned or frozen corn. Heat it up, drain and dump into a bowl. Add the spices, cheese and lime juice. If you can find elote spice mix, that’s ideal. I find mine at Costco.

How about grilled onion and skirt steak tacos? Marinate slices of skirt steak in lime juice and beer. Then grill. Cook oiled onion slices in a cast-iron pan and serve with the steak in charred tortillas for a taco-bar alternative.

For something unusual, try grilled artichokes with lemon basil vinaigrette. Trim and cut artichokes in half lengthwise. Steam until outer leaves come off easily. Then grill, and serve with a dressing of olive oil, fresh lemon juice and minced fresh basil for a sophisticated side dish.

Make a patriotic salad with halved strawberries, blueberries and crumbled feta or shredded mozzarella. Dress with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and honey.

Have you ever grilled a salad? Trim heads of romaine lettuce and cut in half lengthwise. Place on a hot oiled grill along with corn on the cob and asparagus spears. Cook until grill marks appear. Turn once. Chop the lettuce, cut the corn from the cob and cut the asparagus into one-inch pieces. Toss with grape tomatoes and a creamy Caesar dressing.

And dessert? Yes, please!

Make a festive trifle. Layer fresh blue and red berries with whipped cream (fresh, not canned) and chunks of pound cake. Or serve bowls of the individual ingredients and let everyone build their own.

A flag cake is easy. Bake a sheet cake using a scratch recipe or a box mix. Cover with fresh whipped cream and then arrange blue and red berries on top to resemble an American flag.

Strawberry kabobs? Thread whole strawberries on skewers alternately with cubes of pound cake. Drizzle with chocolate syrup just before eating.

For a “drinkable dessert,” blend orange juice with scoops of vanilla ice cream. Serve in glasses with a garnish of orange slices or wedges.

Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to make “dessert stars” from sheet cake, brownies or crispy rice treats. Or be logical and make star-shaped sugar cookies. Decorate with red, white and blue frosting.

And … what about strawberry ice cream? I’ve included a recipe below. It’s so much better than anything you get in the store because it has no stabilizers or artificial ingredients. Plus, good strawberries are coming into season, so go to town with them!

Tip of the week

If you have a glass electric cooktop, the special cleaners can be expensive. Instead, use a soft-scrub liquid cleanser. It works just as well.

Recipe of the week

I’ve made ice cream since almost forever. Gary and I indulge most evenings with a small serving. Homemade ice cream is so perfect that it satisfies long before commercial ice creams come close. If you don’t have an ice cream maker, why not? Electric versions are easier than the hand-crank variety, but either way works just fine.

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

2 pounds (about 2 pint-size baskets) fresh strawberries, rinsed and dried

1 1/4 cups sugar

3-4 tablespoons vodka (optional, to help control hardness)

2 cups half-and-half

1/2 cup corn syrup

Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Buy the best berries possible, which means at a farmers market or local farm. Avoid any with soft spots or white patches. Look for a good, rich red color. To hull them, don’t just cut off the tops. Remove the entire white hull. Place in a bowl.

2. Add sugar to the berries. Mash the berries and sugar together using a potato masher or similar. Try to get the mixture as smooth as possible. Add the vodka, and place in the refrigerator for about an hour to fully melt the sugar.

3. When ready to make the ice cream, assemble the machine according to the maker’s instructions. In a large pitcher or similar container, measure out the half-and-half and corn syrup. The syrup will help the ice cream remain smooth. Add the berry puree, along with the salt and stir well.

4. Start the machine, and slowly add the mixture into the container. Run the machine for the time recommended by the maker, usually 20-30 minutes. At this point, the ice cream should resemble a soft serve that holds its shape.

5. It can be served at this consistency. Or remove the ice cream to a 2-quart container. Place some plastic wrap over the surface, and cover the container. Place in the freezer for about 3 hours to harden. Remove from the freezer about 15 minutes before serving. Stand back and accept the applause.