MEMORIAL DAY COOKOUTS By Christy Rost   Brush off the picnic table and strike up the band! Memorial Day weekend signals the official start of summer fun. Backyard barbecues, pool parties, picnics in the park, and block parties. As school and work schedules wind down, it’s time to reconnect with friends and neighbors around a picnic table laden with fresh and tasty summer recipes. It's also the time to pause and remember Americans who have died while in the service of our country. Originally called Decoration Day, the National Commander of the Grand Army officially proclaimed Memorial Day on May 5, 1868. Flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery, a tradition which started after the Civil War in cemeteries located throughout the South. Originally meant to commemorate soldiers who died in the Civil War, following World War I, the holiday was expanded to include Americans fighting in any war. It is traditionally celebrated on the last Monday in May. Memorial Day celebrations and something hot off the grill just naturally go hand-in-hand. Paired with a selection of cool, refreshing salads bursting with flavor and texture, and old-fashioned desserts such as fruit pies or cobblers, these early-summer gatherings are easy to create and set the stage for a deliciously relaxing summer. Grilled Chicken with Sweet Apricot Ginger Sauce is an inexpensive main dish recipe that can be doubled to feed a crowd. Although I originally created the recipe for use with chicken breasts, the basting sauce is wonderful on chicken thighs and legs, making it a good choice for a summer backyard cookout. For dessert, it's hard to beat All-American Apple Pie. With its buttery, flaky crust that almost melts in your mouth, and a natural-juice apple filling with just the right amount of cinnamon and spice, my classic apple pie is just the thing for a Memorial Day cookout, or anytime you want to celebrate the good ol' USA. Grilled Chicken with Sweet Apricot Ginger Sauce Ingredients: 3 pounds chicken legs and thighs  cup apricot nectar 2 tablespoons vodka 2 slices fresh ginger, ¼-inch thick Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 fresh apricots 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon butter At least one hour before cooking, rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. In a casserole or other dish large enough to accommodate chicken, stir together the apricot nectar, vodka, and ginger slices. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, cover, and chill at least 1 hour. Preheat the grill or light the coals. When the grill is ready, remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade for later use. Season the chicken with salt and ground black pepper and grill it 20 to 25 minutes, turning frequently to prevent scorching. While the chicken is grilling, pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Slice apricots and add them to the marinade along with the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in butter. When the chicken is tender and cooked through, arrange it on a serving platter. Spoon the sauce over it and serve. Recipe serves 8. All-American Apple Pie Ingredients: Pastry  2 cups all-purpose flour cup sifted cake flour 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons sugar cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces cup shortening 6 tablespoons ice water Place flours, salt, and sugar in bowl of a food processor; pulse several times to mix. Add cold butter and shortening; pulse until butter is pea-size. Add 5 tablespoons ice water. Process at low speed until pastry forms crumbs; add remaining ice water if mixture appears dry. Process on low until the pastry forms a ball. Remove the pastry, divide it in half, and wrap each half in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Filling 7 large Granny Smith or other tart, firm apples juice of lemon 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons flour 1 teaspoons cinnamon teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter 1 egg 1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons sparkling sugar or granulated sugar Peel and core apples. Slice them into a large bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice and toss well, to keep them from browning. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; pour over the apples. Toss to coat the apples thoroughly, then pour in melted butter and toss to mix. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll out bottom pastry on a floured pastry cloth, fold it in half, and transfer it to a 10-inch pie plate. Unfold the pastry and adjust it to fit the bottom of the pie plate. Pour the apple mixture into the pie shell, spooning extra juices over apples. Roll out the top crust, fold it in half to lift, and unfold it over apples. Trim the pastry and crimp to seal edges. Cut several slits in the top crust so steam can escape. In a small bowl, whisk egg and water together with a fork to form an egg wash. Brush this over the pastry and sprinkle with sparkling or granulated sugar. Bake in a preheated oven 40 to 50 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired. Cover leftover pie and refrigerate up to several days. Recipe makes one 10-inch double-crust pie. Christy Rost is the host of the television cooking show, “Just Like Home” and author of The Family Table: Where Great Food, Friends, and Family Gather Together ($29.95, Capital Books, Inc), which is available in bookstores across the country. Additional recipes for summer meals may be found on her website at www.easyentertain.com. Get more of Christy Rost's recipes in her archives. Click here. Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Email: jwdineline@aol.com