Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial arrival of summer as far as I’m concerned. While we do want to remember our fallen heroes of all the wars, it has also been a time to have family gatherings. And family gatherings always brings to mind good things like fried chicken(check out Zatarain’s chicken coating mixes), potato salad with homemade mayonnaise, fried fish (check out our fish-fry coating mixes), all things barbecued or thrown on the grill. And don’t forget the rice dressing (we have several different kinds of dressing mixes) and thick slices of homegrown tomatoes sprinkled with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a bit of vinegar. For just such an occasion, you might want to try Poche’s stuffed pork roast---a winner in my book. Bake it in the oven, put it on a spit in a pit or smoke it in your smoker. The flavor is fabulous. Here’s a great dish to serve with that pork roast, especially if you can get locally-grown vegetables in your area. MARINATED MIXED VEGETABLES

• Makes about 8 servings
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets
• 3 carrots, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large green or red pepper, seeded and cut into strips
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and blanched in salted boiling water
• 1 large zucchini, cut into strips
• 1/2 pound cherry tomatoes

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the garlic, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and Dijon mustard. Whisk to blend, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the vegetables into a large shallow container fitted with a lid. Pour in the marinade and toss to coat evenly. Cover with the lid and marinate, tossing the vegetables two to three times, for at least 24 hours.