summertime parties

Summertime is the time for fun gatherings – from having the girls over for a fancy Happy Hour at Home, to casual grilling in the back yard with friends and family.

Our old house was the place to be when the temperatures would rise – some friends would say they’re spending the whole weekend at our place. Someone would text or call, if we’d say “come on over, bring your swimsuit” we’d joke that they drove over so fast they had already been on the way! Now that we are settling in to a new house, we no longer have the “instant party” pool, but we can throw a summer bash just the same.

grilling! I always like to come up with interesting and unusual dishes to go along with some of the mainstream grilling items. My grilled romaine is definitely one of those – simply split the bunches open a bit, drizzle with balsamic and olive oil, and place on the grill – indirect heat. We place ours on the very top ‘shelf’ of the grill.

It may not look great, but grilled romaine is always hugely popular – part wilty, part crunchy, and completely flavorful. We never make enough, and there are never leftovers. Add it to your burger, eat as a salad. My boss-Doc once walked around my deck with a large platter fresh off the grill, and within minutes came back empty handed.

More grilling recipes:

grilled potatoes – grilled potato salad

 

grilled fajita tacos

 

grilled jalapeno poppers

 

grilled polenta & portobello burger

 

beverages! Another important thing to stock up on. We have had parties large enough to order a keg (which my Dad and Jason have been known to enjoy the following day – making a valiant effort to finish it off), but generally we stick bottles of beer on ice. Soda, water, juice also, and if it’s that kind of party, mixers and spirits.

desserts! Last but definitely not least, summertime has some of the best fresh fruit that easily turn into sweets, or a simple fruit salad. One of my favorite summertime fruits? Strawberries!

strawberry basil fruit rolls

 

strawberry balsamic ice cream

Preparing as much in advance helps things run smoothly – prep all grill items, make lists to organize, always buy more ice than you think you need. Planning ahead and making lists help keep stress low – no matter the theme, reason for event or how many guests you have, the most important thing to remember is to have fun!

Cheers!

 

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Tagged as: BBQ, outdoor grilling, patio party, Summer Bash