We have finally come around to having warm, sunny days here in Omaha. We've had such a cool spring. Unusually cool for us. Now that our temperatures are in an upward trend, it's easier to plan get-togethers.
Last week I notified all my friends that I would host a BBQ on Memorial Day for those that didn't have "going-out-of-town" plans. All they needed to bring with them was their choice of meat to cook on the grill. I would take care of the rest. I was up early in the morning, a norm for me, and headed to the grocery store. Once home again, I began making a large, 24 cup/6 quart stainless steel bowl (from The Pampered Chef) full of home made Pasta Salad. I cut up a green pepper, red pepper, orange pepper, and 2 cucumbers. To that I added some diced black olives and grated an entire triangle-shaped block of Parmesan Cheese. Meanwhile the multi-colored coiled pasta was cooking on the stove. I combined my Italian dressing with white sugar (to sweeten it up) in my large bowl and added the rest of the ingredients. Once stirred together I put it into the refrigerator to chill until we ate around 3PM. Then I set to cleaning my house. I did the vacuuming and cleaned my bathroom. I knew people would be outside more than inside so I wasn't too particularly worried about getting it all done.
Back to the kitchen. I cut up broccoli and another cucumber and added them to a 3 section appetizer dish along with mini carrots. I made a Sun-Dried Tomato Veggie Dip from Tastefully Simple to serve with that. I also made Backyard BBQ Dip for chips. I had on hand, Corn and Black Bean Salsa and Sweet Pineapple Chipotle Salsa. I served Tostito's Chips with a hint of Lime (perfect with the Sweet Pineapple Chipotle Salsa!) and Tostito Scoop chips for the dipping. I also had Lays BBQ chips. I had to stay with a theme, can you tell?
I peeled and sliced up a 5 lb bag of potatoes and layered them in a bar pan with butter and Seasoning Salt. This would be baked in the oven a little bit later, closer to meal time.
I prepared Fruit Dip; this consists of Marshmallow Creme and Cream Cheese mixed together with a dash of Lemon juice. I had strawberries and apples cut up that I sprinkled with Fruit Fresh to keep them from spoiling. The week before I had made a Rhubarb Cake from my own rhubarb plants in my yard and froze it. I mixed up some home made whipped cream to top the cake. It was a hit!
Then I prepared some Raspberry Lemonade from Schwan's. I had to make two of them as anyone that drank it totally loved it....not just the kids either! Several adults enjoyed a few cups of it themselves! I had purchased some bottled water to place in a cooler for those that are pregnant! Side note: Congratulations Dee and Chris!
As people arrived around 2PM, all 16 of them, they all brought along with them, more than necessary. Other food besides their meat. Sheesh! Where was this all going to be set down? I was out of space! Some brought corn on the cob and shrimp kabobs and some brought leftover dips from the night-before-holiday gatherings. There was fruit salad and spinach dip. I think I forgot something......Wow....
Chris was put in charge of grilling so that I could tend to the potatoes and getting the rest of the food set out. It was a mid-afternoon BBQ. The weather was perfect. Mid 80's and very low humidity. My deck is mostly shaded by my house and there was a slight breeze to help keep it cool. All the families with kids brought along water guns. They had a great time running around the outside of my house....sometimes the men were seen chasing the kids! They would go in circles around and around. Too much fun! I also saw water balloons at one point! Eventually they had to stop and get dried off.
We were all so stuffed and miserably full but yet people kept munching. It was just too hard not to. Because some had to work the next day, me included, people began to filter out and head for home. It was already about 7 PM....but because of the later setting sun, it seemed early.
A perfect day for a perfect BBQ.
I began the cleanup of my kitchen after doling food out to people to take home. There was no way that I would be able to eat alot of the leftovers all by myself.
I love summer! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and Memorial Day. Thanks for the picture Kevin and Susan.
Last week I notified all my friends that I would host a BBQ on Memorial Day for those that didn't have "going-out-of-town" plans. All they needed to bring with them was their choice of meat to cook on the grill. I would take care of the rest. I was up early in the morning, a norm for me, and headed to the grocery store. Once home again, I began making a large, 24 cup/6 quart stainless steel bowl (from The Pampered Chef) full of home made Pasta Salad. I cut up a green pepper, red pepper, orange pepper, and 2 cucumbers. To that I added some diced black olives and grated an entire triangle-shaped block of Parmesan Cheese. Meanwhile the multi-colored coiled pasta was cooking on the stove. I combined my Italian dressing with white sugar (to sweeten it up) in my large bowl and added the rest of the ingredients. Once stirred together I put it into the refrigerator to chill until we ate around 3PM. Then I set to cleaning my house. I did the vacuuming and cleaned my bathroom. I knew people would be outside more than inside so I wasn't too particularly worried about getting it all done.
Back to the kitchen. I cut up broccoli and another cucumber and added them to a 3 section appetizer dish along with mini carrots. I made a Sun-Dried Tomato Veggie Dip from Tastefully Simple to serve with that. I also made Backyard BBQ Dip for chips. I had on hand, Corn and Black Bean Salsa and Sweet Pineapple Chipotle Salsa. I served Tostito's Chips with a hint of Lime (perfect with the Sweet Pineapple Chipotle Salsa!) and Tostito Scoop chips for the dipping. I also had Lays BBQ chips. I had to stay with a theme, can you tell?
I peeled and sliced up a 5 lb bag of potatoes and layered them in a bar pan with butter and Seasoning Salt. This would be baked in the oven a little bit later, closer to meal time.
I prepared Fruit Dip; this consists of Marshmallow Creme and Cream Cheese mixed together with a dash of Lemon juice. I had strawberries and apples cut up that I sprinkled with Fruit Fresh to keep them from spoiling. The week before I had made a Rhubarb Cake from my own rhubarb plants in my yard and froze it. I mixed up some home made whipped cream to top the cake. It was a hit!
Then I prepared some Raspberry Lemonade from Schwan's. I had to make two of them as anyone that drank it totally loved it....not just the kids either! Several adults enjoyed a few cups of it themselves! I had purchased some bottled water to place in a cooler for those that are pregnant! Side note: Congratulations Dee and Chris!
As people arrived around 2PM, all 16 of them, they all brought along with them, more than necessary. Other food besides their meat. Sheesh! Where was this all going to be set down? I was out of space! Some brought corn on the cob and shrimp kabobs and some brought leftover dips from the night-before-holiday gatherings. There was fruit salad and spinach dip. I think I forgot something......Wow....
Chris was put in charge of grilling so that I could tend to the potatoes and getting the rest of the food set out. It was a mid-afternoon BBQ. The weather was perfect. Mid 80's and very low humidity. My deck is mostly shaded by my house and there was a slight breeze to help keep it cool. All the families with kids brought along water guns. They had a great time running around the outside of my house....sometimes the men were seen chasing the kids! They would go in circles around and around. Too much fun! I also saw water balloons at one point! Eventually they had to stop and get dried off.
We were all so stuffed and miserably full but yet people kept munching. It was just too hard not to. Because some had to work the next day, me included, people began to filter out and head for home. It was already about 7 PM....but because of the later setting sun, it seemed early.
A perfect day for a perfect BBQ.
I began the cleanup of my kitchen after doling food out to people to take home. There was no way that I would be able to eat alot of the leftovers all by myself.
I love summer! I hope you had a wonderful weekend and Memorial Day. Thanks for the picture Kevin and Susan.
Flowers on Mom's grave.
1 comment:
And how were the Tastefully Simple products? Would you recommend that readers of your blog purchase said products? (Tee-hee!)
I am craving the fruit dip and the rhubarb cake with homemade whipped cream and the shrimp kabobs. Your friends are lucky to have you host get-togethers because you feed them well (and it sounds as though they round out a potluck meal well themselves!).
Your flowers for Mom's grave were really pretty, weren't they?
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