HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS
Barbecue Gourmet: The Easy Way!
For laid-back, no-fuss summer entertaining, my backyard barbecue offers a refreshing twist on the traditional menu of burgers and dogs.
Try this summer party and greet your guests with a Watermelon Vodka Cooler or Sassy Pink Lemonade! Serve your barbecue family-style with platters of Lamb Burgers, Tuna Burgers, Cucumber Salad with Fresh Mint, Grilled Fruit Skewers and S'mores Coffee and Fudge Ice Cream Cake.
Add fresh flowers scattered around the table for a cool summer's night and great drinks always inspire a fun party atmosphere.
Try this summer party and greet your guests with a Watermelon Vodka Cooler or Sassy Pink Lemonade! Serve your barbecue family-style with platters of Lamb Burgers, Tuna Burgers, Cucumber Salad with Fresh Mint, Grilled Fruit Skewers and S'mores Coffee and Fudge Ice Cream Cake.
Add fresh flowers scattered around the table for a cool summer's night and great drinks always inspire a fun party atmosphere.
This simple salad can be easily prepared ahead of time for easy serving at your barbeque.
Ingredients
- 4 large English hothouse cucumbers
- 2/3 Cup red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon sugar
- 2 Teaspoon salt
- 6 large tomatoes, seeded, coarsely chopped
- 1 1/3 cups coarsely chopped red onion
- 1 Cup chopped fresh mint
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
Steps
- Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds. Cut halves diagonally into 1/2-inch-wide pieces.
- Place in large bowl. Add vinegar, sugar and salt. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour; toss occasionally.
- Add tomatoes, red onion, mint and oil to cucumbers and toss to blend. Season salad with salt and pepper.
Moroccan Salsa is great for topping Moroccan burgers.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 beets, boiled, peeled, cut into 1/3-inch cubes
- 1 large orange, peel and pith cut away, flesh cut into 1/3-inch cubes
- 1 Cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 Cup chopped pitted green Greek olives
Steps
- For salsa: Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Mix in next 4 ingredients. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper.
- Gourmet the Easy Way: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
Lamb burgers are a great alternative to ground beef burgers. Serve with Moroccan salsa and they're sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 jalapeño chile, seeded, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 Teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 Teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 3/4 pounds ground lamb
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 4 large cracked-wheat hamburger buns, split horizontally
- 1 1/3 cups thinly sliced Bibb lettuce
- Mayonnaise
Steps
- For burgers: Stir shallot, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, and cumin in large bowl to blend.
- Add lamb and mix gently to combine.
- Shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. Arrange on small baking sheet.
- Gourmet the Easy Way: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
- Spray grill rack with nonstick spray and prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
- Grill buns, cut side down, until golden, about 2 minutes; transfer to work surface.
- Place lettuce and large spoonful of salsa on each bun bottom.
- Grill burgers until slightly charred and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.
- Place 1 burger on each bun. Top each with mayonnaise and bun top. Serve with remaining salsa.
Seared tuna burgers are a great anytime alternative to beef burgers.
Ingredients
- 4 3/4- inch thick tuna steaks (each about 5 to 6 ounces)
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 Tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
- 2 garlic clove, minced
- 8 tablespoons regular or low-fat mayonnaise
- 2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 4 oversize sesame-seed sandwich rolls, toasted
- 2 bunches arugula, stems trimmed
Steps
- Sprinkle tuna with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add tuna to skillet and cook until brown outside and just opaque in center, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer tuna to plate.
- Add ginger and garlic to same skillet; stir 30 seconds.
- Scrape into small bowl. Mix in mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spread bottoms of rolls with mayonnaise mixture.
- Top with tuna, arugula and tops of rolls.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups tequila
- 1½ cups (packed) golden brown sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large pineapples, peeled, cored, cut into 2x1-inch pieces
- 12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes, drained
Steps
- Stir first 4 ingredients in small bowl until sugar dissolves.
- Thread pineapple pieces onto 12 skewers, dividing equally. (Tequila mixture and pineapple skewers can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover separately and chill.)
- Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Grill pineapple until brown, basting with tequila mixture and turning occasionally, about 10 minutes total.
- Remove pineapple from skewers; serve hot or warm.
This cocktail can be made with or without vodka. The watermelon juice gives it a great summer taste.
Ingredients
- 5 pounds seedless watermelon (about 1/2 medium size watermelon)
- 16 ounces lemonade, homemade or high quality
- 12 ounces vodka
- Watermelon balls for garnish
Steps
- Cut the watermelon flesh into chunks and working in batches, puree in a blender until liquefied. Strain through a fine sieve to remove the pulp - you should have about 4 cups of juice.
- Combine the watermelon juice, lemonade and alcohol in a 2-quart pitcher.
- Pour into a tall glass filled with ice and garnish with a melon wedge. Without the alcohol this makes a great children's drink.
Pink lemonade prepared with cranberry juice gives it a great, fruity flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 9 cups water
- 2 cups lemon juice
- 1 cups cranberry juice
Steps
- Mix everything in a pitcher and stir until dissolved. Serve lemonade over ice.
As cool drinks flow, allow guests to unwind with Bob Marley, a reggae deity. As the cocktails kick-in, step it up a beat with a sexy Rio- Brazilian vibe or retro summery selections:
Check Out More Fun BBQ & Outdoor Entertaining Ideas:
Outdoor Entertaining
Plan Your Party with the best-looking invitations on the web.
Suggestions:
- Bossa Nova Brazil by Antonio c. Jobim
- Pure Brazil by Gilberto Gil
- Cruel Summer by Bananarama
- Hot Stuff by Donna Summer
- Summer Days by Bob Dylan
- Indian Summer by Chet Baker
- Tide is High by Blondie
To keep food from sticking, brush it with olive oil or vegetable oil before placing it on the grill. For extra protection, brush the grill with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray before heating.
More important tips:
More important tips:
- Grill with the top closed to retain heat and decrease cooking time.
- Use tongs to turn meat or skewers as a fork punctures the food and allows juices to escape.
- Before serving, always let meat rest so juices can be absorbed; burgers should rest about 2 - 4 minutes.
- When serving corn on the cob, be sure to set out Butter Babies so your guests can keep their hands and clothes clean.
With the summer heat, set your table about 1 hour before guests arrive to ensure it still looks beautiful and fresh when they see it.
Use bursts of playful colors in a palette of lime-green, honeydew, sunflower gold and watermelon pink to add fun to any backyard barbecue tabletop.
Cluster flower pots of yellow roses or sunflowers with pillar candles. You can also use smaller hurricane lamps with short pillar candles and scatter fresh cut gerbera daisies around them.
Place the dining table in the backyard with the bar closer to the house and remember to have extra citronella candles around the perimeter of the party area to keep bugs at bay.
Use bursts of playful colors in a palette of lime-green, honeydew, sunflower gold and watermelon pink to add fun to any backyard barbecue tabletop.
Cluster flower pots of yellow roses or sunflowers with pillar candles. You can also use smaller hurricane lamps with short pillar candles and scatter fresh cut gerbera daisies around them.
Place the dining table in the backyard with the bar closer to the house and remember to have extra citronella candles around the perimeter of the party area to keep bugs at bay.
Here are 5 elements that will guarantee a fun backyard barbeque.
- Lively music
- Festive ambiance
- Refreshing drinks
- Great food
- Guests who have plenty of fun summer stories to dish!
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