Essentially {Summer Soiree}

It's that time of year again! Time to bust out the charcoal and bug spray because summer soirees and outdoor entertaining are here again. It has to be one of my favorite times to entertain. Yes, the weather may be ridiculously hot but the sun shines a little brighter and it makes me smile just a bit bigger. While you may sweat just a bit, all the Vitamin D you are absorbing just puts you in a better mood. At least it does me! While the official start to summer isn't for another couple weeks, I've got summer fever and I'm more than ready to share my summer soiree essentials with you. Here you go!

1. Watermelon: The signature fruit of hot summer days. Light, refreshing, and full of flavor, watermelon reminds me of backyard cookouts and seed spitting contests as a kid. Embrace the fruit while it's fresh and incorporate it into recipes like watermelon salads, spritzers, and cupcakes! 

2. Fresh Flowers: They certainly do brighten up any table! Not only that, when fresh picked from your front yard, they add a personal touch that most parties lack.

3. Patterned Plates: Like these melamine ones from Target, patterned plates add vibrancy to every meal.  Melamine is perfect for outdoor entertaining as well because of it's inability to break. Drop it, step on it, or have guests throw them at one another, there is nothing this plate can't handle!

4. Homemade Lemonade: Just like Mom used to make. Lemonade is one of my all time favorite refreshing beverages on a hot summer day. I'm dying to try a blueberry lemonade! 

5. Beach Umbrellas: You don't have to be on a beach to get into the umbrella action. Try staking one in the back yard and laying under it pretending you are on a tropical island somewhere. This striped yellow one is sure to brighten up any backyard grill out and provided some much needed shade for your guests! 

6. Grill: Of course I saved the best for last. No summer soiree is complete without a grill. Grill cooking is some of the easiest, fun cooking I've ever done. Nothing beats coming home from a long day on the beach, firing up the grill, and cooking every aspect of the meal atop charcoal (or gas if you prefer). Some of my favorite gilled recipes include salads, kabobs, and peaches for dessert! 

Delightful Dining {Grilled Veggie Sandwich}

A couple of weeks ago on my little venture to the farmer's market, I picked up an eggplant. Never having cooked an eggplant before, I left a little lost as to what to do with it, and confused as to why I even purchased it in the first place. So, I did what I do with anything I don't know what to do with. Grilled it. Since clearly I can't eat just eggplant for dinner, I got a little hearty and made a sandwich with some squash I also had from the farmer's market, onions and chicken. And let me tell you, for being thrown together on the fly, this was a damn good sandwich. And super filling! Here's what you'll need...

Ingredients
{1} An eggplant sliced
{2} 3 squash sliced length wise
{3} An onion sliced
{4} Chicken breast
{5} Hoagie rolls
{6} Olive oil, butter, teriyaki, salt and pepper

{Step 1} Marinate your chicken in teriyaki sauce. (This is my personal favorite, but I don't think it really matters.)
{Step 2} Slice your eggplant and squash, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
{Step 3} Slice your onion and saute until translucent
{Step 4} Grill your chicken, eggplant and squash until done
{Step 5} Slice and butter your bread. Grill butter side down to heat (about 1 minute)
{Step 6} Assemble sandwich with veggies, sliced chicken, and onions.
{Step 7} Enjoy!

Dining Uncorked {Tailgate Grill Out}

So, I told you yesterday that I would provide you with the ultimate tailgating menu today. And well here it is! With Saturday's games quickly approaching, it's time to get your grilling game face on. While some people prefer to prep ahead and have bite sized little snacks, I prefer a grilled meal cook in a parking lot behind your car. While yes, there is some prep at home, to get the full tailgating experience, I think it should be actually cooked there. Here's what I make:

Sliders:

Easy. And plus, who doesn't love this tiny, cuter version of a burger? I tend to like sliders better because it's easier to control your portion. I'm one of those people that if you put a whole burger in front of me, I'll eat the whole thing right there and feel terrible the rest of the day because I ate way to much. Sliders are perfect for this problem. Here's what you need for the perfect slider...

{1} Ground Round or Sirloin (I like these because they have a lower fat percentage than ground chuck)

{2} Worcestershire Sauce

{3} Salt and Pepper

{4} Dinner Rolls (I get the ones from the bakery at Publix because I like how fresh and homemade they are.)

Seriously that's it for the perfect slider. And they are so moist and delicious. But here is the trick. Take your meat and form little patties. Remember that they will get a little smaller in diameter when you cook them, so make them a little bigger than you would think for a slider. Now put those patties in the fridge in a tupperware and grab it right before you leave. Don't season it; don't do anything to it. Seriously. Then, right before you put them on the grill (and I mean right before), season one side with salt, pepper, and splash some Worcestershire on it. Put the seasoned side on the grill and then season the other the exact same way. Wait for them to be cooked, top the way you please, and enjoy. Then the next day, tell me that these were not the most moist, juicy burgers you have ever had! Some great things to add to these burger: grilled onion, bacon, cheese, grilled peppers, lettuce, bbq sauce. That list could go on forever! What do you put on your burger?

Grilled Potatoes:

Yes, that's right. I said grilled potatoes. They are delicious. And crispy. And just like french fries but on the grill and round. You could do wedges if you like though. I like doing potatoes better than chips at a tailgate because potatoes are more filling and since there is drinking involved I feel that it's important to be full. Okay so here is what you need first.

{1} Baking Potatoes

{2} Garlic Powder

{3} Onion Powder

{4} Salt 

{5} Crushed Red Pepper

{6} Olive oil

The first thing you are going to do is obviously clean your potatoes. Slice them into rounds and boil them on the stove. You want to cook them till they are just a little soft but don't crumble to the touch. Drain and let cool. Once cool, put them in a tupperware and grab right before you walk out the door. Once at your tailgate, toss in olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and red pepper. Grill each side till grill marks appear and they are nice and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside! 

Some other great grilled items that I think are easy and delicious for a tailgate....

{1} Grilled vegetables (because they are good for you)

{2} Grilled peaches (trust me on this one)

{3} Hummus and grilled pita chips (take a regular pita, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt, and grill)

What are some of your grilling favorites? 

Dining Uncorked {Margarita Chicken}

Nothing screams summer to me like a refreshing margarita. Trying to plan out a menu for this weekend, I decided to influence it by none other than the margarita! Fresh berry margaritas (I'll share the recipe next week.), a big salad with a citrus lime dressing, and of course margarita chicken skewers courtesy of Sandra Lee!  I stumbled upon this recipe and was dying to share.  Here it is!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 12 strips
• 1 10-ounce can frozen margarita mix, thawed
• 2/3 cup tequila
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chicken seasoning
• Vegetable oil, for the grill
• Baby arugula and lime halves, for serving

Directions

Place the chicken, margarita mix, tequila, cilantro and chicken seasoning in a large resealable plastic bag; squeeze out the air and seal. Massage the bag to combine the ingredients. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Meanwhile, soak 12 wooden skewers in water.

Preheat a grill to medium. Remove the chicken from the marinade; thread each piece onto a skewer. Oil the grill grate; grill the chicken skewers for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until the meat is cooked through. Serve on a platter with arugula and lime.

I'll give you an update as to how mine turns out and the little adjustments I make this weekend! If you make it, let me know how it turns out! 

Indulge In {Memorial Day BBQ}

When looking to plan the perfect menu for that Memorial Day backyard grill out, rely on those American favorites that everyone loves.  Nothing says Memorial Day like bar-b-q chicken, grilled corn on the cob, potato salad, and watermelon finished off with a delicious berry tart.  Serve up so lemonade and you will have the perfect all-american feast!