A Life In Review

Summer is finally here and with warmer weather comes outdoor gatherings. If you are anything like my people (family & friends), we eat the same things at every single picnic or barbecue (think hamburgers, hot dogs and cookies). This year I am determined to try new things (maybe… you know I’m kinda set in my ways). I decided to gather some cool ideas that anyone could add to their summer menu. Some of these are foods that I love and eat, and others recipes I found online (or through friends).

BBQ Kielbasa: This is one of my favorite summer dishes and it’s so simple. You are going to grab some kielbasa (any kind) and slice it into 3-4 inch sections. Take each section and split it in half (it will leave you with two pieces of kielbasa in a half cylinder shape). Once cut, soak the pieces of kielbasa in your favorite BBQ sauce overnight (I usually just put them in a ziplock bag to soak). The next day, pull them out and throw them on the grill, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Butter Ranch Corn: My mother-in-law is the one who introduced me to this savory combo. Once you grill (or cook) your corn, lather it up with a nice layer of butter. Then sprinkle Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning all over the corn. It will soak into the butter and give your traditional corn on the cob so much more flavor.

Dip in a Cup: This “recipe” sounds weird, but you are basically going to make your traditional 7 layer dip in individual cups. Start with some plastic cups. At the bottom of each cup put a layer of refried beans. The next layer will be guacamole, followed by sour cream and salsa. Top that with your favorite greens and some shredded cheese. If you want to really make it individual you can get single bags of tortilla chips for each person.

Grilled Peaches & Ice Cream: This is another random Pinterest find. A good BBQ needs good dessert. You can totally impress your friends with this SUPER simple recipe. I will link one here, but honestly there are so many good ones online.

Grilled Pizza: I ate grilled pizza at a friends house once. I was super skeptical about making pizza on the grill, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you are looking for something different to add to your BBQ party menu, I would add grilled pizza (the link will bring you to a fancy recipe, but there are so many out there to choose from).

Grilled Potatoes: Although there is nothing wrong with a traditional potato salad, sometimes its nice to mix things up. I found a recipe for Grilled Pesto Potatoes on Pinterest and it looks heavenly. This is something I will definitely be trying this summer. The recipe will give you more details on how to make these. If you want to flavor them differently, I highly suggesting finding garlic-ranch seasoning and dousing the potatoes in that.

Kebabs: Literally anything could go on your kebabs. I know that these are more traditional barbecue party foods, but I found so many different recipes to mix things up this year. What I like about kebabs is that the prep can be done in advance so that all you have to do is grill them up when the party guests arrive. Some great ones are: Sticky Chicken Kebabs, Hawaiian Ham Kebabs, and a variety of Fruit kebabs.

Pink Stuff: I really don’t have a name for this dish. It’s something that is served cold and it’s similar to ambrosia, but without all the excess fruit and chunks. All you need is 16-24 oz of cottage cheese, an 8oz tub of cool whip, 1 can of CRUSHED pineapple (you will drain this) and a package of jello powder (to make it pink, you get the strawberry kind, the color will change based on the color of the Jello flavor you choose). You will FOLD (not stir) all of the ingredients together. It should make a mixture of medium thickness. Use all of the ingredients in full. If it’s too watery, you can add some extra Cool Whip. This will obviously need to be refrigerated until it’s time to eat.

S’mores Nachos: I have wanted to try this for so many summers. I think this is my year! It’s exactly as it sounds, a chocolatey, marshmallow, graham cracker filled mess. All you need is a pan to heat the mess on the grill (and the ingredients). This is the most promising looking recipe (click here).

Walking Taco: I have seen this recipe made a few different ways. I think the most intriguing way was inside of a Dorito bag. If you have never heard of a walking taco, you basically take a bag of chips and dump taco meat and all of your taco toppings into the bag. There’s no need for a sit down meal at a picnic. This is a great (and really easy) addition to your menu.

Those are just 10 of a million different things you can make. My goal is to help shake up your summer menu. Things have changed so much in the last year and a half, this is the perfect time for some other changes too! Be sure to share your summer menu changes with me on Instagram (@lizziemichalak). Happy cooking!