BBQ ideas?!
BBQ ideas?
So, my husband and I were invited to a Memorial Day BBQ at my friend's house. I want to bring along a dish...and it can be an appetizer, a side, a dessert, whatever.
However, i do NOT want to bring something boring and dull such as a potato salad or 7 layer dip or deviled egg tray. I want something tasty, and unique, and sure to please. It can be vegetarian, even though there are sure to be quite a few meat eaters there.
Does anyone have any ideas of what I could bring? Any recipes that you use at your own parties?
I asked this question before, and got responses such as:
Bring McDonald's, Bring cheese and crackers, Bring tons of ham sandwiches.
(seriously, people, ham sandiwches?? come ON.)
So, I've decided to post this question again, hoping that someone will understand what I am looking for and be creative and serious and help me out. (festive/patriotic ideas are also welcome)
Answers:
How about a nice vegetarian lasagna, chilli, or stew? That can be done in a crock pot, and be plugged back in at the bbq. I cant believe people told you to bring ham sandwiches or Mcdonalds or cheese and crackers. It truly shows how few people cook any more, doesnt it? When I have a vegetarian bbq, I usually have a stew or soup, grilled veggie kebabas, smoked or grilled mushrooms, stir fried rice, curried cous cous, and some fruit kebabs with yogurt dipping sauce. You could also do a bean cassoulet, or potatoes au gratin (nice with some thinly sliced onions and celeriac or kolrabi added)
If you take an appetizer, perhaps you could do little phyllo dough cups filled with cream cheese and artichoke dip. Another hit at most events is a spinach dip in a bread bowl-just hollow out a round of bread and fill with dip-serve with the bread chunks and raw veggies.
Enjoy your BBQ, a sure sign the summers on the way!
Spinach artichoke dip always gets eaten fast, Instead of chips bring assorted pita bread. Fast and easy to do!
Get an oblong watermelon and carve a whale out of it and ball up assorted fresh fruit and put it inside. It's a conversation piece.
I would suggest a great Pasta Salad. I am not a person to slave over the stove, but I found out that this is always a treat and very simple to prepare. It has a great taste and goes with everything. Here are few places I recommend getting a recipe:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1943,154...
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1918,1541...
http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1943,1551...
If you just do not have time to prepare. Your local grocery store always have them in the DELI area. There are so many types and flavors. I always love bringing Pasta Salads because usually other people just do not bring them, But I always get good responses afterwards.
FOR DESSERT!
I love to make a very easy Fruit Pizza. Everyone loves it from young to old. It's a hit~ Here's the recipe.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,191,1441...
I hope that this information is helpful and gives you some ideas! Good Luck~
Usually people bring a ton of chips and sweets. So I like to bring veggies and fruit. I cut up different kind of veggies or if I am in a pinch for time pick up a ready made tray from the grocery store.You can cut fruit into bite size pieces and thread on skewers, fruit kabobs! Hope this helps.
Happy BBQ
Beer!
Haha, ok that's not a dish. It's a tough job thinking of a dish that is sun-safe. This sounds weird, but garlic bread cooked on the grill can be tasty! http://www.thatsmyhome.com/bbqpit/garlic...
Baked Potatoes on the grill are awesome too. (though they require patience. But you could bring all of the side fixings in a cooler.
Another unique one is English muffin Pizzas on the grill. Have the tomato sause and cheese premixed. You'll need to bring tin-foil too so the cheese doesn't mess up the grill. Again, it require patience on the grill. (A lot easier if there is an oven handly)
you could do a mixed vegetable foil pouch. get the vegetables that look really good at the market for the day, onions, peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, stuff that cooks up fast. chop it all around the same size, give it a dash of salt and pepper (any other spices you might like), put it in a few medium foil pouches and done. you can put it on the grill when you get to the party or put it in the oven to cook and just a little grill time to warm it and give it some of that smoked flavor.
Grilled mushrooms like portabello and other fleshy wild mushrooms (previously brushed with some lemon/lime or tomato juice, olive oil herbs and spices, like black pepper and sea salt).
This is incredibly tasty, with thick slices of vegetables like eggplant, paprika, pumpkin, zucchini, potatoes, onions, garlic etc... You can thread the slices of vegs and mushrooms onto skewers, then grill. Add some whole cherry tomatoes in between. You can experiment with countless alternatives- Tasty, healthy and fun.
:)