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With the warm weather finally here, it’s time invite your friends and family over for a backyard barbeque. Get ready to fire up the grill and enjoy a long, sunny evening on the patio.
To ensure a fun and relaxing time for yourself and all of your guests, here are three tips for a successful barbeque and three easy recipes to serve alongside your protein of choice.
3 Tips for BBQ Success
1) Barbecuing on a budget
Check your local grocery store coupons and decide what you’ll be grilling up based on what’s on sale. If there’s a great deal on chicken thighs, for example, then have yourself a poultry barbeque. Look out for coupons for soft drinks and chips as well, and save even more money by using store-brand condiments.
2) Set the tone with tunes
Take some time before your barbeque to put together an upbeat playlist that will help set the tone for the evening. Alternatively, you can simply select one of the many pre-made playlists available from today’s music streaming apps.
3) Set up some yard games
Whether your barbeque will have a mixture of kids and adults or strictly adults, everyone loves a good yard game. Some of the most popular barbeque yard games include horseshoes, croquet, and bocce ball. If it’s going to be a particularly hot day, then you can even have a water balloon fight!
3 Simple Recipes to Try at Your Next BBQ
1) Watermelon-cucumber coolers
The pink colour of this delicious cocktail just exudes summer. Serve it up to help your guests cool down.
Ingredients
– 5 cups seedless watermelon chunks
– 2/3 cup vodka
– 1 peeled and cut cucumber
– 1/4 cup lime juice
– 2 tablespoons honey
– Ice
Instructions
– Puree the watermelon and pour through a sieve into a large bowl, using a rubber spatula to push through any chunks. Repeat with the cucumber.
– Stir together honey and lime juice in a small bowl, then stir in the vodka and watermelon and cucumber juice mixture.
– Pour into glasses and serve with ice!
2) Poppy seed and apple coleslaw
A tangy and refreshing side that will go with any main dish, poppy seed and apple coleslaw offers a tasty twist on a traditional favourite.
Ingredients
– 2 cups shredded green cabbage
– 1 1/2 cups shredded red cabbage
– 1/2 cup shredded carrot
– 1 julienned apple
– 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
– 3 tablespoons olive oil
– 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
– 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
– 1 lemon
– Salt and pepper
Instructions
– Combine the cabbage, carrot, and apple into a large bowl and mix.
– In another bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients, adding salt and pepper as desired to taste.
– Combine the ingredients in both bowls and squeeze the juice from one lemon over top. Mix thoroughly.
3) Tomato and Mozzarella Skewers
Easy to make and even easier to eat, tomato and mozzarella skewers are essentially a Caprese salad on a stick!
Ingredients
– Cherry tomatoes
– Mini mozzarella balls
– 1 cup balsamic vinegar
If you can’t find mini mozzarella balls, then you can simply cut some fresh mozzarella into bite-sized pieces.
Instructions
– Depending on the size of your skewers, alternate as many tomatoes and mozzarella balls as will fit or as desired.
– Pour the balsamic vinegar into a saucepan and simmer for about 10 minutes, then drizzle over top of the completed skewers.
Hosting a barbeque should be a fun, not a stressful, affair. With a few simple but delicious sides and a bit of planning beforehand, you can easily become the backyard barbeque host with the most.
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