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Come Party With Me: Memorial Day BBQ - Music

partysugar — Fri, 25 May 2007 08:03:18 -0700

My big memorial day bbq is tomorrow and everything has fallen into place for a successful, fun, and memorable party. Earlier this week I started prepping and planning to ensure that no detail would be overlooked. From the easy invites to the grilled food, the cool drinks and the outdoor decor, all is ready for the bbq to begin. Not to be forgotten or overlooked is the music. Music is important at a bbq to encourage mingling, movement, and merriment amongst the crowd. Since this party is all about welcoming the start of summer, the songs will reflect this attitude. For my musical suggestions, read more

I like to create a summer playlist with a whole bunch of songs that include the actual word summer or images and lyrics that are reminiscent of summer. Examples are The Dove Shack & Warren G, Summertime in the LBC, Sublime's Summertime Sheryl Crow, Soak Up The Sun, and U2's Beautiful Day. I'm a native Californian and will add songs that remind me of summer in California like Red Hot Chile Peppers, Californication. Throw in the songs from BuzzSugar's bbq playlist (including my all time favorite classic warm weather hit, Fresh Prince's Summertime) and you'll have a few hours of music ready for your party.

What's your favorite summertime song? What do you listen to when you bbq? Share with us below!

Come Party With Me: Memorial Day BBQ - The Look

partysugar — Thu, 24 May 2007 06:59:13 -0700

Although Memorial Day is a holiday that is generally associated with patriotic colors, I've decided to keep my bbq light, festive, and fun by using bright red and vibrant yellow (keeping in theme with the invitation). Just because the event is outdoors doesn't mean that I don't have to transform my space from everyday to party day. For my outdoor entertaining decorating tips, read more

The first thing you should consider when planning any outdoor event is the weather. If you live in a climate where it usually gets cooler in the afternoon, set up a fire pit or outdoor heaters. If it's really hot make sure there is plenty of shade for your guests to keep cool in. If rain is scheduled, you may unfortunately have to take your party inside.

My bbq begins at 4:30 and will most likely go until dark, meaning I'll have to consider outdoor lighting. Use a combination of candles, hanging lanterns, and electrical lighting (like Christmas lights). Place candles in taller glass votives or in areas where you know they will be shielded from the wind. Hide electrical cords under bark and along the bottom of the fence.
Set up stations for food and eating. A buffet set near the barbeque is essential to place just grilled food quickly and effortlessly. Place the salads, desserts, drinks, and grilled foods each on a different table area to encourage mingling and general flow of the guests.

Create eating stations by arranging chair clusters around the patio and grass.
Cover the tables and bar areas with yellow linen tablecloths.
Fill vases with red and yellow tulips.
Use either high quality colored paper plates and napkins or your white everyday china. If you have a set of plates/silverware specifically for outdoor dining, use this.

Don't bother with using your glass stemware, purchase a nice set of clear plastic glasses.
Next to the beer buckets place a few bottle openers.
Don't forget big trash bins - one labeled for trash and the other for recycling.
Designate a trusted friend to be in charge of bringing you a few bags of ice about fifteen minutes before the party is scheduled to start.

Got a great bbq decorating idea? Please share your ideas and inspirations with us below!

Come Party With Me: Memorial Day BBQ - Drinks

partysugar — Wed, 23 May 2007 05:59:19 -0700

Memorial Day is all about barbeques, beer, and summertime fun and my party will be a perfect combination of those three components. I've invited everyone I know through email - the more the merrier at this laid back bash, come up with a grill-based menu highlighting classic bbq dishes such as baby back ribs and modern twists like scallop skewers with pineapple and avocado. Cool and refreshing drinks are essential in a party as large as this one, so in addition to silver buckets filled with a variety of cold beers, I'll offer a few bottles of a crisp white Pinot Gris, and both spiked and hard lemonade. For the details, read more

When guests call to RSVP ask each person to bring a six pack of their favorite beer to ensure that there is enough selection and brews to go around. Or else think about getting a keg of a light, highly drinkable beer. Generally people stick to beer at barbeques, however give the choice of white wine (everyone knows at least one girl who refuses to drink beer, right?). Lemonade and cold water-sparkling and still-are ideal options for those who prefer not to consume alcohol. To get the party really started make several pitchers of my hard lemonade. I've been making this for awhile now and it gets rave reviews every time. Watch out it tastes so good it's easy to down a few glasses before the vodka hits you.

Lemonade
From Martha Stewart

3 cups lemon or lime juice, about 20 lemons or 25 limes freshly squeezed
2 cups superfine sugar
4 cups cold water
4 cups ice
2 lemons or limes, thinly sliced for garnish

Into a large serving container, strain the citrus juice, mix it with sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Add 4 cups cold water and stir again until well combined. Add ice to fill and a few lemon or lime slices.

Makes 10 cups.

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PartySugar's Hard Lemonade
From Bon Appetit magazine

1 cup packed mint leaves, chopped
2/3-cup sugar
1-cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups vodka
Crushed ice for serving
Fresh mint springs, optional for garnish

Combine chopped mint and sugar in a large bowl or pitcher.
Stir in lemon juice and vodka.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Strain mixture into serving pitcher.
Fill six 6-8 ounce festive glasses with crushed ice. Pour mixture over. Garnish with mint springs.

Serves 6.

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What's your favorite thing to drink at a barbeque? Share your concoctions with me below!

CPWM: Memorial Day BBQ - Dessert Menu

partysugar — Tue, 22 May 2007 14:28:11 -0700

The menu for my Memorial Day barbeque is coming along quite nicely. I've decided to use recipes from a bunch of different regions to maximize flavor. It's also a good idea to have a lot of options when feeding a bigger crowd, this works especially well in case there are any picky eaters or guests with special dietary needs. To start, offer guests seafood skewers, olives, nuts, and hummus. For the main course make baby back ribs, grilled eggplant, a mozzarella sun-dried tomato pasta salad, and a refreshing fruit salad. Dessert will be the perfectly cool finish to a meal, delicious and decadent coconut lime bars. Sound tempting? Take a look at the recipe, read more

Coconut Lime Bars
From Real Simple magazine

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons lime zest
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350° F.
Combine the coconut, 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and the butter in the bowl of a food processor.
Pulse several times until a crumbly dough is formed.
Press firmly into a greased 8-by-8-inch pan. Bake until just golden, about 12 minutes.
Sift together the granulated sugar, the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, and the 2 tablespoons of flour.
In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, lime zest, lime juice, and vanilla.
Slowly pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, whisking to avoid lumps.
Pour the filling over the baked crust. Bake until the lime curd is set in the center, about 22 minutes.
Cool completely in the refrigerator, about 2 hours.
Cut into 16 bars and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Makes 16 squares.

NUTRITION PER SERVING CALORIES 171(44% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 6g); PROTEIN 2mg; CHOLESTEROL 41mg; CALCIUM 9mg; SODIUM 25mg; FIBER 1g; CARBOHYDRATE 23g; IRON 1mg

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CPWM: Memorial Day BBQ - Main Menu

partysugar — Tue, 22 May 2007 09:59:21 -0700

Woo-hoo! Not only is this weekend a three day weekend, but it's also my big Memorial Day/start of summer BBQ. Yesterday I made a flyer invitation and emailed it to everyone I know. Today I'm putting together an edible outdoor feast for a crowd. Instead of choosing one culinary theme and sticking with it, I'm taking elements from a variety of cuisines to create a cohesive summer inspired menu. The seafood skewer appetizers have Asian influences, while the Caprese style pasta salad has Mediterranean flavors. The barbecued ribs are all American and the grilled eggplant (for the vegetarians) has a Greek feel. On the side - a simple fresh fruit salad. Doesn't all this talk about bbq food make you hungry?? Let me tempt you more with the recipes, just read more

Pasta Salad With Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Olives
From Bon Appetit magazine

6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon drained capers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound fusilli pasta
12 ounces tomatoes, coarsely chopped
8 ounces fresh water-packed mozzarella cheese, drained, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup minced pitted oil-cured black olives

Blend first 5 ingredients in processor until tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Set dressing aside.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to large bowl.
Add dressing to hot pasta; toss to coat. Cool, stirring occasionally.
Add chopped fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, Parmesan and olives; toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

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Baby Back Ribs
From Dave Lieberman

2 racks baby back ribs (about 2 1/2 pounds)
1 recipe Bourbon Barbecue Sauce, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut the racks of ribs in half crosswise. Rub the ribs, paying special attention to the meaty side, with 1/2 cup of the sauce.
Lay the rib pieces meat side down in an 11 by 13-inch baking dish. The pieces will overlap slightly.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the meat begins to pull away from the ends of the bones and the ribs are just tender, about 1 hour. You can bake the ribs up to a day before and keep them refrigerated. Bring refrigerated ribs to room temperature about 1 hour before you grill them.
Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
Grill the ribs, brushing them with about half the remaining sauce, until they're crispy and heated through, about 10 minutes. Move the ribs around as they grill, the sugar in barbecue sauce makes it easy for them to burn.
Let the ribs rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting them into 1 or 2-bone pieces.
Put out the rest of the sauce for dipping or brush it over the ribs.

Serves 4.

Bourbon Barbeque Sauce:
1/2 cup steak sauce
1/2 cup bourbon or good dark beer
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon regular or grainy Dijon mustard
2 pinches red pepper flakes
Kosher salt

Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

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Grilled Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce
From Martha Stewart

2 medium eggplants, (about 1 pound each)
1/4 cup olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 medium cucumber, seeded, coarsely grated, and squeezed of excess moisture
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Heat grill to medium-high.
Halve eggplants lengthwise; slice off enough from skin side so halves lay flat. Brush both sides of eggplant halves with oil; season generously with salt and pepper.
Grill until tender, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine cucumber, yogurt, parsley, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.
Serve sauce with grilled eggplant and lemon wedges, if desired.

Serves 4.

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Summer Fruit Salad
From Food & Wine magazine

2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cantaloupe, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 pound fresh apricots, quartered
1/2 pound sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1/2 pound red seedless grapes
6 fresh figs, quartered
2 apples, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 pears, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 peaches, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 banana, sliced
basil leaves, for garnish

In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil over moderate heat. Add the sugar and vanilla and simmer until a light syrup forms, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Pour the warm syrup into a large bowl. Gently stir in the fruit and let macerate at room temperature for several hours, stirring occasionally.
Refrigerate the fruit salad until chilled.
Garnish with basil leaves just before serving.

Serves 10.

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CPWM: Memorial Day BBQ - Appetizer Menu

partysugar — Tue, 22 May 2007 05:58:31 -0700

I'm having a big barbeque for Memorial Day and today I'm working on menu planning. There are a lot of people who will be in attendance, so I'll need a lot of delicious food and I want to cook as much on the grill as possible. I'll make a large portion of the meal, but I'll also find some help at the grocery store. I'll grill up seafood skewers for when my guests arrive, and fill bowls with purchased hummus, pita chips, assorted olives, and salted nuts. Get these great grilling recipes, just read more

Thai Shrimp Kabobs
From Better Homes & Garden magazine

1 13-1/2- or 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1-1/2 teaspoon finely shredded lime peel
3 tablespoons lime juice
1-1/2 teaspoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoon green curry paste
1-1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp (about 26 to 30)
Lime wedges (optional)

If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes. In a small bowl stir together the coconut milk, lime peel, lime juice, sugar, curry paste, fish sauce, and ginger.
Place shrimp in a medium bowl. Pour 1/2 cup of the coconut milk mixture over shrimp. Cover shrimp and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate remaining milk mixture.
Drain shrimp, discarding marinade. Thread shrimp onto pairs of metal or wooden skewers, leaving 1/4 inch between pieces. (Using two skewers makes turning easier.)
For a charcoal grill, place skewers on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque, turning skewers once. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place skewers on grill rack. Cover and grill as above.)
Meanwhile, heat reserved coconut milk mixture over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes (mixture will be thin). Serve with shrimp. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Serves 4 - 6.

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Pineapple and Scallop Skewers
From Better Homes & Garden magazine

2 tsp. finely shredded lime peel
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
2 small green and/or red jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/3 cup canola oil
16 sea scallops (about 1-1/2 lb.)
12 large fresh pineapple chunks
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 8 chunks

In a small bowl combine lime peel, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, salt, and pepper. Slowly whisk in oil until combined; set aside.
In a large bowl combine scallops, pineapple, and avocado. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the lime juice mixture. Let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally (do not marinate longer, or scallops will get tough).
Alternately thread 4 scallops, 3 pineapple chunks and 2 avocado chunks on each of 4 12- to 16-inch skewers.
Grill kabobs on a well-greased grill rack directly over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes or until scallops turn opaque, turning once halfway through grilling.
Transfer kabobs to a serving platter and serve with remaining lime juice mixture.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: Memorial Day BBQ - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 13:13:13 -0700

I'm hosting my annual Memorial Day summer kickoff barbeque this weekend and guess what?! You're invited! Follow along all this week as I plan the bbq bash. Let's get this party started by making a simple invitation. I'll be sending this personalized digital flyer out as a mass email. To see how I did it, read more.

To make this invite you will need:

image of a barbeque (it can be one you took last summer!) or one you find on the web
computer
photoshop or word

To assemble this invitation:

Drag and drop your image into a new document or blank file. Create several text boxes with the details of the party. I made three and used Bradley Hand ITC TT font to type the following message:

Usher in summer in style at PartySugar's Annual Memorial Day BBQ

Saturday May 26
4:30 pm

PartySugar's House
San Francisco, CA
RSVP 415.555.5555

I rotated and turned the text boxes for a fun, laid back feel.
Copy and paste the entire invitation into the body of an email and send to all of your friends!

What are you planning for Memorial Day?? Share your party plans with me below!

Sunday BBQ: Peppered Pineapple-Beef Kebabs

YumSugar — Sun, 24 May 2009 06:00:26 -0700

If you haven't already done so yet, this long weekend is the ideal time to break out your barbecue. That's why I'm reinstating Sunday BBQ, a weekly series featuring my favored foolproof grilled dinners. I'm starting with beef and pineapple kebabs, because what would Memorial Day be without some grilled beef? Since everyone will already be eating hamburgers and hot dogs, lure the crowd your way with these marinated sirloin skewers. When paired with tangy, warm pineapple that's been caramelized on the grill, you've got the ultimate succulence on a stick.

Make your long weekend an even better one when you read more.

Peppered Pineapple-Beef Kebabs
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

1 pound trimmed sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons coarsely ground fresh black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 pound store-bought fresh pineapple chunks (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon sugar
Cooking spray

Directions

Soak ten 9-inch bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss the steak with the olive oil, 2 teaspoons pepper and the salt. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
In another medium bowl, combine the pineapple, sugar and remaining 2 teaspoons pepper; toss to coat.
Thread 5 or 6 pieces of seasoned steak and pineapple alternately onto the skewers, and set on a plate or baking sheet. Season with salt.
Lightly coat a grill pan or large, heavy skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat until very hot. Lower the heat slightly and, working in 2 or 3 batches, grill the skewers in the pan, turning once, until the pineapple and steak are golden, about 5 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 10 kebabs.

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Sunday BBQ: Barbecued Ribs

partysugar — Sun, 25 May 2008 06:00:20 -0700

With Memorial Day being the unofficial start of Summer, it's time to step away from the stove, go outside, and get grilling. To encourage just that we've decided to change things up: instead of featuring a complicated Sunday Dinner, we'll be giving you the best barbecue recipes.

Let's start with a crowd-pleasing classic: barbecued ribs. Succulent and smoky, these ribs are seasoned with both a rub and a homemade bbq sauce. Sound delish? Get the recipe now - read more.

Barbecued Ribs
From Fine Cooking

Ingredients

For the ribs:
2 to 4 slabs of spareribs, preferably with tips attached
For the rub:
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup seasoned salt
2 Tbs. garlic salt
1 Tbs. onion salt
1-1/2 tsp. celery salt
1/4 cup sweet Hungarian paprika
1 Tbs. chili powder or seasoning
1 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 tsp. rubbed dried sage
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. cayenne
Pinch ground cloves
For the sauce:
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar; more to taste
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbs. prepared yellow mustard
1 Tbs. chili powder or seasoning
1-1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/8 tsp. ground mace
2 Tbs. honey
2 cups tomato ketchup

Directions

To make the rub: spread the light brown sugar on a baking sheet and let it dry out for an hour or two to keep it from clumping.
Sift the brown sugar and the remaining rub ingredients together in a bowl; you may have to do this in batches. Stir to combine. Alternatively, put the ingredients in the food processor and pulse to combine.
To make the sauce: in a large saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Heat over medium, stirring well to mix and dissolve the spices.
Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, uncovered, for 30 min., stirring occasionally.
To prepare the ribs: remove the thick membrane covering the bone side of the slab: Separate the membrane at one end of the slab by slitting it with a knife and forcing your fingers underneath it. Pull it down the length of the slab and discard it. Find the skirt -- the meaty flap that curves down the bottom of the meat side -- and trim off the thick membrane on its edge. Using a sharp knife, cut off the rib tips, cutting parallel to the bottom of the slab. Cut the rib tips into several pieces.
Sprinkle the spice rub amply over both sides of the ribs and tips.
To prepare the fire: using a chimney starter, light 40 to 50 pieces of good-quality lump charcoal. When the coals are glowing, remove them from the starter and stack them on one side of the grill. If you don’t have a chimney starter, stack the charcoal around some crumpled newspaper in a pyramid on one side of the grill and light the newspaper. The coals will be hot in 20 to 30 min.
Add 3 or 4 hand-size pieces of apple or oak hardwood, preferably a little of both, to the stack of coals. Put a pie pan full of water next to the coals. Position the grate so that one of the holes is over the coals so you can add coals and wood chips as needed; otherwise, you’ll have to lift the grate.
When the coals are about 90% white, position the ribs on the grill anywhere but directly over the coals.
Cover the grill with the lid, making sure that the air vent is on the side away from the fire.
Cook the ribs for about 2 hours, maintaining a temperature of 230° to 250°F by adjusting the air vents on the grill as needed. Opening the vents lets in more oxygen and raises the temperature. Add more coal if the temperature drops below 230°F. You’ll likely need to add 15 to 20 coals about 30 minutes after putting the ribs on.
After about 2 to 2-1/2 hours, turn the ribs over. Add some more coals and a few more pieces of hardwood to the fire. Continue cooking the ribs about another 2 hours.
To see if the ribs are done to perfection, take off one of the tip pieces and taste it. You can also tug on one of the ribs; if the meat is cooked, you should be able pull the rib away with ease.
If you want to glaze the meat with the barbecue sauce while they’re cooking, pour some of the sauce into a separate container (to avoid contaminating the whole batch) and brush it on both sides of the ribs about every 15 min. during the last half hour of cooking. Alternatively, you can serve all of the sauce on the side.
Remove the ribs from the grill and let them sit for about 10 min. Cut the slabs into individual ribs and serve hot with extra barbecue sauce on the side.
You can also freeze the ribs in the slab for future great eating. Allow them to cool, wrap them in ample plastic wrap, and freeze. For best results, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator before reheating them in a 225°F oven for about an hour. I reheat mine right in the plastic wrap with no trouble at that low temperature. But you can also reheat them unwrapped in a foil-covered pan. If you want to reheat them on the grill, wrap them in foil.

Serves 6-8.

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Come Party With Me: Memorial Day Barbecue - Invite

partysugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:35:41 -0700

Memorial Day - the unofficial start to the summer - is this weekend and naturally I'm planning a barbecue to celebrate! All this week, I'll feature ideas so you can have the best barbecue in town. Once you have decided on a time and place, it's time to make and send invitations. To see how I made the simple ones pictured here, read more.

To make the invite you will need the following supplies:

transparent colored paper
decorative patterned paper
glue
scissors
computer and printer

To assemble the invite:

Create a new document in Microsoft word. Write out the details of the party. For my invite I used the font Lucida Handwriting in size 12 dark blue bold to write the following message:

You’re invited to grill and chill
at a Barbecue!

Saturday, May 24, 2008
4:30 pm

PartySugar’s Vacation House
Arnold, CA

Regrets only 415.555.5555

Print out on plain paper and check for spelling and grammar errors. Once satisfied with the text, print out on the transparent colored paper.

Cut down to size and carefully glue to a piece of the decorative paper.
Mount this on another piece of decorative paper.
Cover the back with more fun paper.

Send in envelopes addressed with your best handwriting.

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