Any bbq ideas (food or decorative) to make it even better?

[CJK]

We're hosting a family bbq party this weekend for 13 people. We're having hamburgers/hotdogs and salads. I'd love some appetizer or dessert ideas, but I'm also looking for some ideas to make the party have a bit more "pizzazz". Does that make sense? Not necessarily party games (ages range from 5 to 95!), but interesting ways to put the burger toppings out or interesting table decorative (outdoor) ideas? Do I even make sense? Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[kimisabella]

I had a bbq last year and did a few fun things - I bought a whole bunch of beach balls and strung them on a string - then I strung the whole thing from two tree limbs that go across the backyard - all the kids got to take the beach balls home when they left, and it looked cute. I also made a big cake that looked like a hamburger and fries - everyone loved it - it did take a little patience, but it looked really good.

 

[kimmikayb]

What about chinese laterns? Or putting white Xmas lights in your trees/bushes? Haul in a pile of sand and put beach chairs in it. Lawn darts? Horse shoes? Volleyball? Water balloons?

It's going to hot here this weekend so anything to do with water.

Red and white checkered tableclothes on picnic tables
Food, make it simple. Things that won't spoil too fast.

Edited to add....dessert: strawberry shortcake or have everyone help to make homemade icecream.

 

[Quinn222]

One thing we do for the kids is take a banana and peel down just one section of the peel (leaving it attached.) Scoop out a hollow in the banana (like a canoe) fill it with pieces of chocolate and mini marshmallows. Replace the peel and then wrap in foil and toss on the grill. Super sweet but the kids like 'em. We also really enjoy fruit on the grill. Halved peaches and plums are really good as is sliced pineapple.
For burger toppings you could like some terra cotta pot saucers with foil and then lettuce (to hide the foil) and put your toppings in those.

An easy thing to do that's decorative is to string white christmas lights on your shrubbery around the party. if the party starts in daylight people only gradually notice them as it becomes dark and it's a festive touch.

 

[OK!]

What about chinese laterns? Or putting white Xmas lights in your trees/bushes? Haul in a pile of sand and put beach chairs in it. Lawn darts? Horse shoes? Volleyball?

Food, make it simple. Things that won't spoil too fast.

Two words: MAYONNAISE BAD.

I love the idea of white twinkle lights in the trees; that's one of my favorite nighttime sights at WDW, one of the things I look forward to seeing most when I'm down there.

 

[Trish Bessette]

Make fruit kabobs and insert the sticks into a pineapple. Looks really cute!

Do you have some sort of fire pit? If so, have all the fixings to make smores.

Cupcakes are always an easy way to make an occassion festive. Ice them different colors (maybe red, white & Blue) and top with either candy or find cute stickers and stick the sticker on a toothpick then into the cupcake.

Sounds like fun!!

 

[kelleigh1]

I have a simple recipe that I made at a pampered chef show this weekend. It's great for a bbq. It's called Apple Berry Salsa, and you make your own cinnamon chips to dip in it.

2 granny smith apples
2 kiwi
1 pint strawberries
1 small orange (you'll need zest and juice only)
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp apple jelly or apricot jam

Peel, core and chop the apples. Peel and chop the kiwi. Chop the strawberries. Mix the fruit together in a bowl. Add the zest from the orange and the juice. Mix together with the brown sugar and jelly/jam.

Take tortilla's (the ones you find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, not the snack food aisle), spritz with water and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar. Cut into triangles (just like a pizza) and bake at 400 for about 8-10 minutes until crisp.

This makes a great little snack and it's healthy.

 

[barkley]

go to walmart or the dollar store and get cheap small sand buckets. wash them and then use them to hold the sliced tomatos, onions, etc for the burgars. use the little shovels as serving spoons for the salads.

you can do the variation on "mud pie" with "sandy beach pie"-same recipie only replace the chocolate cookie crumbs with nilla wafer crumbs. you can get gummy fish and layer it in the pie (with some peeking out) if you have a clear or "trifle" type bowl this can make a great decoration as well.

use beach towels in place of table cloths.

if you are serving a variety of bottled waters, juice boxes, sodas, etc. grab a cheap (around her less than $10) kiddie wading pool. fill it with ice and layer the drinks for a serve yourself drink ara.

have you considered adding corndogs to the menu-they are so easy to throw in the oven, and they realy make people think of the beach or boardwalk. they're also nice in that they only require your existing catsup and mustard for condiments.

maybe grab some boxes of cracker jacks? the kids will love them, and the adults can open them as a group to see who scored the best "secret toy surpise" (make sure anyone who gets rub on tatoos puts them on for a photo).

 

[pearlieq]

Twinkle lights are great--they really look festive! Sparklers for the kids are also fun after dark (closely supervised, of course!)

One thing I like to do for dessert is buy a bunch of those Good Humor type treats we all had as kids (pushups, strawberry shortcake bars, rocket pops, etc) and throw them in a big cooler with lots of ice. It always gets people laughing and smiling.

Fruit kabobs look great, or you can make a basket out of a watermelon and fill it with fruit salad. You can also use hollowed out green peppers for crudites and condiment holders.

Hope you have lots of fun!!!

 

[Snoopymom]

My fil still talks about the time they were visiting and I made burgers...all I did was sprinkle them with Montreal steak seasoning, but it was all the fixings that he loved. Besides the usual stuff, I threw on the grill sliced mushrooms with butter and garlic wrapped in foil and another package of peppers and onions with olive oil and seasonings. I made fresh salsa, mixed ranch dressing with some chunks of blue cheese, put out some bar-b-que sauce, and made sure the rolls/buns were big and fresh, Pepridge Farms are good.

Banana split desert is also great. There are a lot of versions of it, but basically it's a graham cracker crust pressed into a 13" cake pan, a layer of 2 packages of cream cheese mixed with 1 to 2 cups of sugar, a layer of sliced bananas on top of the cheese, a large can of drained pineapple spread over the bannans, a layer of fresh strawberries, topped with Cool Whip.

I also love little lights, tiki torches and candles, but we always have Jimmy Buffet, Van Morrison, Ricky Nelson type of music playing in the background. You'll be surprised how music helps with the mood. I put on the Lilo and Stitch sound track for ds's 6th b-day party over the weekend, and all the kids were dancing and singing. It was great.

We have a fire pit and make s'mores, but I saw on one of the food shows where they mixed up all the stuff and cooked it in a pan on the grill, yummy. Those grilled bananas above sound fun too. We will definitely be trying those. I've heard about filling a hollowed out orange with chocolate cake batter and cooking them on the grill for kids, but haven't tried it yet.

If you're adventurous and it's warm, fill a trash can with water balloons ahead of time and bring them out just when the kids are hot and bored and about to drive you crazy, LOL, just don't let them find them or they'll be begging you all day!

Have fun!!!

 

[offwegotoneverland]

Homemade ice cream sandwiches...take ice cream out to soften and scoop between oversized choc. chip (or oatmeal or whatever) cookies. squish down and pop back in freezer. When hardened place in tupperware.

Also fruit kabobs could be stuck into a watermelon instead of a pinneapple. (or both).

twinkle lights are always fun but you may want to think about tiki torches too as they give some mood lighting at a lower level.

Also cool is to take a willow branch ball (or other shape) and stuff the twinkle lights in it to "create" a chandler.

Hope you have fun!

 

[CJK]

THANK YOU!!! All of these ideas are wonderful! I'm making a note of all these tips to use for this and future bbq's!!! This is a daytime bbq, so I can't really use the twinkling lights idea, but I definitely will the next time. I'm now so excited about this party - I want to do all of your suggestions!

To the person who said I can put the fruit kabobs sticks into the pineapple, did you mean hollow out the pineapple and use the pineapple as a container of sorts, or keep the pineapple whole and stick the sticks all around it? I like the idea, I'm just not sure if I'm envisioning it correctly. I must be the most unimaginative person around!!

What would I do without all your help. Thanks everyone!!!

 

[kmebee]

I think she means to stick the skewers into the pineapple (or watermelon as other poster mentioned) or at least that is how I do it.
Also, get a red, a green and a yellow pepper. Clean them out and use to serve your condiments in.

 

[Trish Bessette]

THANK YOU!!! All of these ideas are wonderful! I'm making a note of all these tips to use for this and future bbq's!!! This is a daytime bbq, so I can't really use the twinkling lights idea, but I definitely will the next time. I'm now so excited about this party - I want to do all of your suggestions!

To the person who said I can put the fruit kabobs sticks into the pineapple, did you mean hollow out the pineapple and use the pineapple as a container of sorts, or keep the pineapple whole and stick the sticks all around it? I like the idea, I'm just not sure if I'm envisioning it correctly. I must be the most unimaginative person around!!

What would I do without all your help. Thanks everyone!!!

Yes, stick the kabob sticks in a whole pineappe. It's really cute and everyone loves picking off a stick of fruit! Sounds like your all set, have a great time!!

 

[sweet angel]

Last year we had a beachy/luau/tiki theme for opening "deck night". We bought tiki themed stuff and handed out leis to everyone. We had margarita glass lights hung and all sorts of kitschy stuff.

 

[Topper]

Marinated Olives

1 lb Kalamata or other Greek olives
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I omit this* )
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Rinse olives with cold water; drain.* In 1-quart jar with tight-fitting lid, place olives.* In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients; pour over olives.

Cover tightly and refirgerate at least 48 hours but no longer than 2 weeks, turn jar upside down occasionally.

Serve at room temperature.

*******************************************

Sangria on a Stick

Makes 12 pops

Prep Time: 20 min (plus freezing)

Cook time: 8 min

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Zest of 1/2 a lime
3 cups fresh pineapple chunks (about 1 pound)
2 dried star anise pods
1.5 tablespoons white rum
Juice of 2 to 3 oranges (2/3 cup)
2.5 cups dry white wine

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.* In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, ginger and lime zest.* Add the pineapple and toss.

2. Scrape the pineapple into the skillet, add the star anise and cook, without stirring, until the pineapple caramelizes, 5 minutes.* Stir in the rum and let the alcohol burn off (heh), about 3 minutes.* Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice, scraping the bottom of the pan; let cool.

3. Discard the anise.* Puree the fruit mixture in a blender.* Stir in the white wine and pour the mixture into ice-pop molds.* Freeze until solid, about 4 hours.

Recipe from Everyday with Rachel Ray magazine June/July 2006

 

[CJK]

Yum! Those recipes sound fantastic. Maybe I should make some of those sangria sticks now.......you know.......to make sure they're okay for my guests.