Coffee Cup Monday: Summer Entertaining, Part ONE |

Happy Coffee cup Monday~

I am starting a Four-part series to get the Summer underway! It’s called “Entertaining”, and it’s geared to hopefully helping you with some entertaining ideas so you can be a guest at your own get-together. Just things to make life easier as summer is all about slowing down the work cycle, vacation and enjoying life. Let’s get started over a cup of coffee with Part One…

Entertaining

Summer Entertaining Part One I am thinking of a first get-together for the season. We all don’t have those beautiful backyards with the pool and all, but we still like to entertain and frankly, you don’t actually need all of that to have a good wholesome time with friends and family. If you DO have it, more power to you and be sure to enjoy and share with your loved ones.

Summer Time

Photo by Katrina Justovica: pexels.com

Keep the first gathering simple

Don’t overwhelm yourself or you will be done with the season before it starts. Just tell people you are having a small opening season get-together with no fuss. Tell them to BYOB so everyone has what they like to drink.

Prepare Cold Platters Ahead

Image by Penny from Pixabay

Recipes

These recipes are so simple, I will just give you a summary. Keep your first gathering simple with outdoor favorites like fresh salads and grilled go-to’s like burgers, hotdogs and chicken. Shrimp cocktail is an easy and upscale option…to replace the pool lol.

Shrimp Cocktail

I like to roast my shrimp in olive oil and lemon with Badia seasoning in the oven for more flavor. I chill them and serve them on the rim of wine and cocktail glasses filled with cocktail sauce that I make myself from ketchup, horseradish, lemon and seasonings and a splash of Worcestershire sauce or just buy a bottle of cocktail sauce from the store to serve with your shrimp.

Couscous Salad

As the tri-color couscous boils, mix together black beans, chickpeas, green beans, onions, garlic, Badia, salt and pepper and add homemade Italian dressing or Kens if store bought is my favorite. Add the couscous when its’s slightly cooled, mix and chill. Retaste after chilling and readjust seasonings adding a squeeze of lemon at the end and a sprinkling of paprika if you desire.

Baked Stuffies

I try to buy quahogs when they are on sale, steam, chop and freeze them so I always have them on hand. When I make stuffies I use chopped beef smoked sausage, sweet onion, celery, Badia, paprika, red pepper flakes, clam juice, Knorr, white wine, herb seasoned stuffing mix, Portuguese breadcrumbs (I make myself) lots of garlic and butter. Sauté, cool, stuff shells and bake 350 for 30 minutes.

Clam /Fish Chowder

Sometimes I just make it a fish chowder using white flaky fish or salmon which is really good as well. Simply sauté bacon or salt pork (I prefer) in oil until crisp. Add butter, onions, bay leaves and thyme. Add clam juice, white wine and/or fish stock and potatoes. Boil until potatoes are tender. Add clams and/or fish with half & half or heavy cream. Season with salt, pepper, lemon and parsley and serve.

Try to do as much as you can the day before the event to make life easier on you and then YOU can enjoy your own get-together as well.

Remember to Keep it Simple!

Hot Fun in the Summertime

As much as I love the Fall, I DO enjoy Summer when it’s here- it’s so short anyway. I just don’t tolerate the heat very well but if I were by that pool above, I’d be GOOD! We should all enjoy it while it’s here. Have fun gathering.

See You Friday~