Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Party Time? Keep It Simple!


I love getting together with friends. With my husband in law school and one kid in elementary school, our lives are very busy during the school year, so we don't have parties that frequently. However, the summer is a whole 'nother story. Without studying or homework to be done, we have much more flexibility in our schedule. I'm hoping that we'll invite friends over for dinner often during the summer. We ALL love having guests in our home. Honestly, when Brett's law school friends come over, Lu and Ella think that the adults are there to see them!

I've learned that I enjoy get-togethers so much more when I keep the meal simple. Here are a few recipes that can either be made ahead of time or are just quick and simple.

For A Brunch or Shower: 


Quiche is a great dish for a brunch or a shower. You can make the day before and then reheat just before serving. This Broccoli Quiche is my go-to quiche these days since it is so budget-friendly, but my variation of Clark's Quiche is quite good too but a bit more pricey.


Who doesn't love a scone and a good cup of coffee? Apple Scones and Coconut Cranberry Scones are both quick and easy to make. They are amazing when they are fresh out of the oven.

For Grilling Out:

Grilling out makes my life so much easier. Brett handles the main dish, and I fix up the sides. Southwestern Chicken is a delicious main dish. Best of all, you can make the marinade ahead of time and freeze it with the chicken in ziptop bags until you need it. Usually, I like to serve it with a Caesar Salad (just romaine, Ken's Caesar dressing, and Parmesan cheese), a quick rice pilaf, and a veggie like one of these:


Italian Zucchini - a great way to use any garden fresh zucchini you might have!

If you're looking for more party food inspiration, I highly recommend The Last Minute Party Girl by Erika Lenkert. It is such a great resource for party planning ideas and recipes. Also, for other "Party Food" recipes, be sure to check out Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as MOM.

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