Drew and I love to host our family and friends at our home, especially now that it's summer! We do so many outdoor BBQ's and today I'm going to share how to easily throw an elevated BBQ that your guests will enjoy and swoon over.
Tee Shirt: Splendid | Jeans: Mother Denim | Isla Rose's Swimming Top: Minnow Swim (c/o) | Isla Rose's Swimming Bottoms: Minnow Swim (c/o)
-Tablescape-
Plates - I found the cutest blue and white plates this year and the best part is that they won't break and they are reusable. They mimic the silhouette of classic a paper plate with the prettiest print on them so they feel casual and festive! I like to use festive colors on my 4th of July table, but use them in a very subtle and tasteful way. This plate was perfect and can be used all summer, I love that they're not just Fourth of July specific!
Cups - One of my favorite cup tricks is a mason jar. There something so classic Americana about them and they are easy to find and you can get a lot for such a great price since they come in packs! You can find them at lots of grocery stores and craft stores!
Drink Dispenser - I always love to have a pretty drink dispenser that I can add fruit or lemons to even if I am just serving water. It is such an easy way to dress up a table or drink display.
Chargers - I found these pretty woven jute chargers at Target and they are perfect for an outdoor patio table. They add a raw element to the table that I love- casual elegance.
Napkins - A good napkin always makes a tablescape complete. Even in an outdoor setting, it is nice to have the napkin to dress up the table just a little bit. I found these sheer linen looking napkins at Target!
Centerpiece Decor - For the centerpiece decor I opted for something simple, but that looks glowy since our outdoor dinners are usually at dusk when the sun is setting. Sometimes centerpieces can be complicated and expensive, this one isn't! I ran to Walmart and grabbed various sizes of mason jars (they're such a great price) and places a candle in each of them. So simple yet so beautiful. It set the tone.
Florals - I left out a few candles in the mason jars and added three peonies from my yard. I also added some leaves and cut lemons to add a touch of color. Again, so simple yet so beautiful.
American Flag - I went to a local nursery and found the cutest vintage looking American Flag to hang on the wall behind my table. I love the worn look of the flag. I have linked a similar one for you!
Wood Serving Platter - Another one of my favorite entertaining tricks is to serve food on oversized cutting boards. I love that mine feel vintage and used. Went so perfectly with the mason jars and vintage American Flag!
-Menu-
San Pellegrino w/Lemons & Berries - This is super easy and refreshing. Add San Pellegrino sparkling water to your drink dispenser with ice and fresh lemons and berries. The bubbles and subtle taste of the fruit make such a refreshing summer drink!
Lemonade - I love the lemonade from Trader Joes! It comes in a cute bottle so you can either leave it in that to serve or add it to your favorite pitcher. I have linked it here!
Summer Salad - I love a fresh salad in the summer and I have a new go to these days. I have been making it a lot lately and just posted about it a couple of weeks ago. I have linked the recipe here!
Mexican Street Corn- I like easy and delicious options in the summer and corn on the cob is the perfect thing to just throw on the grill. Add some butter and a little bit of cilantro and queso fresco cheese to top it off and you have a side that tastes gourmet, but was super simple!
Hamburgers - Classic menu item for any 4th of July barbecue. I like to eat mine without the bun and just add slices of avocado to the top. You can obviously dress up your burger to your liking or grill any other meat dish your family loves! And I have to say if you don't have a Traeger Grill you absolutely need one! It will transform the way you cook your meat. You seriously will feel like a gourmet chef because the flavor will be incredible! We bought one for my dad for Father's Day last year and the Traeger team was so sweet to gift this one to Drew for Father's Day this year.
Triple Berry Pie - As you all know, this is a classic in our family and it is the perfect pie for the 4th of July! I have linked the blog post here that shares my recipe!
Smore's Dish - I made this for a family barbecue not too long ago and it quickly became a new favorite of ours. It is perfect for a summer night because you get to the amazing taste of smore's without the mess! I have added the recipe below.
-Recipes-
Mexican Street Corn
Ingredients:
Corn on the cob
Mayo (this is the mayo I use)
Cilantro
Queso Fresco (it is a round block that crumbles)
Mexican Chili Powder
Salt
Directions:
**Corn on the Cob:
Boil or grill the corn until done
Spread mayo on the corn with a baster
Sprinkle cilantro, crumbled up queso fresco and Mexican Chili power on top
**Corn in a bowl:
Boil or grill corn
Cut corn off of husk and add to a large bowl
Add cilantro, a few spoonfuls of mayo, salt, cheese and top off with chili powder. I just eye my amounts. You can add as little or as much as you would like!
Enjoy!
Smore's Dish
Ingredients:
Graham Crackers (3 Packs out of the box)
1 Stick of Butter
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars
Marshmallows
Directions:
Crumble up the graham crackers until they are very fine. You can use a gallon zip lock bag and a rolling pin to roll over the top of the bag. This should break up the graham crackers nicely.
Melt the butter and mix the graham crackers and butter in a large mixing bowl.
Press the graham cracker crust into the bottom of a cast iron skillet. I have linked the skillet we use here.
Add a layer of milk chocolate Hershey's bars on top of the crust layer.
Finally, stand up the marshmallows on top of the Hershey's bars and squeeze in as many marshmallows as you can.
Place the dish in the grill to bake. Cook until the marshmallows are golden on top! :)
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