So I have been bit by the BBQ bug. Last week I had family over for a Memorial Day BBQ. The menu consisted of hot dogs, sausages, burgers, chicken breast (which was AMAZING), pasta salad with peppers, onions, cucumbers, and asparagus (which people didn’t know was made of wheat pasta), and corn on the cob. I had so much fun that I had to do it again this weekend, although on a much smaller scale, with me and my daughter. We dined on more corn on the cob, BBQ pork, and shrimp with peppers and onions.
I think the reason I had to BBQ again was because of a few lessons learned. They all boil down to one tip.
1. Start early.
It sounds like a no brainier, I know. I tend to have a plan in my head, but not execute it until the midnight hour. This has caused me to be a bit more frantic than I’d like. Planning ahead gives to time to work out all the logistics; items you need outside, what to serve the cooked food in and how to keep it warm. The lists can go on and on, but starting early lets you figure all that out before the guests arrive and allows you to enjoy more of your shindig.
By planning early you can have most of the food prepared, or at least the first wave. With most of the food prepared guests are able to self-serve and you have time to replenish without guests hovering like vultures around the grill.
In the end it’s all about having fun, for the guests and for you as well. If you’re not having a good time, what’s the point?
Things That Will Happen When Planning a Shindig That Should Not Upset You
Trying something new this time around. No shindig theme, no shindig items to try, nothing to covet. I had been thinking about what frustrates me when I plan get-togethers with friends; those annoying things that tend to happen more times than not, yet I’m the only one who notices. If the rest of the crowd is having a good time then I should let these little things roll off my back…and so should you. My Top 3 are as follows:
- People will RSVP that they are able to come and will not show up. While annoying, it’s not the end of the world. Since you planned food and drink for them, that just means there is more for the rest of the group to enjoy. The converse is also true; guests that have not responded all of the sudden show up. While the latter happens less often, the more the merrier I say (no really, I do say that!). If it’s a potluck, they are bringing a dish to add to the buffet anyway.
- The food runs out. This usually (hopefully) isn’t an entirely true statement. While the main dishes seem to fly off the table, the munchies such as chips & dip, hummus & pita, cheese & crackers, seem to always be leftover. I always try to overstock on the “this & that” items so as to have something easy to snack on with the late night few while we talk the night away. The great thing is the leftover fruits and veggies can made great salad fixins and chips & dip can serve as midday snacks for the next day.
- Just when you think you have chosen the best date ever for your shindig, it happens to be the perfect date for others to plan parties of their own. I typically plan to invite more people than I can accommodate since 9 times out of 10 about 1/3 to 1/2 of the invitees won’t be able to make it anyway. Of course there is the off chance that everyone is able to make it; but as of today, I haven’t run into that problem yet.
If at the end of the party guests are thanking you for a lovely evening it’s been a succesful night. That’s what shindigs are about, the fun, not the frustration.
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