Garden Party Ideas!

One easy appetizer is a salsa dip filled with vegetables, served with any type of chips. Chopped cilantro, cooked and cooled corn, peppers, onions, black beans, and tomatoes can be mixed together quickly and are a popular party item.

Lettuce tacos make very appealing hot appetizers. On leaves torn from a head of lettuce, place a small spoonful of taco meat, and top with chopped tomatoes and shredded cheese.

If the grill will be a mainstay of the party, make grilled potato skins (can also be baked). Scoop some of the insides out of potato halves (can be used for mashed potatoes another time) and fill with cheese and optional bacon bits. Grill on a sheet of foil until crispy, and top with sour cream. Potato wedges can also be grilled or backed potato wedges. Dip potato wedges in melted butter, and then sprinkle with a mixture of Parmsean cheese and other spices as desired (works well with a hint of garlic, salt and pepper, onion flakes, or paprika). These can be served plain or with sour cream or ketchup.

Drinks

Just about anything makes an excellent smoothie, and smoothies are fast, easy drinks that can be custom-made to fit a variety of tastes. A blender can be used to whip up large batches, or the host can have the ingredients available with a person to man the hand blender for mixing up individual portions. Excellent combinations include: strawberries and bananas, bananas with orange juice and vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, different types of berries with ice or ice cream. Be creative! Have juices, ice cream, milk, honey, powdered sugar, and fruit available and let the guests be creative.

Entrees

Lettuce tacos (described above) can make a great entrée as well as appetizer.

The grill can obviously be used to make a variety of meats, but to change things up, try providing options other than hotdogs and hamburgers. Fish grills well in foil packets. Grilled potatoes with toppings can make a filling meal.

Grilled pizza is a great way to deviate from the norm. Thaw frozen bread dough, and roll out (place on greased bottom of cookie sheet) to make individual-sized pizzas. Spray the grill with nonstick spray or coat with oil. Brush dough with olive oil or vegetable oil on both sides. Put on greased bottom of cookie sheet, and slide onto grill. Grill until bottom is browned - 5-10 minutes. Remove and let people choose toppings to place on grilled side. Any toppings work, although for a garden party, vegetables are a natural choice. Return to grill, uncooked-side down, and grill another 5-10 minutes. This works better with a cooler grill so the cheese melts at the same rate the bottom browns.

Décor

Garden parties don't require a great deal of artificial décor. The easiest way to decorate is to use a variety of springtime flowers. Vegetable-themed napkins or placemats can also be used. A centerpiece of washed and ready-to-eat veggies and fruits adds color to a table easily, as do brightly colored dishes.

Enjoy your garden party!