Cookout Menu

[WolfpackWife]

WPW you know better! If you're serving boston butt, you're having a barbecue! Cookouts are hamburgers and hotdogs! And you call yourself a Carolinian.

How about the broccoli salad with sunflower seeds and raisins and red onion? People love that. This calls for almonds but it's the same recipe I use. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fresh-broccoli-salad/

That's true, you caught me! The Italians keep referring to it as a cookout so I slipped DH and I were discussing this recently - how much it BUGS us when people say they are "Barbecuing" and they are really grilling hamburgers or hot dogs. Or referring to a grill as a barbecue in general

Well, as a Carolinian, what we're really having is a form of pig pickin'.

Broccoli salad--looks great. Thank you for all these ideas!

[scrub-jay]

This CA born and raised girl has never heard the term "cookout"... :/

Please don't tell my neighbors, they take BBQ serious around here.

*hangs head in shame*

ETA: Growing up a BBQ included local fresh-caught wild pacific salmon & fresh oysters grilled on the half-shell w/butter, garlic & lemon. Regional differences I suppose.

[WolfpackWife]

You ladies are the best!

We're still going back and forth on several of the salads you suggested - trying to narrow it down to one.

We've also decided to add mac & cheese to the "main course" portion. Who's got the best recipe? Bonus points if it has a breadcrumb/crispy topping!

[spotty_dog]

After the recommendation here for broccoli salad, I thought that sounded interesting, but I've never been a fan of mayonnaise dressings. So I googled "broccoli salad" and found this one, which I made last night...I ate half the dish myself, reluctantly saved some for DH, and today am mourning because he finished it off when he got home from work. http://www.familyfeedbag.com/2012/04...-dressing.html

My mac & cheese is a simple bechamel sauce with cheddar cheese stirred in. But I think if you search around the forums here you'll find Vanquisher's recipe, and she's a great cook.

[WolfpackWife]

Excellent - thank you again!

Any opinion on whether watermelon, feta cheese, and mint leaf skewers would be a good combo/fresh tasting appetizer? Can you tell I've never hosted Europeans and fed them my cooking? They have been REALLY REALLY impressive with both dinners they've hosted, so we're hoping to reciprocate without having to go the cheese-and-hamburger dip or wrapped-in-bacon route (both of those are things they have specifically asked about, wondering whether or not American's actually "do that sort of thing"...they seem to associate traditional American summery cookout/BBQ food with heavy, greasy, slapped together meats and cheeses with no fresh produce. Hoping to change their view)

[scrub-jay]

Grilled peaches?

[WolfpackWife]

Grilled peaches?

That's a good idea, as is grilled pineapple (other thread)! I think I am just going to opt for a variety of berries and watermelon skewered, and nix the cheese/mint. Maybe I'll leave the mint, who knows. I want to avoid the grill since we've already got to be using the grill for multiple smoking pork butts and corn!!

[GreyhoundsRUs]

Mac and cheese:
16 oz. elbow macaroni (cooked)
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup flour
3 1/2 cups milk
1 lb. cheese cut into cubes
breadcrumbs

Melt butter, salt, pepper, flour. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Add milk. Bring to boil, boil for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and add cheese, stir until well-blended. Put cooked macaroni in a casserole dish and pour cheese sauce over. Top with breadcrumbs and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

You can also crock pot it as opposed to baking it