Summer entertaining tips!

Yippee – entertaining season is HERE my friends! I couldn’t be happier. As we begin to send out the invites and light up the grill for family and dear friends, I thought I would run through my go to list for summer. These are foul proof hit the spot recipes and tips that are guarenteed to make your next event just a little bit easier. Let’s do this.

1. Strawberry salsa. I’m just saying. I’ve made 5 batches in about two weeks. Can’t keep it in the house. And yes, even the manliest of men enjoy it.
2. You can never have too much ice.
3. Take your favorite sauvignon blanc or rosé (or both!) from the fridge into the freezer thirty minutes before guests arrive because you know what is even better than a glass of rosé on the patio? An extra chilled glass of rosé on the patio.
4. Bare feet. I entertain in bare feet constantly. Need a little lift? These are the most comfortable wedges I own.
5. That being said, this color goes great with a tan. If you’re feeling a little wild go with the hot & spicy.
6. Mexican street corn. It’s the answer for what to make next to grilled…..anything. My sister in law gave me the tip of Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn if you want to save yourself a step.
7. For margaritas, this is our favorite mix. And we’ve, ahem, tried a lot. Guests love it.
8. Play a little DMB when you light the bonfire for marshmallows. The adults will be taken back to their youth and the kids won’t notice Bieber stopped playing because, you know, marshmallows.
9. Speaking of which, do this.
10. Utilize different areas of your home for different parts of the evening. For example, we love champagne and antipasto on the front porch. I promise we aren’t fancy.
11. Not sure what to wear? This dress nails it.
12. Hire a neighborhood sitter to keep any little ones out of the street. We’ve done this a few times for friends who still have that chaotic 1-3 year old age range and they could not thank us enough. Margaritas taste much better when you know your little one is out of (serious) danger.
13. Have bug spray easily available. This brand is our favorite.
14. Making grilled chicken? This one is the best. I get asked for the recipe every time I entertain.
15. Have a huge pitcher of water available with plastic cups nearby. Drink some.
16. Don’t cook in front of people. Seriously. Make this summer pasta sauce in the morning. Fill your pot with water pre guests. Get yourself on the patio. Boil water, cook angel hair, and toss with pasta. Voila, you are amazing.
17. Lobster napkins. Because it’s summer.
18. Kids love, love, glow sticks. Ok, ok……adults too.
19. Did you see how I worked a full menu you in for you? Grilled chicken + summer pasta + mexican street corn + (any) grilled veggies = heavenly.
20. Flowers. Nothing beats mason jars full of sunflowers, classic and easy, it works every time. Sometimes, if the boys are bored, I asked them to wander and pick wildflowers and throw those in mason jars and they make me smile all night long.
21. The bathroom matters. Clean garbage, clean towel, extra roll of toilet paper. Peony soap.
22. Drink more water.

At the end of the night, put the little one to bed, enjoy the older ones running around the yard with your feet up by the fire and a glass of wine in hand and ’41’ playing in the background. Because a big part of entertaining is enjoying it all. Promise.

C

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Courtney

Courtney is a wife to M and a mom of two boys, L (8) and B (3). Most of her blogging is done frantically during nap time in between laundry, cleaning, and the occasional housewives rerun. Or the brief hour or so that she can stay awake after the boys go down for the night. She loves her sleep. Read more...

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