Family, Friends & Barbecue!

Memorial weekend is the jump start to summer! Pools are open, sunscreen is out in full force and the aroma of the grill lingers in the air. This past weekend my parents hosted a gathering of family & friends to celebrate the opening weekend of summer! The day began with Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade that was prepared at home earlier that day by Jordan and I. The flavor was bright, subtly sweet & refreshing–and kicked up with some vodka it was even more enjoying! The recipe was simple and a must have for this summer:

I began by prepping the strawberries, rhubarb and juicing the lemons & limes. Next, I used a large sauce pan and created a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water on low heat until the sugar was completely dissolved. Next, I added the strawberries, rhubarb & ginger and brought to a boil. Once boiled, I lowered the heat and added the vanilla, mint, lime juice & lemon zest and let simmer for about 20-25 mins. Afterwards, I strained the mixture and added the lemon juice and water to dilute. Lastly, I checked the sweetness and let chill in the fridge until serving. (water can be adjusted to desired taste)

For serving, I sliced some extra strawberries, limes and added some extra mint.

While sipping our lemonades, we enjoyed delicious appetizers prepared by Anthony and his brand new Cuisinart Food Processor…that he is now obsessed with! They were each delicious and perfect for a hot day!

The remainder of the day was spent enjoying the sun and barbecue staples such as spicy buffalo wings, hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage & peppers cooked exclusively by my Dad who later enjoyed a nice nap in the sun along side his brother (uncle chris)-Its tough work manning the grill!

Downtime was spent playing some washer toss (Team Jordan & Rachel Undefeated) ladder golf, getting our hair braided by my lovely cousins and making silly faces for the camera! Everyone was having fun including the dogs, Bentley & Finn who chased one another around the yard all day!

Then before we knew it, it was time to eat again! We feasted on so many great dishes each contributed by family, friends & neighbors. I sadly do not have any pictures of the proteins that included pork loin, steak tips, & chicken. However, the sides were delicious and  always my favorite! The corn was a recipe I created based off a dish I enjoyed at Toro in the South End. My dish was great but I am still craving another order from the restaurant, it was amazing!

I regret that I did not write a recipe for this corn but its so simple and can easily be tweeked to your liking. I began by melting some butter in a pan with 2 cloves chopped garlic and gave it a quick saute. Then I mixed together equal parts mayo and plain yogurt and wisked in the garlic/butter mixture. Lastly, I seasoned with salt & pepper.  When it came time for dinner, I grilled up the corn, brushed on the garlic aioli mixture and topped with cotija cheese. I forgot to sprinkle with cayenne pepper, but will try next time! They were great and a nice retreat from the simple, yet delicious, traditional corn.

If you weren’t already stuffed, there were also some delicious desserts created by Leigh and my neighbor Patty. Yum!!

The day was a blast and by the end of the night, a few of the remaining party dwellers sat around the fire, taking shots of Doctor Mcgillicuddy’s prescribed by my brother Mike again and again and again! It was a great memorial day and much appreciation to my Mom who did such a great job getting the backyard ready. The pond had begun to flourish with the first budded lilly and the fish who swam happily! The flowers were planted, koozies were out and ready for cold beers and just about everything else that a party needs was well planned!

Cheers to a great barbecue and many more to come!

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