Just Add Dinner & Friends
Okay, to steal a phrase from my brother and his upcoming blog title, I decided today to chat about a great way to beat the summer heat. When it’s 100 degrees out, like it was yesterday, and you still want to have a get-together, it’s time to move the party inside. That’s exactly what we did yesterday.
Six friends, great food and wine (okay, if Steve is reading this - he’d say not so great wine - it was only Mondavi Chardonnay.), air conditioning and great conversation. The heat didn’t bother us at all, unless it was the few minutes, late in the afternoon when we just couldn’t resist doing the garden stroll…
When I was planning the dinner party about a month before, it was already hot and I could just imagine how hot July would be - so I decided, thankfully, no outside grilling or entertaining - just picnic food brought inside.
So, I perused my trusty Fusion Food Cookbook for ideas. If you like to cook, you’d love this cookbook. It’s written by a husband/wife team - Hugh Carpenter & Teri Sandison. I’ve made so many of the recipes in it over and over.
Anyway, for our indoor picnic - I chose the Southwestern Fried Chicken with Spicy Apricot Sauce - and made enough to ensure plenty for doggie bags and more for us to enjoy today and probably tomorrow too. Added a salad of Baby Greens with Blue Cheese-Pecan Dressing, Steamed White Corn with Szechwan Butter Glaze, both also from Fusion, and my trusty tomato, basil and mozzarella recipe.
My friends added to the picnic with a wonderful Corn & Bean Salsa, homemade potato salad and fresh berries, pound cake and vanilla ice cream for dessert. Ummm Good!
So, it was a picnic without the heat - made to order for any summer gathering when it’s just too hot to venture outside. It was a perfect day to pop open that bottle (or two) of white wine and just add dinner and friends.
Please tell me some of your entertaining ideas for beating the heat. Looks like we’re going to need some to help get us through the rest of this summer!
