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Summer Party Menu Ideas

Sixteen photos of food with a label in the middle that says summer party menu

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Summer parties and entertaining are in full swing. Here are some great menu ideas for your next summer shindig. If you want your BBQ’d meat to be incredibly tasty with minimal stress, start planning now!

Marinating your meat overnight is the best way to go and your friends and family will be humming over your juicy grilled meat and veggies, while you’re free to focus on the details since all of your ingredients are primed and ready to hit the grill! P.S. If you aren’t grilling, I’ve included plenty of non-grilling options just for you.

My husbands birthday falls on the 4th of July and he gets fireworks every year! 😉 I’m so thankful I’m off this 4th. We’re planning a 4th of July BBQ at mom’s house tomorrow followed by cannon balls in the pool, which will be a welcome site when it’s nearly 100˚F out! I’ll keep you posted on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter of course.

 

For Recipes, click on the links or on the pictures below: 

APPETIZERS:

We’ll start with appetizers to get your party rolling. These options will make people happy from the get-go.

1. Easy Chicken sandwich melts (go ahead and put this spread on smaller canape-sliced bread)

Easy Chicken Sandwich Melts SQ

2. Spicy Guacamole (we make this all the time and can’t get enough of this guac!)

Spicy Guacamole SQ

SIDES/ VEGGIES/SALAD

1. Keep things easy and healthy with this simple 15-minute corn on the cob, buttered up; naturally.

Corn on the Cob SQ

2. Moroccan Veggie Skewers (uhm, yeah..):

Moroccan Vegetable Skewers2

If you want a Moroccan themed BBQ, try the Moroccan Chicken and Tzatziki sauce to go with the veggies and chicken. So so good!

3. Every party deserves this healthy Greek Salad with an easy zestly lime dressing. Once you try it, you’ll make it again, and again, and again, and again….

Greek Salad SQ

4. Oven roasted baby red potatoes. These will go really well with your BBQ’d meats and veggies.

Red Potatoes SQ


MEAT

(a.k.a. the show stopper; what folks will remember most).

1. Juicy BBQ’d chicken thighs – you’ll want to marinate these overnight for optimal flavor. Your mom marinates overnight (Did you know I’m really good at “your mom” jokes? Stick with me and I’ll toss out a few more)

BBQ Chicken SQ

2. Spice-rubbed sirloin (please don’t laugh at these uglier pictures. We’ll be updating soon. We’ve made this recipe a gazillion times (which is food blogger lingo for “about 25”).

sirloin

3. Grilled Moroccan Chicken. Be sure to pair this with Tzatziki Sauce!

Moroccan Chicken Recipe SQ

4. Beef Kabobs for the grown ups. Or are they Kebobs, or Kebabs. The last one sounds the funniest so I’ll stick with it. Kebabs.

Tender Beef Kabobs (Shashlik) Recipe SQ

5. If you aren’t grilling, these breaded chicken skewers are a great option to feed a crowd:

Breaded Chicken Skewers square-1

or these baked breaded chicken drumsticks (easier and somewhat healthier).

DESSERT:

1. The berry trifle. I could totally see this with strawberry and blueberry for the red, white and blue theme. It’s so yummy and comes together in 30 minutes #nobakedessert.

Berry Trifle Recipe SQ\

2. Another make-ahead dessert, the raspberry pretzel jello should be made the day before. Have you tried it? You’ll be running sprinting back for seconds.

Raspberry-Pretzel-Jello

3. If you have a little more time on your hands, you should try this (or pin it for later because you have to try this berry cake! It was my husbands birthday cake last year. Oh snap! I need to make a birthday cake for tomorrow :-O!!

Kiwi Berry Cake SQ

DRINKS:

1. Ofcourse I’m starting my list with iced coffee! This recipe makes enough for a crowd in just 15 minutes (of course you’ll want to chill it after it’s made and be sure to serve with sweetened condensed milk).

Iced Coffee

2. Minus the dorky pictures (an umbrella, really?), this party punch is so easy and delicious, I can’t not share it! (your mom uses double negatives)

Strawberry-Party-Punch

3. If you’re out of fresh cherries, frozen will do just fine in this sparkling cherry lemonade:

Cherry Lemonade SQ-1

With over 450 recipes on this blog (wow that’s kind of ridiculous eh?), you’ll find plenty more inspiration in our full photo recipe index.

What are your plans for the fourth of july? 

 

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Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Read comments/reviewsAdd comment/review

  • Inna
    July 4, 2014

    Your photos and recipes look amazing! Grilling is a nice and easy way to get everything done in one step but not when it’s super hot outside.

    Happy birthday to your husband!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 4, 2014

      It was really hot today but thankfully we had some cloud cover. I agree it’s a great way to cook everything at once. 🙂

      Reply

  • Jaclyn
    July 4, 2014

    I love this collection! All of your recipes look so amazing!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 4, 2014

      Thank you Jaclyn 🙂 You are so nice. We’re cooking up lots of new things today for the 4th of July (recipes coming soon) 🙂 Are you doing anything fun today?

      Reply

      • Jaclyn
        July 4, 2014

        I can’t wait to see what you’ve made! I’m actually taking the day off from cooking for the first time in ages today :). Just spending time with family and a little outdoor fun. I hope you have a great holiday!

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          July 4, 2014

          That’s the best! Enjoy your time off!

          Reply

  • Jill
    July 3, 2014

    Happy Birthday for your Husband Vadim My birthday is 5th July. Enjoy your summers. No more Mum jokes, please. Love your cooking. keep up the good work, Jill from Australia

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 3, 2014

      Hi Jill! Thank you and happy birthday to you too!

      Reply

  • Olena@iFOODreal
    July 3, 2014

    Aaaah, looks great and fresh! Love your new Meet the Cook! Happy 4th of July and Happy Bday to Vadim! Your weekend sounds awesome! July is my favourite month out of the whole year. Stay safe and don’t drink too much kisel’.;)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 3, 2014

      Kisel, ha ha. Do you spike yours or something? lol. Thank you and I hope you have an awesome 4th of July weekend!

      Reply

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