Summer is finally here! The calendar is filling up with all kinds of fun things--days at the pool, evenings on the patio with the neighbors, birthdays, cookouts, and on and on.
The summer social season started at our house on Memorial Day. We had a few neighbors over for a simple cookout. Along with brats and hot dogs, I made this Pretty in Pink Sangria and this Pineapple Cheese Dip. Bragging just a bit, I'd say both were a pretty yummy way to start our evening.
The sangria was sweet and fruity. My neighbor said "There's alcohol in this?!" It's definitely easy going down. I used fresh strawberries instead of frozen and added two limes sliced. The rest of the recipe I followed as written.
I've been wanting to make this pineapple dip forever. I've seen it in a lot of cookbooks and just never actually made it. For this cookout it fit the bill because there was a veggie in the crowd (automatically omitting 80% of the pins I have, most of which include bacon!) It was a pretty small gathering so I chose to make a half batch. I mostly followed the recipe, with the only alteration being a light toast to the pecans before I stirred them in. It was a great combination of simple flavors that was not too heavy. I'll definitely make it again in the future. I also really enjoyed the leftovers! I added a thin smear to grilled ham and cheeses for a little extra flavor, and sneaked some on a cracker for a snack once or twice.
Can't wait to see what fun (and great food!) are in store for the rest of summer!
The summer social season started at our house on Memorial Day. We had a few neighbors over for a simple cookout. Along with brats and hot dogs, I made this Pretty in Pink Sangria and this Pineapple Cheese Dip. Bragging just a bit, I'd say both were a pretty yummy way to start our evening.
The sangria was sweet and fruity. My neighbor said "There's alcohol in this?!" It's definitely easy going down. I used fresh strawberries instead of frozen and added two limes sliced. The rest of the recipe I followed as written.
I've been wanting to make this pineapple dip forever. I've seen it in a lot of cookbooks and just never actually made it. For this cookout it fit the bill because there was a veggie in the crowd (automatically omitting 80% of the pins I have, most of which include bacon!) It was a pretty small gathering so I chose to make a half batch. I mostly followed the recipe, with the only alteration being a light toast to the pecans before I stirred them in. It was a great combination of simple flavors that was not too heavy. I'll definitely make it again in the future. I also really enjoyed the leftovers! I added a thin smear to grilled ham and cheeses for a little extra flavor, and sneaked some on a cracker for a snack once or twice.
Can't wait to see what fun (and great food!) are in store for the rest of summer!
Comments