Credit: Getty Images. EatingWell design.
Key Points
Ina Garten suggests prepping salads and desserts that can be served cold or at room temperature for summer.
Her recipes, like Curried Chicken Salad and Lemon Bars, are easy to make ahead and perfect for picnics.
Garten’s tips, like using disposable tableware, make outdoor entertaining stress-free and cleanup simple.
Entertaining during the summer months can be equal parts fun and hard work. From hot temperatures to sandy fingers, there are plenty of aspects of summertime cooking that can ruin a dish fast, so it’s important to go into any summer get-together with a solid plan that’ll result in delicious food and a stress-free hosting experience.
In a recent Substack newsletter, Ina Garten shared a few recipes she likes to make in the summertime that are nothing short of golden. In the newsletter’s Ask Ina column, a reader asked, “I love going to the park or having a cookout on the beach with friends. Now that the weather’s getting nice, what kinds of recipes do you recommend for picnics?”
We love sharing meals with our friends and families in the summer too, whether at the beach, by the pool or in a nearby park. Thankfully, Garten understands that al fresco dining in the summer comes with its share of difficulties, and the Barefoot Contessa has a solid plan.
“A beach cookout always sounds like a great idea. Everyone sits on blankets, admiring the gorgeous sunset or enjoying the nice weather. But then there’s schlepping the charcoal, grilling accessories and giant coolers, and it can be such a mess to clean up in the dark,” Garten wrote. “Many years ago, I invited some friends for a picnic on the beach to see if I could do it differently. I wanted the party to be fun, not just for my guests but for me too.”
Garten’s strategy? Starting the party earlier in the evening so there were plenty of daylight hours to enjoy each other’s company. “Instead of putting together a whole cookout, I made food that could be packed into containers and served cold or at room temperature,” she said.
Since it’s stressful wondering which foods will make it to the gathering still hot and which ones will get soggy before serving, Garten said she packaged up salads and desserts that could be served without being heated and used disposable silverware, plates and napkins, taking only the empty containers home to clean at the end of the night.
“I could enjoy the beautiful weather and the company, and it felt worth the extra effort to bring it to the beach instead of serving it at home,” she explained.
So which salads and desserts does Garten recommend for a successful on-the-go, outdoor summer meal?
First up is her Curried Chicken Salad, along with Lobster Cobb Salad and Quinoa Tabbouleh with Feta. For a few recipes that feel more like side dishes, she recommends Broccoli with Garlic and Orzo with Roasted Vegetables. These dishes are all easy to make in advance and store in the refrigerator (or in a cooler) until it’s time to eat. And because they serve a crowd and can easily be served in a lidded container, they’re perfect for taking on the go.
After noshing on these tasty salads, Garten recommends breaking out a few good desserts. On her drool-worthy list are Outrageous Brownies, made with lots of chocolate and a bit of coffee, tangy Lemon Bars and nutty Raspberry Crumble Bars. And since everyone loves nibbling on freshly-baked cookies while catching up with loved ones, Garten recommends taking Giant Crinkled Chocolate Chip Cookies and Shortbread Hearts & Linzer Cookies along as well.
Whether your summer get-together takes place in the backyard, at the community pool or on a beach vacation, Garten’s recipes are perfect for throwing together an easy evening of entertainment. And because cleaning up will be oh-so-easy, you’ll have more time to do what’s actually important: share a meal with the people you love.
Read the original article on EatingWell
Dining and Cooking