Good Morning to all my quilting friends. My son is turning 28 this coming up weekend and I am hosting a BBQ for him. But I am very tired of the same old potatoe salad, pea salad, cole slaw stuff. I was hoping that with so many wonderful friends here from all over the world that maybe you all could give me some new fresh ideas. I would really appreciate it if someone would share a recipe with me that is a tried and true sucess for a get together. Thank you all in advance.

Carrie Jo

Marinated Veggie Salad .... chop up assorted fresh veggies and add some italian dressing (or other dressing as you choose). Stir and let marinade.

If you want to add some protein to that ... add some chick peas to the mix, or top with crumbled feta when ready to serve.

Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad
Homemade Baked Beans
Deviled Eggs
Baked Macaroni & Cheese

I have really great receipes for all if you are interested.

While you have the BBQ on ... do some roasted veggies!! mmmmm!

We made these grilled chicken thighs Tandoori yesterday. They were delicious. You marinade the thighs in a yogurt sauce for a few hours and throw them on the BBQ.

Pea salad

1 can green giant peas
1 can green giant shoe peg corn
1 can green giant french style green been
1 onion
1 cup cerlery
1/2 cup of cooked tender crisp caulflower

dressing

bring this to a boil

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup vineger
1 ts salt
1/2 ts pepper

allow to cool a little before adding to veggies. refrigerate overnite.

AnneVC's Lemon Blueberry Chicken Salad was delicious when I made it. Best to make ahead to let the flavours meld.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-124214-1.htm#3291096

There's several other recipes on that thread you might like too!

grilled corn. :)

Watergate Salad---YUMMY---Always a hit

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/...lad-53771.aspx

grilled ceasar salad. Cut Romaine lettuce, lengthwise, into quarters. It holds together because of the core. Then grill, cut side down til browned, remove from grill,drizzle with Caesar salad dressing (I make my own, a bit of dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic clove, a squeeze of anchovy paste, salt, pepper, fresh parsley, olive oil beaten together). Sounds weird but so far, everyone I've made it for has raved.

Asian slaw is good! Or a cauliflower/cashew salad. Others have mentioned grilled corn or grilled vegies and I love those in the summer. Cut up watermelon and cantaloupe and sliced tomatoes are great too. These are local in NC in the summer and are usually on sale somewhere. We also have a lot of roadside stands selling produce in the summer. Southern Living magazine has a website with great summer barbeque ideas. They always have recipes for anything you could want to serve. It's a great resource.

Our family picnics usually last for a long time, and the kids and men gripe about being hungry for a long time before we get around to feeding them. So I fix a big bag of munchies and put them in a huge, clean, transparent garbage bag.

Bushel of popped corn
Huge plastic container of some pretty, multicolored junk cereal.
Whole bunch of trail mix

Mix all together and put in gallon zip locs, keep them in garbage bag so it can be seen by starving people.

I was in New Orleans for the day on Sat. and we ate lunch at some little hole in the wall place. Was skeptical at first but the food was awesome. I has some potato salad that had a little "bite" to it, but was soooooo good. I cornered the cook for the recipe. He said just to boil your potatoes in crab boil, then make the potato salad same as you normally would. I am definitely going to try it.

I posted my recipe for Cole Slaw with almonds and cranberries on the recipe site awhile back. It always goes over well, fast and easy to make, different. I can also send you my recipe for Mediterranean Bean Salad and/or Chipotle Potato Salad.

A couple of my favorite salads links;
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/good-fo...ad/detail.aspx

you can use cherry or grape tomatoes halved instead of large tomatoes diced also.

or

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/fresh-b...ad/detail.aspx

With the broccoli to cut time you can buy the broccoli shredded,cut and ready for use in most produce depts. I always buy a small crown to cut up to add the to salad for the florets.

This is also one of my favorite sides to serve with anything bbq it is a spicy corn relish.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recip...recipe=1617548
Just be careful when adding the sriracha or red chillie sauce. Start with a little and add till your comfortable with the heat. Remember it is easy to make it hot but not so easy to make it not hot. I always start with a little.

How about some homemade Salsa & Chips

Ingredients:
• 3 large tomatoes, seeded & chopped
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 medium mild or sweet onion, chopped
• 1 - 2 clove crushed fresh garlic
• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, chopped
• juice from 1 lime
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Mix all ingredients together.
Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

We also grab a bag of any pasta, boil it then drain it in and run cold water to help cool it down. Add diced ham, or chicken, minced green and red peppers, red onions, garlic (if you like) and add in some olive oil with balsamic vinegar and toss. Around our place it goes quickly.

We also take cucumbers sliced them about 1" thick use a melon baller to removed about 1/2 the seeds in the center and then add some soft cream cheese (we use the ones that have herbs added to them) that goes in the center of the cucumber.

If you do chicken or pork, I have a fruit-salsa recipe that goes really well with them. I just cut a mango, an avocado, and half a red bell pepper into small dice, then mix it up with a handful of minced fresh cilantro and a squirt of lime juice. It's very healthy and refreshing all on its own as a salad, but I really like it best with cumin-seasoned pork or lime chicken.

Oh that sounds good I need to make that myself! lol

Heres another cold one

Texas caviar

1 green pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
1 can of chili peppers drained
1 can of corn drained
1 can of black beans drained and rinsed
2 tomatoes diced
1 TB chili powder
about 2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup house italian dressing

refrigerate for at least 2 hours, serve with tortilla chips

Broccoli salad
Broccoli salad

1 bunch of fresh broccoli
1/2 chopped onion (red)
1/2 cp rasians
6 cooked slices of bacon, crumbled
1/4 cp sunflower seeds
1/2 cup poppy seed dressing and 1/4 cup miracle whip.

Might go lighter on the dressings depending on the size of your broccoli bunch.

Hot slaw :) so yummy. Hot not cold! Cabbage peppers onions bacon with some seasonings for a kick. Always a favorite. Let me know if anyone wants the recipe. :)

Hash brown casserole is great for bb

Saw this on a cooking show....Grilled Lettuce

Take a whole head of Romaine lettuce and split in half lengthwise
Brush olive oil on the cut part and sprinkle salt and pepper
Grill until just limp.
Sprinkle lemon juice (optional)

We like the change from the traditional salad.

tuna potato salad! we eat it at every party!

cooked potatoes, can of tuna in water, pickles and pickled onions, boiled eggs, mayonaise

chop everything up in small pieces and mix!

Or pasta salad

Boiled bowtie/butterfly pasta, red pepper, can of corn, cubes of ham, red onion, parsley, mayonaise

Cut everything but the pasta in small pieces and mix with the mayonaise, its even better when the pasta is still hot when you mix everything, let it cool down before you eat it

Two very easy salads that are really yummie, and easy to make, with ingredients most people always have on hand

how about a sweet potatoe salad
Ingredients
2 cups medium diced sweet potatoes
1/2 cup raisins
2/3 cup finely diced red onion
1/3 cup finely diced celery
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Directions
Cook potatoes until they are fork tender in boiling water. Drain the potatoes and cool them completely. Soak the raisins in hot water for 15 minutes and then drain. Combine all the ingredients and mix them thoroughly, but gently. Chill for 24 hours before serving.

Pulled Pork sandwiches with BBQ Sauce (make ahead makes it easy)

Calico Bean (3 different canned beans, hamburger, lots of bacon, ketchup, brown sugar) Also make ahead, serve hot.

Cucumbers and onions in sour cream salad

Cucumbers and sweet vinegar

BBQ Chicken cooked ahead of time, served at room temp.

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert - make night before

Banana Split Dessert - made night before

Chocolate Eclair Cake - made night before

Fresh fruit salad

Brausweiger spread (made with a little onion, green papper, a little mayo, a little sour cream, few drops hot sauce) served with crackers (men love this)

Cream Cheese Ball with pineapple, green pepper, onion and pecans served with crackers (everyone loves this)

I have the recipes, if you're interested.

One of our favorites is so simple. Cut up unpeeled potatoes and cube onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot generously with butter. Either wrap in foil or put in pan and bake or grill about 45 minutes.

This is the best pasta salad I've ever eaten.
PASTA SALAD
1-16 oz. spiral pasta, cooked and drained
Sprinkle with 1/2 pkg. dry Ranch dressing
Add chopped green onion-3/4 cup
1/2 cup radishes, sliced
1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped
2 cups broccoli flowerettes
2 cups cherry tomatoes
1 cup sliced black olives
1 t. dill weed
1 bottle Ranch dressing.
Mix all together, refrigerate overnight for flavors to meld and serve. If salad gets too dry, add more dressing. With this salad, you can make as much or as little as you want and add whatever veggies you like.

This is what I always make and it's the first thing gone where ever i go. It is a fruit salad: Use one large tub of whipcream (or a smaller one if you want...bigger has more whip taste)...mix in real well a package of jello (regular, not sugar free and dry)..I like the orange.....Add a container of cottage cheese and mix well( I use small curd).... I drain all my fruit very well and even soak it on paper towels(you don't want a lot of juice)....Cut up a whole jar of marachino cherries, a can of mandarin oranges, and put in well drained crushed pineapple. Mix it all in ,voila, you're done.Put in fridge for at least an hour.... WARNING...you will have to make it all the time!!!!!!! Enjoy!...of course this has to be put on ice or kept cold

BLT Macaroni Salad

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
5 green onions, finely chopped
1 large tomato, diced
1-1/4 cups diced celery
1-1/4 cups mayonnaise
5 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

Directions
Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, green onions, tomato and celery. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over macaroni mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Just before serving, add bacon. Yield: 12 servings.

Oven roasted Vegetables: cut all into bite size pieces
1 med zucchini
1 butternut squash
1 ea. red, yellow peppers
1 lb. asparagus
1 red onion
Place in roasting pan,
toss with 3T olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp coarse pepper
Roast 450 degrees F for 30 minutes, stir occasionally until browned and tender.

Guaranteed they will want this recipe/you will not have any left over, and if you do freeze it and use in your next soup.
Have fun at your BBQ.

Copper Penny Salad (from carrots...Isn't that an American salad? Or is it to common? We just love it in South Africa or curry beans......all on google)

I do this salad too. Everyone loves it and I never take leftovers home.

It is a wonderful salad because it is all veggies, a version of pasta salad without the pasta. I add black beans. I get tired of salads laced in mayo that sat out all day.

This salad is a standard every holiday. I just change up the flavor of jello depending on what I feel like. My husband has a standing request from the ladys in the office at the county that this is wha he is suppose to bring every year for the Christmas potluck. Love this salad.

Created a vegetarian pasta salad last week -- only because I was just creating, not because I'm a vegan.

Cooked some shell pasta, rinsed in cold water so it didn't get mushy. Added:
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained well
chopped celery, chopped onion, green and yellow bell peppers and olives if you like.

(I don't measure when I cook, just add what I have or like)

Dressed with plenty of Greek salad dressing. Surpised myself that it was so tasty since it was so easy.

Enjoy that BBQ!

I see several have given you different variations of this dish. This was given to me my friend Lisa and it is a fabulous recipe. Lisa said it will stay good in the refrig for 3 weeks. I have doubled it and it lasted for a week, but quite frankly it gets eaten too quickly at our house to even test the 3 week theory. :D

Marinated Vegetables

2/3 cup vinegar
½ cup oil
1 cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
16 oz. can French Style green beans
16 oz. can Tiny English peas
16 oz. can White Shoepeg corn
2 oz. jar chopped pimentos
1 bell pepper diced
1 cup diced celery
1 bunch green onions chopped

Combine vinegar, oil, sugar, salt and pepper; drain all vegetables; mix together and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

MoJo Potatoes, done on the grill

I made this too and it's DELICIOUS...I'm also having a party this weekend for my daughter's 30th birthday...still debating on the menu! I'm trying to please all diets and use new things...making myself nuts!

A kind of Afelia - Dish from Cyprus

Cut up a pork roast into large pieces. Soak the them in a container of red wine over night. In the morning brown the pork well. You then have the choice of adding the red wine (plus more) on top of the stove in a dutch oven OR (as I do) put it all in the crock pot and let it cook for some hours.

It is also possible to put the marinated meat on a the grill. When I use the grill, I make brown gravy (McCormicks) and add the red wine marinade to that and bring to a boil.

This goes well with potatoes and other veggies browned on the grill.

Norwegian Bløt cake - (means soft cake)

Make a nice sponge cake.
Slice it horizontally in three. (or 4 layers)
Wet each layer with your choice of liquid - (sweetened milk or orange juice...)
Let it soak overnight

We use home made sweetened and well whipped cream, (careful not to make butter)

To assemble cake:
Place bottom layer on platter, coat with whipped cream, add sliced strawberries,
Place next layer on top, coat with whipped cream, add another kind of fruit - sliced bananas works well
Place top layer, coat with whipped cream - coat entire cake with whipped cream
Place several kinds of fruits artfully on top and around sides of cake

If you have a cake decorating bag it is possible to use it to apply the cream decoratively

Store in cold fridge until serving time.