It’s COOKOUT time of year!!!

You want to invite the whole gang over to beat the heat and share some good, grilled grub.

With a little planning, your cookout can be the Greatest Cookout of All Time. And everyone – including you – will have lots of fun.

How does this happen? Follow this simple checklist for a fantastic cookout!

1. INVITATIONS

You can obviously just verbally invite folks over but if you do that you don’t have a concrete RSVP list. And that makes food and supplies hard to judge. My advice is good, old-fashioned invitations in the mailbox. Guests can RSVP by e-mail, but go all out and send ’em some paper!

2. MENU PLANNING

Think about the number of people who’ll be there, but also WHO will be there. Does everyone like filets? Burgers? Chicken? Seafood? Make sure there is something for everyone to enjoy. And load up on sides and desserts, too, like gourmet mac ‘n cheese and red velvet cake. Check out these recipes for inspiration. Hey, variety is the spice of life!

3. DRINKS

Don’t forget to quench their thirst! Make sure if you’re going to have alcoholic drinks, you also have non-alcoholic drinks. And have lots of water on hand. It’s hot out there!

4. DECORATIONS

You can really give your cookout a special feel if you decorate just for the occasion. Go Hawaiian or decorate with a down-home Southern twist. Really make it special!

5. ENTERTAINMENT

This can be as simple as setting out a game of horseshoes or croquet to play while the food is grilling. Or, even designating a DJ. Just give ’em something to focus on before, during and after the food makes its grand entrance!

If you plan it all out ahead of time, you can just go with the flow and enjoy your friends and family at your cookout. And THAT is what summer’s all about!

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.

Some favorite dishes are fading fast from restaurant menus. But why?

Apparently, tastes change over time and, as is the case in this day and age, we simply don’t want to take the time for complicated recipes and cooking techniques.

An article at TheDailyMeal.com tells us about 11 menu items quickly disappearing. Two of which are Beef Stroganoff (yum!) and Salisbury Steak (double yum).

Sad, but the beautiful thing is . . . we can still make these dishes at home! And I don’t know about you, but I still do!

I love to use this Sweet Vidalia ground beef when I make Salisbury Steak. I mean, come on, the onions are already in it! Of course, you can use regular ground beef also and add your own onions to make it just the way you like.

Don’t depend on restaurants to dictate what “trends” you’ll be eating. Cook your favorites and let these classics live on!

Here’s one Beef Stroganoff recipe to try at home and here’s another.

Need to know how to cook a fab Salisbury Steak? Try this yummy recipe.

Read about all the disappearing menu items here and resolve to keep them alive in your home! I know I will!

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.

It’s almost Labor Day. And somewhere it’s written that one must eat beef on Labor Day weekend.

Hey, I don’t write the rules, I just enforce them.

So, why not treat yourself to a gorgeous, grilled steak on your day of rest?

Click here to see a fantastic marinade recipe and get other great ideas for your weekend lineup.

Then, come back here and share with us how it went! Happy eating!

Photo courtesy of AllRecipes.com.