Hosting a wonderful Memorial Day cookout with ease

Memorial Day officially kicks off nearly everyone's favorite season -- summer. Summer is a special time when family and friends can take the time to gather around picnic tables full of tasty and hearty summer fare. Barbecue parties can be time consuming to plan and execute, but very rewarding to the host and guests -- and they are the backbone of summer's graceful and enthusiastic hospitality. Here are a few tips to make the day go smoothly:

Plan your menu well in advance and make sure your meat is completely thawed before grilling. Are you providing only the meat or a complete meal? If you are eating outside, why not prepare some of your side dishes on the grill itself?

One easy side dish is Charcoal Onions. Simply cut both ends off a Vidalia onion. Next, wrap the onion in a very wet paper towel and then wrap again in a thick layer of tin foil. Now you may either place the onion directly on a hot grill for one-and-a-half to two hours, or pop it in a 350 degree oven for an hour and then just toss it on the grill for however long it takes your meat to cook. The onions look wonderful piled high on a platter and the tin foil keeps them warm for nearly an hour --an extra bonus. Just peel off the wrappers, cut it in half, slather with lots of salt, pepper and sweet cream butter -- and you have a tasty and simple side dish that is wonderful with barbecued meat. Other easy side dishes for your cookout are corn-on-the-cob, baked potatoes with "fixin's," fresh tomatoes and tossed salads.

You don't want to work quite that hard? Why not have a "potluck" cookout? Potluck dinners are fun, and you and the guests have the opportunity to try a wide variety of foods. First, prepare a list of which things would be good for guests to bring -- side dishes, desserts, wine or condiments, for example. Ask for help and then note what they are bringing on your list -- this way, you know whom is bringing what.

Make decorating the table easy on yourself as well. Utilize those potted plants sitting around the house or on your patio! They will make terrific and easy centerpieces. Head to the party store and pick up festive paper napkins and plastic ware, as well. However, I highly recommend that you use your dishes instead of paper or Styrofoam plates. Nothing is more annoying than attempting to cut a steak or piece of chicken and cutting through your plate -- or worse, winding up wearing more barbecue than you consume. A few dishes will zip through the dishwasher quickly and be worth the extra effort.

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