Party ideas

Turn your next tailgate party into a sizzling success by following these tips.

1. Main course: Make food the centerpiece. Be creative and create flavors specific to a certain region. Create a Texas-themed party by cooking beef brisket over smoke and low heat for hours. Texans tend to skip the sauce (to get the meat’s true flavor).
2. Sides: Serve up savory sides such as potato salad, macaroni salad or coleslaw. Buy freshly prepared salads from your local grocer and personalize by adding your favorite herbs and vegetables.
3. Veggies: For non-meat-eating guests, include plenty of grilled veggies. Chef Barb recommends tossing green and red peppers, eggplant, and zucchini with Stonemill Kitchen’s Artichoke Parmesan dip, then wrapping in heavy duty foil and tossing on the grill until crisp.
4. Dessert: Think classic Americana. Apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream is sure to please and don’t forget the fun and colorful gelatins for the kids!