Summer is well and truly here, and families up and down the country are starting to light those barbecues.

The barbecue is arguably the most enjoyable mealtime of the whole year, filled with delicious food and drinks. That’s not to mention the family company and the music, making it an event that’s memorable for years.

And to make it even more so, the grub must be on point. If you’ve run out of ideas and need a little more inspiration, look no further than here!

Creamy potato salad

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Barbecues are nothing without a healthy supply of side dishes. Sure, you can have a variety of delicious meats, but you need some sides too!

And potato salad is arguably the best side dish of the bunch, and I’d recommend you home-make it. Store bought potato salad usually consists of rock hard potatoes and gone-off mayonnaise, so do it yourself. For your homemade version, make sure the ingredients are as fresh as possible. That’s why store-bought tastes awful – it’s not fresh!

To do it, pre-cook your potatoes the day before and leave them to cool. On the day, mix them with a healthy serving of mayonnaise and some chopped spring onions, to give it a crunchy flavor. Then put it back in the fridge until needed!

The classic cheeseburger

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Ah, the cheeseburger. It’s been a staple of family barbecues for years and years, and with good reason. To get the perfect burger, heat your bun for a few minutes until it’s golden brown. Add the burger, red onions and tomatoes, and slap on some cheddar cheese for that melty look.

In all honesty, you could use pretty much any kind of burger here. Lamb, steak, chicken, beef, etc. In fact, the main problem you’ll face here is finding enough cuts of meat to supply your whole family! Luckily, there are ways to combat this, though. A supplier like Donald Russell allows you to quickly buy meat in bulk, so you can ensure you have enough to go around.

Grilled sausage and apple subs

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Sausage and apple? Preposterous, I hear you say! Well, before you dismiss the idea, give it a go. You’ll be surprised, I guarantee it.

You’ll want to buy some miniature subs, cut them open and butter them. Next, cook your meat and apple on the barbecue to taste, and slot them into the subs. Season with pepper, salt, or anything you desire. And there you have it! A delicious, healthy treat that I bet most of your guests have never tried.

Vegetable pizza

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Another side dish, this vegetable pizza is a good idea for the non-meat eaters in attendance. You can either buy a ready-made pizza base, or make your own. Whatever the case, add some tomato puree and vegetables of your choice.

Think red onions, potatoes, carrots, leeks, and mushrooms. Whack it in the oven until the base has turned brown and crisp. Then serve up!

Buttermilk chicken

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Buttermilk chicken makes the chicken taste ever so juicy, succulent and buttery. You’ll need to buy or make some buttermilk, pour it on the chicken and refrigerate it overnight until it sets. Then preheat the oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit, and bake until golden brown.

This usually takes a good 40 minutes, and is a good way to cook food while the barbecue is occupied. This way, you can have a constant supply of things to eat, rather than exclusively grilling things.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

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Well, I obviously love to bake and I enjoy it when I get to make something I’ve never made and to figure out what I would like to do different. I made this cake for my brother in law’s birthday by special request! It was quick, easy, and rather tasty! I started the cake (with both kids awake in the middle of making lunches/naps/ and whatever kids are always asking and needing mommy for which seemed to make baking almost impossible!) But I did it! ☺ I started the cake around 2pm and finished it (icing it and all) with dishes in between within 2 hours! It was that easy! And it was a real winner in the house! I will definitely be making it again! Hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Happy Baking!

Humming Bird Cake Recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 large eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

4 ripe bananas mashed

1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 sticks butter softened at room temperature

6 cups powdered sugar

1 ½ tbsp. vanilla extract

16 oz chilled cream cheese cut in 1 oz cubes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.

Next add the eggs and vegetable oil until the mixture is nice and moist. Add vanilla extract, bananas, and pineapple.

(I toasted my pecan in the pan right before I added them to the batter) Add crushed pecans. Mix well.

Coat your 9inch baking pans pour batter into the pans evenly and bake for 20-25 minutes or longer.

Once done, cool completely. I took out butter for the icing while the cake was cooling down.

I made the frosting right before I iced the cake.

Take your softened butter and add the powdered sugar one cup at a time and blend completely. After you have added all 6 cups of sugar, add your vanilla. Next ad your 1oz chilled cream cheese one block at a time! (Yes it will blend just fine! I was amazed myself!)

Lauren Daly

My name is Lauren, I am married and have two beautiful children. My husband and I love to do Triathlons and are always looking for ways to challenge ourselves. I'm a stay at home mom that loves organizing and baking. I find baking as my stress reliever and when I have the down time I love to whip something up for my kiddo's and neighbors!

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