Friday, July 3, 2015

Fourth of July ideas

So...
It's almost the fourth of July and you know you're going to be grilling burgers but you want to make it a little more special.

Have a burger bar.
Burger with Pretzel Bun, mushrooms, onions and cheese

It's easy, fun and special and best of all, you can relax and enjoy yourself after a little prep work.

I've told you how I do it in past posts.   Here are the links.
Burger Bar Bash part One
Burger Bar Bash Planning Part Two

But just in case you don't want to read both here's the Cliff Notes version.
How many people are you planning on?
Are you going to provide everything, meat, buns, toppings?

Now that those questions are answered, here are a couple more tips.
Prepare the toppings early in the day.  Cook the bacon, slice the tomatoes, caramelize the onions, fry the mushrooms, separate the lettuce leaves.  We also like Pastrami as a topping so I make sure I've got lots of that on hand.   If you're making your own patties, figure on a pound of meat making three good sized patties. Slice the cheese, or make sure you've got lots of sliced cheese.
If you are using charcoal, then make sure you have enough.  Or if using a propane grill, fill up the tank.  It's not fun to run out in the middle of the BBQ, trust me on this one.  

Get a couple bags of ice, put out a cooler with the ice in it, and throw in a few bottles of water and soda if you like, or beer.  I always make sure I've got bottled water. 

Check to make sure you have all the condiments you need.  Mustard, Ketchup, Pickles, Mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, BBQ Sauce, Pickles.   How about the meat and the buns?  I like buns that hold together, either French Bread buns or Pretzel buns.  Figure on each pound of meat making three good sized burgers.
And don't forget your vegetarian friends.  Make sure you have something for them as well. 

Check out your paper stock, do you have enough plates? How about forks, knives, spoons?  If you don't want to use disposable, then make sure all your forks are clean, there enough knives to spread the toppings with. How about cups?   And are you using a tablecloth?  Here is where I use a paper tablecloth, easy to gather up and dispose of later on.

And if your guests are bringing side dishes, do you have serving spoons, tongs?
Take a half hour for yourself.  Nap, shower, dress.

Burger with Pretzel Bun, mushrooms, onions and cheese and sauce
Then go out and enjoy yourself and have a burger or two.
Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

No comments:

Post a Comment

I love to hear from my readers, so please feel free to drop me a note, let me know if you like something I made, it makes my day.