“Chef” Jeff’s Ideas for a Stress-Free Cookout
By Jeff Matthews, CFP® CDFA®Senior Financial Advisor
I love watching my kids play sports but I am also elated to look at our family schedule and see nothing on the calendar for a Saturday or Sunday evening. It means we get to have friends over and not drag a wagon around 30 different baseball fields.
I thought I would share a few easy, fun recipes that will not have you slaving away while your company enjoys themselves.
Table Nachos
I have seen this idea for years and always thought it looked overrated but we did it for the Super Bowl this year and it was a big hit. The idea is simple. Cover your island or a table with tin foil and make sure you overlap. Spread out the tortilla chips in a single layer. Now you have two options:
1. You can heat up some premade queso and drizzle over the chips.
2. If you want something a little more fun, you can grate some cheese over the chips and take a blowtorch to it.*
*For safety, you may want to use a cooking torch or Crème Brulee torch and always have full adult supervision.
From there you can top it with whatever you like on your nachos. Chicken and ground beef are great but if you are looking for something different you may want to try brisket. (There are many good recipes online for brisket, whether smoked or in the oven.)
I like to put the other toppings in bowls and allow your guests to top how they want. I personally like black olives, tomatoes and green onions but you can use whatever you like. (However, if you are one of those people that like lettuce on nachos, stop reading this and get help.)
Grilled Greek Wings
These are so easy and even a hit with the kiddos. Simply toss some wings in olive oil and a generous amount of Greek seasoning. I prefer Greek Freak Mediterranean Blend. Put them on a preheated grill and cook until 160 degrees. I like serving these with tzatziki sauce. I have made my own tzatziki before but honestly, I do not think it is worth the hassle. I like the Whole Foods brand but there are many good ones out there. I normally prefer the flat wing, however, when you’re entertaining I think it’s easier to use all drums.
Shrimp Foil Packets
This item is simple to prepare but is a real showstopper. You can load these up with a number of things. The most traditional are corn, potatoes, Kielbasa and onions but you can play around. Three things to make sure you do:
- Add lemon or lime.
- Make sure you have plenty of foil–I would make two layers.
- Make sure you add the shrimp at the end.
Here is a recipe I like for Shrimp Foil Packets with one caveat: this recipe calls for making your own Old Bay seasoning, which I think is insane. I would definitely just buy some Old Bay seasoning. They have been making it since 1940; they know what they are doing.
Salads & Desserts
As you can see, I do not eat enough salad. What may come as a shock to some of you is I do not really like dessert. My daughter Gwyn loves to bake and loves Dolly Parton. She combines her two passions by making Duncan Hines Dolly Parton desserts.
One of my many pet peeves is having people bring random food items to a party. Therefore, when friends ask what they can bring, I tell them a salad or dessert. It will make them feel like they contributed and will prevent you from having six bags of chips and salsa. If you made it to the last paragraph you realize why people do not like to be around me when I am entertaining.
As an advisor and a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with over 15 years of experience, Jeff aims to help improve the financial wellbeing of his clients. He develops a plan to help reach your goals by understanding what is uniquely important to your family and you, such as sending your child to college, reaching your ideal retirement or creating a financial legacy that will live on for generations.