How-to-Throw-a-Poolside-Grilling-Party-

Jim McCann: Hi I’m Jim McCann of 1800Flowers.com as a bonafide grilling guy I think that barbecue music is a good essential symbol of summer. Grilling is great anytime and it’s a fantastic way to get your friends and family get together for the simple tasty meal, but how many times can you serve burgers and dogs.

Unfortunately, Jeanne Benedict entertaining guru and author of Celebrations is here today to show us an easy way to spice up a barbecue party and get everyone involved in the fun.

Alison Chase: Hi there everyone, welcome to Celebrations, I’m your host Alison Chase. I’ve been having some friends over for a barbecue today. Luckily, Jeanne Benedict, author and entertaining expert is a talent from LA and is also here to help me put a fun twist on some summer grilling. Let’s go meet Jeanne and see what she has in store for us today. I’m happy some friends over a barbecue and I wanted to do something different what do you think.

Jeanne Benedict: Well, I think this outdoor space is terrific. Sticks and spice poolside cocktail party.

Alison Chase: Stick and spice tell me about that.

Jeanne Benedict: Yeah, one bite appetizers on skewers guest grill it themselves, we make some fabulous dipping sauces, so you’re just a guest that you’re in party.

Alison Chase: I love that idea.

Jeanne Benedict: And then for dessert, we’ll swap out the ingredients and we’ll do exotic chocolate s’more bars.

Alison Chase: Oh yum, little spicy little sweet, good idea. Let’s go do it.

Jeanne Benedict: Well, these are the one bad appetizers, we have beef, chicken, potato, zucchini, eggplant and they’re all going to be on the different stations, marinating and it really great herb and garlic lemon and other yummies. And these the first sauce is a pina colada dipping sauce. It’s so great for the chicken and all you do, cream of coco. This is a few tablespoons of sour cream, some crushed pineapple, and then a little bit of fresh ginger just to kind of take it out of the cocktail realm and make it more of a orbit tip and then the most important part if you want to just throw a little splash around in there.

Alison Chase: Party going.

Jeanne Benedict: There we go, so that’s just a quarter teaspoon and that’s pretty much it, we’re going to mix that up, roll a salt in there and there we go.

Alison Chase: And then we need to refrigerate this early anything?

Jeanne Benedict: Yes you can make this morning of and then refrigerate it so that’s for chicken, now for beef Mojito Mignonette. It is so delicious, and this is rice wine vinegar and then to that we just have some fresh mint, some shallots and then red pepper flakes and then lime juice.

This is what we’re doing we’re going to stir and that’s it. They’re going to grill, and they’re going to dip, and they’re going to have a great time at the party. So refrigerate.

Alison Chase: Yeah, let’s do it. Thank you so much for this Jeanne this has been so great, it’s such an original idea. I never would have thought of doing the sticks and —

Jeanne Benedict: It really works around the pool, right it keeps people moving and it’s original and its fun and here we are enjoying ourselves. Cheers.

Alison Chase: Cheers. Thanks for being here.

Jeanne Benedict: Thank you for having me.

Alison Chase: Thanks for watching Celebrations. Especially I want to thank our expert Jeanne Benedict for her exotic grilling creations. Until next time, I’m Alison Chase.

Jim McCann: To get more entertaining tips please visit us at 1800Flowers.com/ celebrations.