Friday Five: Summer Livin'

1. What is your favorite side dish at a cookout?
2. Grills: charcoal or gas?
3. Grilled meat: just one kind, or multiple offerings?
4. Do you prefer to dine al fresco or away from the elements?
5. Do you use your grill year-round? (This sort of doesn't apply to the folks in warmer climates, but answer anyway, because we all know y'all wuss out when the thermometer hits 60 :lol: )

 

1) absolutely anything that someone else cooked- I'm not fussy, just hate to cook
2) definitely gas, crank that baby up in a moments notice. Not a big fan of lighter fluid.
3) whatever's cooking, salmon, burgers, chicken, Brats, chops, veges, any or all - bring it on, and leftovers are wonderful!
4) I really like to be outside, but sometimes the 'sceeters chase me inside.
5) Definitely year round- all the time- cold weather cooking- that's what husbands are for :lol:

 

1. What is your favorite side dish at a cookout?

fresh fruit count? come on, the watermelon in the middle of summer is the best
ok ok, how about corn on the cob?

2. Grills: charcoal or gas?

gas is easier, charcoal tastes better. soooo, we have a gas grill at work and a charcoal grill at home. thinking about getting a gas one for home too though for those spur of the moment days of "let's bbq!"

3. Grilled meat: just one kind, or multiple offerings?

we always do at least 2. steak & hot dogs or chicken & hot dogs or even pork chops and hot dogs. hot dogs always!

4. Do you prefer to dine al fresco or away from the elements?

either is fine.

5. Do you use your grill year-round? (This sort of doesn't apply to the folks in warmer climates, but answer anyway, because we all know y'all wuss out when the thermometer hits 60 :lol: )

LOL!! that would be me i guess. anyhow, at home we rarely use the bbq outside of summer but the one at work goes year round

 

1. What is your favorite side dish at a cookout?
Deviled eggs, corn on the cob second fav
2. Grills: charcoal or gas?
Gas mostly...DH uses charcoal and wood chips to smoke meat, and for pig roasts...yum!
3. Grilled meat: just one kind, or multiple offerings?
For just our family, chicken, pork, steak usually one kind, hamburgers & hot dogs always done together. For a larger cookout, multiple offerings, plenty of choices!
4. Do you prefer to dine al fresco or away from the elements?
Either, sometimes it's just easier to eat inside.
5. Do you use your grill year-round? (This sort of doesn't apply to the folks in warmer climates, but answer anyway, because we all know y'all wuss out when the thermometer hits 60 )
Absolutely, DH has been known to cook out on the grill while it's snowing....it's right outside the door, so easy to use always!! (DH is the cook in our house, I can burn water!)

 

1. What is your favorite side dish at a cookout?
Grilled corn on the cob.

2. Grills: charcoal or gas?
No idea... as long as someone else is cooking it, I'll eat it. :lol:

3. Grilled meat: just one kind, or multiple offerings?
Not really big on meat. Pretty much stick to chicken if veggies are not to be found.

4. Do you prefer to dine al fresco or away from the elements?
Eating outdoors is one of the best things in life! (if it's above 70 that is... otherwise it's winter & I can be found eating indoors! :lol: )

5. Do you use your grill year-round?
See #2, no grill of my own.

 

1) Fresh sweet corn--Grandpa used to grow a ton of it on the farm--I miss picking it and eating it a few minutes later. Although, being in the midst of 'corn country' there are always pick-up trucks filled with fresh-picked corn in the summer.

2) We have a gas one, for the convenience; but Dad uses charcoal and often smokes meat---yummy. I just saw a smoker box for gas grills at ace last weekend. Gonna have to get one and try it out.

3) When its just Dh and I, only one meat. When entertaining---at least two!

Yeah--I grilled some cheddarwursts today for lunch before work; you just can't beat cheese-filled hot dogs!

4) I prefer to eat outside, but Dh is like crack to the mosquitos, so we are often forced indoors.

5) Absolutely not--when its snowing and 20 below just go to a good steakhouse, or use the broiler in the oven. A good steak is not worth the frostbite. Besides, it gives me something to look forward to when spring finally arrives.

 

1. What is your favorite side dish at a cookout?
Grilled onions.
2. Grills: charcoal or gas?
charcoal
3. Grilled meat: just one kind, or multiple offerings?
The more the merrier.
4. Do you prefer to dine al fresco or away from the elements?
away from the elements
5. Do you use your grill year-round?
Not usually, but I did grill a Thanksgiving turkey in the snow in northern Minnesota. It was awesome!

 

1. What is your favorite side dish at a cookout?
so hard to choose--current favorite the tomato/bowtie/olive/feta/cucumber salad, and can't forget the marshmallows!
2. Grills: charcoal or gas?
charcoal for flavor, but I sure miss my natural gas grill that died two summers ago
3. Grilled meat: just one kind, or multiple offerings?
shrimp and mushrooms and zucchini and vidalia onions ... sorry, I'm drooling
4. Do you prefer to dine al fresco or away from the elements?
screen porch -- shady/breezy/no flies or skeeters
5. Do you use your grill year-round?
used to, finally decided my DH wasn't fixing the old grill, and got myself a smokey joe a few weeks ago. Though I might have him interested in building me one of these: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yo ... moker.aspx

 

You guys have given me a few new side dishes to explore, particularly the salad that Donna mentioned; that sounds divine!

1. Deviled eggs. For dessert, strawberry Jell-O pretzel salad; it's perfect for summer and barbecues.
2. Charcoal for flavor, but gas is way easier to both get started and to maintain even heat throughout. I currently have a gas grill.
3. Since it's usually just DHW and I, typically we only do one kind. If we were having a barbecue for many people, though, we'd have hot dogs or brats, hamburgers, and chicken, or maybe kebabs.
4. Ideally, I would love a screened-in porch. I love to eat outside but just like Jen's DH, I am crack to mosquitos. I get eaten alive, so I usually opt for indoors.
5. I use my grill year-round. It's not such a big deal here because winters are semi-mild, but even in Chicago we would grill out all the time. If you only used your grill when it was nice out, you'd get about 3 months use out of it. ;-) My dad cooks outside in rain, snow, heat, you name it.

 

Awww, you all need to come out to CA!!! Skeeters are nothing like in the midwest, and usually the flies aren't bad here. I had forgotten that eating outside used to be that "dodge the buggies" kind of experience that it was - here you just sit down & eat, and no one bothers you!!! Thanks for the reminder that I really do love living here! I've started to take it for granted I think... uh oh!