It’s COOKOUT time of year!!!

You want to invite the whole gang over to beat the heat and share some good, grilled grub.

With a little planning, your cookout can be the Greatest Cookout of All Time. And everyone – including you – will have lots of fun.

How does this happen? Follow this simple checklist for a fantastic cookout!

1. INVITATIONS

You can obviously just verbally invite folks over but if you do that you don’t have a concrete RSVP list. And that makes food and supplies hard to judge. My advice is good, old-fashioned invitations in the mailbox. Guests can RSVP by e-mail, but go all out and send ’em some paper!

2. MENU PLANNING

Think about the number of people who’ll be there, but also WHO will be there. Does everyone like filets? Burgers? Chicken? Seafood? Make sure there is something for everyone to enjoy. And load up on sides and desserts, too, like gourmet mac ‘n cheese and red velvet cake. Check out these recipes for inspiration. Hey, variety is the spice of life!

3. DRINKS

Don’t forget to quench their thirst! Make sure if you’re going to have alcoholic drinks, you also have non-alcoholic drinks. And have lots of water on hand. It’s hot out there!

4. DECORATIONS

You can really give your cookout a special feel if you decorate just for the occasion. Go Hawaiian or decorate with a down-home Southern twist. Really make it special!

5. ENTERTAINMENT

This can be as simple as setting out a game of horseshoes or croquet to play while the food is grilling. Or, even designating a DJ. Just give ’em something to focus on before, during and after the food makes its grand entrance!

If you plan it all out ahead of time, you can just go with the flow and enjoy your friends and family at your cookout. And THAT is what summer’s all about!

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.

You consider yourself a grillmaster. You have immediately earned my respect and admiration.

But as a grillmaster do you have all of the important tools of the trade? Do you have grilling tools for different meats?

Let me explain.

STEAK

It’s heavy and needs to be flipped without steak juices escaping all over the place. A SPATULA is the tool you need at grillside for this delicious dish.

STEAKBURGERS

Lighter than steak, but still substantial, burgers need proper flipping as well. But these babies require a SMALL SIZE SPATULA just large enough for the patty.

HOT DOGS

Hot dogs have a distinctive shape and require a tool to match. TONGS are your best bet for turning and grilling these to perfection.

BONELESS CHICKEN BREASTS

Yum! Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a favorite around our house as well. Use a PRONGED FORK to do right by this healthy meat.

SALMON

Seafood, especially salmon, is very delicate so it requires extra care and attention. Use ALUMINUM FOIL to wrap this meat before placing it on the grill. It’ll help it cook evenly and keep it all in one piece!

Now that you know all the tools of the trade, make sure you’re locked and loaded for grilling season. The right tool makes all the difference!

Photos courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.

A marinade adds wonderful flavor and juiciness to any type of meat – whether poultry, beef, fish or other.

But did you know that some marinades are better suited to one type of meat over another?

Once you know the secrets of marinating by meat type, your steaks, burgers, chicken – you name it – will rise to a different level!

Check out this “Marinating 101” lesson from our friends at StartCooking.com.

It’ll open your eyes to a whole new world of marinating. Try it this weekend!

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

Photo courtesy of KansasCitySteaks.com.