Summer Party Ideas: Grilled Recipes, Wine Pairings & Theme Inspiration

This post is part of a sponsored collaboration with Line 39 Wine.  This article is intended for ages 21+, and reflects my personal opinions and thoughts.

One of my all-time favorite things to do is entertain, but for some reason I don’t do it as often as I’d like to.  Throwing a party can take a lot of planning and preparation, but it’s so rewarding to hear that your guests enjoyed themselves and appreciated the hard work you put into it.  My post today is inspired by the recent Line 39 Wine x Weber® Grills summer party that I attended in San Francisco, and I hope to provide a little inspiration for your next summer party.

Summer Party Color Ideas

The very first thing I like to do when planning a party of any kind, is create a Pinterest board to serve as my “mood board” for the event.  My board is called P-A-R-T-Y, but you can name it “Summer Party” or anything else you like.  I begin searching for theme ideas and pin them to my board to reference when I’m ready to shop for supplies.

Black and White Gingham + Sunflowers

I am completely obsessed with black and white Gingham right now, as you may remember from my post from March.  And until the Line 39 Wine summer backyard BBQ, I had never thought about using it as a tablecloth or table runner.  Combined with the pop of color from sunflowers and fresh herbs, it’s the perfect backdrop for a summer party.

To add an element of farmhouse to your party, you can incorporate mason jars into the mix by using them as water glasses, vases or even party favor containers.

The Menu: Grilled Recipes + Line 39 Wine

Since the theme of our summer party is BBQ inspired, what better way to keep on-theme than with some delicious grilled recipes?  During our event, we enjoyed all things grilled from the appetizer to the entree to the dessert. You can even prep some of the ingredients ahead of time to save you some time during your party.

The Weber® Grills Q 1200 portable gas grill is perfect for on-the-go, camping, or even in your own backyard.  It’s extremely easy to use, easy to clean, and easy to stow away when you aren’t using it. Features include cast-iron cooking grates, an infinite control burner valve, built-in lid thermometer, removable catch pan, folding side tables, and a cast aluminum lid and body.  This grill also comes in super fun colors like red, purple, and blue.

Steak and Tomato Kabobs with Avocado Sauce

This recipe dates back to a 1999 book called Weber’s Art of the Grill. We think the flavors—tender sirloin treated to an aromatic rub, ripe tomatoes, and a sauce of avocado, cucumber, and lime—work as well today as they did back then. Don’t skimp on the size of the steak cubes, as they must be big enough to char on the outside without overcooking on the inside.

PREP TIME 15 MINUTES

GRILLING TIME 8 MINUTES

SERVES 4  

SAUCE

• 1 Hass avocado
• 2-inch piece English cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill Juice of 1 lime
• About 1/8 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce
• Kosher salt

RUB

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon pure chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 pounds top sirloin, about 11/4 inches thick, trimmed of excess fat, cut into 11/4-inch cubes
• 24 cherry tomatoes Vegetable oil

 

• In a food processor or blender combine the avocado, cucumber, sour cream, scallions, dill, and lime juice and process until smooth. Stir in the hot-pepper sauce, adjusting the amount to your taste, and then season with salt. Pour the sauce into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

• Have ready metal or bamboo skewers. If using bamboo, soak in water for at least 30 minutes.

• Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F).

• In a small bowl combine all the rub ingredients and mix well. Season the meat cubes with the rub, coating them evenly. Thread the meat onto the skewers, alternating them with the tomatoes. Lightly brush the skewers with oil.

• Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the kabobs over direct medium heat, with the lid closed, until the meat is cooked to your desired doneness, about 8 minutes for medium rare, turning occasionally. Remove from the grill.

• Serve the kabobs warm with the sauce.

©2017 Weber-Stephen Products LLC. Recipe from Weber’s Greatest Hits™ by Jamie Purviance. Used with permission

 

Fire-roasted strawberries

Some desserts benefit from the woodsy smoke of charcoal, but this is not one of them. This recipe is all about the concentrated taste of ripe strawberries that have bubbled in their own natural juices—a heavenly topping for scoops of vanilla ice cream. We recommend a small baking pan on a gas grill for this one.

Prep time 10 MINUTES

Grilling time 8 to 12 MINUTES

SERVES 6 to 8

• 2 pints large strawberries (20 to 24 berries)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur, or 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• Vanilla ice cream

1. Hull the strawberries, then trim the stem end of each berry so it is flat. In a medium bowl combine the berries, sugar, liqueur, and vanilla and toss to coat evenly.
2. Generously coat the bottom and sides of a grill-proof 8-inch-square baking pan (or disposable foil pan) with the butter. The pan should be just large enough to hold the berries in a single layer with their sides almost touching (this allows the berries to support one another gently as they begin to soften).
3. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over high heat (450° to 550°F).
4. Remove the berries from the bowl and stand them in a single layer, flat side down and almost touching, in the prepared pan. Pour any liquid remaining in the bottom of the bowl evenly over the berries. Brush the cooking grates clean. Place the pan over direct high heat and grill, with the lid closed, until the liquid in the pan is bubbling and the berries are beginning to slump, 8 to 12 minutes. Cooking times will vary depending on the variety, size, and ripeness of the strawberries. Watch closely to catch the berries before they collapse.
5. Remove the pan from the grill and spoon the pan juices over the berries to moisten them. Let cool for 5 minutes, then carefully cut the berries into quarters or leave whole. Scoop ice cream into individual dessert bowls and spoon the berries and juices over the ice cream.
   Serve right away.

©2017 Weber-Stephen Products LLC. Recipe from Weber’s Greatest Hits™ by Jamie Purviance. Used with permission

Line 39 Wines

Line 39 Wine is a California wine company with a variety of reds and whites that pair perfectly with all things grilled.  Their bottles are gorgeous and add to your tablescape for your summer party, and your guests will absolutely love the varietals.  The price point for most of their wines is $11 which is an incredible value for the quality of wine they offer.

We got to sample several of the Line 39 wines at the party, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and their Excursion Red Blend.

The Cabernet Sauvignon is fermented in stainless steel and aged in French and American oak. It has a rich, fruity flavor and dark ruby red color. It’s a smooth wine that’s perfect with all your grilling classics like burgers, chicken and steak.

Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc has a lovely pale yellow color and smells of grapefruit and lemon. It’s light, crisp and clean, perfect for summer.

Their Chardonnay is rich and medium-bodied, with lush, tropical fruit flavors and hints of oak. It’s perfect with Mexican corn, grilled shrimp or potato salad.

And the Excursion Red Blend, made with a proprietary blend of red varietals, was perfect with dessert. It has a rich, sweet and spicy flavor with hint of plum, dark chocolate and vanilla.

Party Favors

Something you may not know about me is that I’m very much into the little details of things.  That being said, party favors are a MUST for my parties. They give guests something to remember when they go home and makes them feeling a little extra special.

Favor Ideas:

• Bottles of Wine
• Custom Spice Rub
• Tote bags full of goodies
• A bundle of fresh herbs

Your Party Needs a Hashtag

All great parties these days have their own hashtag.  You can follow along with the hashtag #FindYourSummer for some more summer party and backyard BBQ inspiration and use that hashtag to share your own fun ideas.

Event Videos

In case you missed me on Facebook LIVE last week sharing more details about this summer party, you can watch it on the SITS girls Facebook page –> https://www.facebook.com/sitsgirls/videos/10155621509893263/

You can also check out a little behind-the-scenes in my latest VLOG –> https://youtu.be/uPTku86rSMU

 

Sweepstakes

Line 39 Wine is teaming up with Weber® Grills for a fun summer sweepstakes!  Visit line39bbq.com or text BBQ to 797979 for your chance to win a Weber® Q 1200 portable gas grill for all your outdoor adventures and backyard barbecues. See line39wines.com/sweeps for official rules and look for displays in store.

  

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Line 39 Wine.