In celebration of bacon

… and backyards.

To celebrate our new backyard (thanks, Mom!), we threw a Labor Day bbq.  Except we did it on the day before Labor Day so we’d have an extra day to recuperate (I think I actually didn’t feel caught up until Wednesday).  T felt we needed a theme, but we didn’t want some cheesy theme.  I also didn’t want something that would require extra decorating beyond “clean” and “just vacuumed”.  We ended up going with “bacon”.  Here’s what I threw out for appetizers:

• bacon-wrapped, cream cheese-filled jalapenos (from the garden!)
• bacon-wrapped, mustard-marinated bananas
• peanut butter, scallion, & bacon canapes
• bacon-wrapped water chestnuts
• blue cheese bacon dip
• deviled eggs with Bacon Salt (so, no real bacon involved there)
• jalapeno artichoke dip with endive and cucumbers (so I could offer healthy vegetables; the dip came from Costco)

People, I went through 4 pounds of bacon.  Four pounds!  And I ran out of bacon when wrapping the water chestnuts!  We also made bacon-wrapped scallops, corn, tri tip, pork ribs, dorado with mango salsa, and Cami brought her famous potato salad.  Then we continued to stuff people with dessert: malted milk ice cream, lemon basil sorbet, grilled pound cake with blueberries and peanut butter whipped cream, and the grilled banana bar (thanks to Jayden for the idea!)  I’d say it was all a hit, except for the grilled Caesar salad.

Everything worked out that we were able to show out outdoor movie, which ended up as a lot of silly screaming and some disturbing broom-whapping (the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre).  Either I’ve seen the remake or I’ve watched a “horror” movie with very similar scenes.  I can’t figure out which.  But it was quite fun and I’m looking forward to more movies.  Even after the warm weather is gone.  I’m going to curl up on the patio with hot chocolate and down blankets! 

I think it was a very successful party.  Friends from out of town came in for the bbq, and I was very happy to see them.  I was also touched that they would arrange their schedules and travel in for us.  I mean, obviously they get to see all their friends in one place, but I’m glad we were able to provide that opportunity.  I must be getting older because I’ve started to really appreciate the friends we have and that we have the ability to see them so often.

T said we keep outdoing ourselves and raising the bar too high.  After this bbq, I’m inclined to agree.  I mean, I actually enjoy going all out for our parties and showing off what we can pull off.  I’m good at it, so why not?  Each of our friends throw equally fun parties in their own styles and it’s always a good time.  I joked that our next party was going to be totally simple, to lower everyone’s standards.  I said we’ll just order pizza and get back to square one.  Then I started thinking about it and decided that even if I said we’ll order pizza, I know I’d end up buying pizza dough and setting up a grilled pizza bar.  Probably with root beer floats with homemade vanilla ice cream.  And T would probably want to try making the root beer himself.  Or we’d provide the vanilla porter we just brewed (and tasted).  Maybe “simple” isn’t in my party-throwing nature.

In just a few months, it’ll be holiday time.  Which means time for another Pre-Thanksgiving/Early Festivus party.  It’s usually fewer people, but a fancier dinner.  It’s going to be busy this year with conferences, a baby shower, and regular holiday stuff, but I’ve been saving up my grievances so we’re totally holding a party!  Plus, I finally figured out how to roast a prime rib, which is pretty awesome and totally show-off of me.

Summer is fleeting, but I have to admit that we’re getting into my favorite seasons.  I love long summer days and weather perfect for hammock-napping, but when the air starts getting chilly (which it hasn’t, yet) and we get to build fires and curl up in blankets I am a totally happy girl.  And if I thought September snuck up on me, I know the rest of the year will be going by in the blink of an eye.