Tips and Tricks post 5

Helpful Tips and Tricks from my kitchen to yours!

• KEEP IT HOT Put extra grilled burgers, hot dogs and more in a small empty cooler. It helps keep the food hot for seconds.
  
• QUICK POTATO SALAD To make potato salad in a hurry, microwave potatoes and mash them. Add chopped onions, cooked eggs and celery, then finish with your family's favorite dressing and seasonings.
  
• KEEP PANS CLEAN Didn't bring a pot scrubber along? Crumple aluminum foil to scrape any pans that don't have a nonstick coating.
  
• LET DRINKS CHILL OUT Fill a child's wading pool with ice, place it in a shady spot, and add juice boxes, cans and bottles. It's so much easier for everyone to find what they want.
  
• ENJOY FRESH FLAVORS For a cool summer treat, Let everyone dip fresh strawberries into sour cream and brown sugar. It's a tantalizing dessert kids of all ages adore.
  
• MINIMIZE MESS Fill medium size paper bags with just the amount of briquettes you need. When you're ready, place one bag in the grill and light the bag. No more dirty hands or clothes.
  
• PARTY-TIME SIPPER Blend lemonade with crushed ice and coarsely chopped seedless watermelon for a delicious new drink.
  
• TREAT FOR ONE Whip up a swimsuit-friendly snack in moments. Top rice cakes with peanut butter or jam and some cottage cheese.
  
• NEW SALSA FOR SUMMER Add blanched corn kernels, chopped watermelon and onion, blueberries, a splash of lime juice and salt to salsa. Serve with chips.
  
• SMALLER BURGERS For easy burgers that fit my daughter's appetite. I buy 1 lb. of ground beef and pat out 3 in. burgers. (I get about 10 per pound.) I serve the cooked burgers on small bakery buns.
  
• FREEZE EXTRAS Double or triple the amount of meat you're grilling. After dinner, cool and freeze leftovers. When you want a meal with grilled flavor, thaw and reheat the meat in the microwave.
  
• MARINATE AHEAD If your family loves grilled meat that has marinated for hours, freeze dinner-size portions right in your favorite marinades. Move a package from the freezer to the fridge in the morning and the meat seasons itself as it thaws.
  
• NO-LABOR LABOR DAY Introduce a cuisine the kids have never tried, like Korean, Brazilian or Indian and book a fun night out at a restaurant.
  
• NO-FUSS BARTENDING Choose one signature drink that's easy to serve at parties. Add a bit of chilled prosecco or lemon-lime soda to Powell & Mahoney's peach bellini. Serve in champagne flutes for elegant sippers.