Summer cooking...

It's always a party at my house in the summer...I'm either cleaning up from a party or preparing for a party!  Summertime means living easy....at least that's what someone said...it must have been a man because I never seem to be living easy!  I love to entertain, I feel that it's serving someone else to entertain and I love when my kids or my husband invites someone to share our home.  I am just feeling a little overwhelmed after this week!

We have hosted someone or a bunch of someones the last three weekends.  This weekend, I cooked big meals on both friday and saturday nights.  Sunday, I declared a day of rest and leftovers....so after church, we headed to my favorite mexican restaurant and then had leftovers for dinner; remember to always cook more than you'll eat on the grill!  I did make a blueberry pie for my father-in-laws birthday.....I guess I just can't stop myself! 

Grilling played a big part in the meals and my husband is not the grill king.  His family never grilled...I mean never.  My family, on the other hand, would grill everything they could!  So---when grilling season hits, and that's pretty much year round in Oklahoma, I hit the grill!  Since it's been over ninety-five degrees this week, I grill while I'm hot and sweaty and then put the meat in the crockpot until I'm ready to serve it.  That way, I can shower and change before the company arrives!  I marinated chicken for one night and port tenderloin the next.  I used the same Okie marinade I've posted on here...it works for chicken , pork or steak.  I then put the cooked meat in the crockpot with a liner(no clean-up at midnight), and pour a little pineapple juice and soy sauce over the meat and lay fresh pineapple slices on top.  Keeping the crockpot set on warm ensures that the meat stays hot but doesn't overcook. 

This allows me to time everything a bit easier...I hate to be waiting on the meat or forget the meat and have charcoal..  Kate loves it, me...not so much!

Speaking of Miss Kate, she's the best dog in the world!  I went out to start and clean the grill and carried out my tenderloins.  I started, cleaned and started back in the  house to get my grill tongs.  As an afterthought, I called back, 'do not get that meat!'.  My husband was coming into the kitchen and stood off watching this scene.  He said, 'you realize you just told a dog not to eat something?'  'Yes, I replied, she won't eat it, she knows that she'll get a bite after it's cooked.  He laughed and laughed and said he'd run into town later to get me more meat.....she didn't eat it!  He couldn't believe it!  I told you she's the best dog in the world....she likes the scraps mixed into her nightly food...she's a food snob, what can I say?

I'll post my recipe for blueberry pie tomorrow!