Sides, Mains & Dessert
As we mentioned in part 1 of this post, nothing says summer more to us than a little Backyard BBQ with our friends and family. We love a good game of cornhole or horseshoes, a cold beverage and some yummy food to go along with it. Our least favorite part of the whole shabang is having to cook all the food—we’d rather be enjoying the festivities and not stuck inside! Luckily, all of us at Traditions know our way around the kitchen and have a couple recipes up our sleeves that are worth sharing for your next potluck style party! We hope you can enjoy some of our favorites sides, mains and desserts as much as we do!
Kersten’s Homemade Cole Slaw
1 medium Head of green cabbage
1 large crispy red apple (Honeycrisp or Pink Lady)
1 cup Mayo
1/2 cup White Distilled Vinegar
2 tablespoons White Sugar
1 teaspoon celery seed
Start by thinly slicing the head of cabbage into strips. Do a rough chop to make cabbage more bite-size. Slice the apple into thin strips; set cabbage and apple aside. In a separate bowl add vinegar and sugar and whisk until sugar is nearly dissolved. Add in mayo and whisk till creamy. Add celery seed. Pour mayo mixture over cabbage and apple. Kersten likes her coleslaw not very saucy, so she pours just enough for everything to be coated—but save the remaining sauce. Cover coleslaw and store in fridge until it is chilled. Just before serving, give it a stir and add the remaining sauce, if desired.
(Kersten said this recipe also goes great on blackened fish tacos!)
Rhonda’s Super Simple Watermelon + Herb Salad
4 cups seedless watermelon in 1 inch cubes
1/4 c whole mint leaves
1/4 c whole basil leaves
2 Tbsp parsley chopped
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp raspberry vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 c diced feta (4 oz)
Combine watermelon and leaves in large bowl. Whisk together remaining ingredients and gently toss with watermelon. Gently add feta.
Cat’s Convertible Cauliflower Salad
Find any good potato salad recipe, either a tried and true or brand new recipe found online and replace the potatoes with cauliflower. Everything you love in a potato salad with the added health benefit of cauliflower!
Carolynn’s Favorite Go-To:
Grilled Sausages
Carolynn is the health nut of the store. We have all learned proper portion sizes for almost any food out there, including her quick, easy and healthy summer go-to snack!
Grilled chicken sausages – spicy or mild
Cut into chunks after grilling and serve with toothpicks to dip in an array of fancy mustard
Nancy’s Favorite:
Grilled Brats
Who doesn’t love the simplicity of a grilled brat when they’re sitting pool-side on a summer day? If you don’t, Nancy’s favorite recipe might just change your mind!
Grill brats until charred on outside, then
put grilled brats in boiling bath of beer, sauerkraut and grainy mustard. Let brats boil until ready to serve. Serve in liquid.
Mary DJ’s BBQ
On the weekends, Mary loves to throw pork ribs on the grill and douse in her secret, homemade barbecue sauce. It’s so delicious and coveted, that she won’t share the recipe with us 😜 Maybe if you stop in and visit her at the store, she’ll share with you!
Sharon’s Mouthwatering Brisket
Brisket
4-5 lb brisket
3 oz liquid smoke
1 cup water
Place brisket in shallow a pan and sprinkle entire bottle of liquid smoke over the top; add the water. Bake [uncovered] at 350 degrees for 2 hours
Sauce
15 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
A couple shakes of Tabasco sauce
Blend together. Pour over brisket and bake additional 2-3 hours [uncovered] basting every so often. Meat will look black but is very tender. Slice thin. (Sharon typically doubles the sauce — she pours 1/2 over the brisket while baking and serves the rest on alongside the brisket)
Suzanne’s Sandwich of Choice:
Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Whether it’s a family gathering or a quiet night in, Suzanne’s favorite BBQ dish to make comes from Bon Appetit. The Carolina Pulled-Pork Sandwiches are always a crowd pleaser. The vinegary barbecue sauce is the crowning moment of this finger-licking-good sandwich!
Mary McElroy’s Favorite Tasty Treat:
Key Lime Bars
No barbecue is complete without a delicious dessert. These key lime bars are the perfect cap to a fantastic meal—the tangy Key Lime juice is the perfect compliment to a hot summer night. You’ll be the hit at the party with this recipe from YourHomeBasedMom.com.
We’ve felt so inspired sharing all these recipes with you, we might just have to plan our next potluck in the courtyard of our Minneapolis store to celebrate the end of summer! We hope you enjoy these favorites as much as we do, and would love to hear how they turn out for you! Stop in to any of our 3 locations and share 😊
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