Our Derby Day post was such a doozie the other day, we decided to share the recipes for the party in a separate post to make them easier to access.
It’s been a minute since we’ve shared any kind of recipe here, and we know that these are so easy peasy for any summer gathering, so it made sense to have them here. Without further ado, three easy crowd pleaser recipes for any gathering. {They’re especially perfect for the months ahead!}
We had our own little gathering in the backyard the other day, while Jamin tested his recipes.
Sometimes there’s nowhere we’d rather be than by the pool, especially after a long day of work and school.
We did end up using these for the party, thus the separate shoots. So here they all are below!
Smoked Pork Sliders:
Grill vs. Smoked: While we smoked ours, you can still use the same recipe if you only have a gas grill. Just use indirect heat by only lighting on one side of the grill with the other side holding the meat.
Pro tip: if you want that smoked flavor too, here’s a simple trick. Just light the appropriate wood for the meat, let it burn for a bit, then put it out and place it on the grill while it’s smoking.
Now to the easy recipe:
We use pork tenderloin and soak it for 24 hours in apple juice and 1/4 cup lemon pepper.
It’s really the key for amazingly yummy pork that isn’t dried out.
When you’re ready to grill, generously coat the pork with lemon pepper, Tony Chachere’s creole, and Weber Chicago Steak.
Let the meat sit while you light the grill. I use lump charcoal and applewood chips.
You’ll want your grill to be around 225-250 and you’ll cook the meat until the internal temp is 135-140. This will take at least 1 hour and 30 minutes. Low and slow is the name of the game.
Two key elements:
- Don’t open the grill unless necessary.
- If your grill is getting too hot, open the firebox and move the wood chips around until one goes out and is only smoking. This not only will help reduce the heat but produce some wonderful smoke for the meat.
DO NOT SKIP THIS NEXT STEP:
When the meat is done, wrap it in tin foil and place it in a cooler.
Let it sit for at least an hour.
This helps the meat settle and reabsorbs the juices.
Then, you can slice and serve or even put it away and serve it cold the next day.
It’s wonderful both ways.
Antipasto Kabobs: {These are oh so yummy in a salad version, too!}
If you can buy your favorite veggies, cheese, and meat and place them on a stick, you’ll impress all your guests with this clever little concoction. This is super simple, but such a crowd-pleaser and looks amazing prepared. It’s great to pre-game it before the big gathering so your food is ready to go.
Below is what we used, but you can sub in whatever you want, and then simply put it on a stick.
• mozzarella ball
• cucumber
• round genome meat
• prosciutto
• kalamata olives
• red, yellow, and orange bell peppers
• field greens
• grape tomatoes
Tip: Start with sliding a cheese a stick all the way down until there is just enough room for you to hold it at the bottom. Then begin adding the items you want. We always put the largest item in the middle and then cap it with another piece of cheese, that way it’s bookended with cheese and won’t slide off.
Place it for serving and you’re good to go!
Hot Bites:
These are great finger foods for any gathering. Another great recipe perfect for prepping beforehand, so that all the work is done when guests arrive.
What you’ll need:
• 1 cup roasted turkey breast, or you can sub in chicken
•8 slices of crumbled bacon
•4-5 diced grape tomatoes
•3 1/2 TBSP of butter
•2 1/12 TBSP all-purpose flour
•1 cup of half and half
•1/4 tsp of salt
•1/4 tsp of white or black pepper (white if you want an earthy taste, black if you want a little more spice. I prefer black.)
•1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper
•grated romano cheese or an Italian mix
• 30 mini fillo shells
Heat your oven to 325.
While it’s heating dice, crumble and shred the meats and tomato into a bowl together and set aside.
Then in a saucepan, melt your butter and whisk in the flour until it forms a paste.
Pour in the half and half, and whisk it until it thickens.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the salt, pepper, and cayenne.
Next, whisk in the 1/2 cup of cheese and pour it into your meat and tomato mixture. Stir together with a spoon.
Finally, place the fillo shells on a baking pan and fill them with the mixture.
Top them with cheese and a slice of tomato. Bake them for 8-10 minutes and serve.
We’re ready to do some long overdue gathering this summer!
We hope these recipes give you a little easy inspiration for the months ahead and that you enjoy.
Rigby and Fitz certainly approve. They’re hoping to grab a bite, at least.
Be sure to check out our full Derby Day party here!
Have an inspired day!
Albertina says
I have tried all three recipes and it was so fun to do and you made it straightforward so thank you for sharing this amazing and delicious recipe!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Awe, thank you so much for letting us know! This made our day.