Summer is prime for group gatherings, and there’s still time to plan one before the season ends. Cookouts are a staple, of course, but they’re difficult to pull off if you don’t have a backyard or a grill. Plus, we’re getting tired of hotdogs and their weird ingredients.
Here are 12 ingenious ideas for the ultimate summer get-together. These party themes will work whether you’ve got a lawn or live in an apartment without one: Just take the setup to your living room, common area or a local park if you lack the space. Some themes demand a bit of cheerful prep work, while others require no more than a group text. Choose one, and party on!
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Another Reason To Love Brussels Sprouts
We adore these mini cabbages as a side dish, but it turns out they can also be key players in a zesty, cheesy dip. This one includes bacon (which is basically all we needed to hear), garlic, ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and sliced Brussels sprouts. You bake the dip until it's browned on top and serve hot with toasted baguette slices, chips or crackers.
The stacked salad is a potluck stalwart; also known as the seven-layer salad, it can be the most interesting-looking and widely appealing dish on the table. Somehow, when everyday ingredients -- in this version, beets, potatoes, carrots, eggs, peas and canned tuna -- are spread in layers in a glass bowl, they become a whole much greater than the sum of its parts.
A Dish That Makes Us Want To Renew Our Vows With Bacon
Bacon and guacamole are two foods that tend to go over really well with pretty much anyone -- which is why this brilliant dip combining both is a shoo-in for any buffet table. The recipe also features roasted jalapeños, onions, garlic and tomatillos, which give the spread an extra rich and smoky flavor.
This over-the-top accompaniment for ridged potato chips proves that sometimes, more is more. The dip starts with the basics -- sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder -- yet goes way beyond the predictable workhorses, incorporating buttermilk, fresh dill and chives, sweet Spanish paprika and crumbled blue cheese, so it delivers a perfect mash-up of sweet and salty tastes. The icing on the cake is a garnish of fried shallots.
The Throwback Everyone (Seriously, Everyone) Loves
A Mexican seven-layer dip is one of the most guaranteed-to-be-gobbled-up dishes you can bring to a party. And while there are many ways to build this stalwart classic, we're partial to refried beans, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, lettuce and olives. Heating the beans with some diced chilies before spreading them into the dish gives it some depth, as well as texture.
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