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Home » Fun » Perfect Summer Party Foods

Perfect Summer Party Foods

June 19, 2012 by Faith 22 Comments

This is the easiest pasta salad ever:  Mix 3/4 lb cooked pasta with 1 batch Best Dressing, 1 cup cherry tomatoes (halved), and 3 scallions (thinly sliced).  Perfect pool party food!

As kids, the one thing my sister and I wanted during summer was a pool.  (Ok, that’s a stretch.  We also wanted a dog.  And a cat.  And a boatload of Fla-vor-ice freeze pops to eat, and a backyard “fort” to camp out in.)  But really, we begged and pleaded with my parents for a pool for as long as I can remember.Now that her kids are all grown up and moved out, my mom made an announcement this year:  she’s getting a pool.  What she didn’t realize is that now that her kids are all gone, her free labor is gone with it and she’ll have to tend to the upkeep herself.  (One of the biggest arguments my sister and I had when we were trying to convince our parents to get us a pool was that we’d take care of keeping it up ourselves, and they wouldn’t have to do anything but enjoy it.)  Somehow I doubt she’ll mind though, especially as she’s leisurely floating in her new pool enjoying a cold beverage on a scorching hot day.  But, the good thing for my sister and I is that we can enjoy using the pool without having to worry about taking care of it.  The tables have turned, lol.

Here’s a quick list of ideas for putting together good food for a pool party…you could even make it pot luck-style and ask people to choose a dish to bring.

Strawberry Spritzers 

Drinks

  • Punch or fruity drinks, like Strawberry Spritzers or Peach-Strawberry Fizz
  • Lemonade
  • Cold-Brewed Iced Tea
  • Cold-Brewed Iced Coffee

Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

Appetizers

  • Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta
  • Homemade Everything Crackers with cheese, hummus, or any dip you like
  • Veggie Tray with Vegetable Cream Cheese Dip, Roasted Carrot Red Lentil Dip, or any dip you like

Pineapple-Almond Slaw Salad

Salads and Veggie Side Dishes

  • Layered Green Salad
  • Pineapple-Almond Slaw Salad
  • Carrot-Raisin Salad
  • Grilled Vegetables

White Bean-Roasted Red Pepper Salad

Bean, Pasta, and Potato Salads

  • White Bean-Roasted Red Pepper Salad
  • Lemony Olive & Black Bean Relish
  • Succotash-Style Pasta Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing
  • Deviled Potato Salad
  • Herbed New Potato Salad

Cheeseburger Pie

Main Dishes

  • Shrimp Burgers with Scallion Mayo
  • Pizza Burgers
  • Cheeseburger Pie
  • Grilled Chicken with Homemade BBQ Sauce

Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes

Desserts

  • Cherry-Vanilla Cheese Danish Cupcakes
  • Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
  • Lavender Shortbread Cookies
  • Red, White, & Blue Sorbet Sundaes
  • Sparkling Frozen Strawberry Lemonade
  • Grilled Peaches with Orange Blossom Syrup & Pistachios

And here are a few more delicious looking recipes from around the web that would be perfect for a summer party:

  • Almond Joy Brownies by Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
  • Berry Popsicles by Jeanette’s Healthy Living
  • Brownie Batter Frozen Yogurt by Chocolate-Covered Katie
  • Caponata, a Summery Sicilian Vegetable Stew by Food to Glow
  • Deviled Shrimp by Sunset
  • Grilled Endive Caprese Salad by Healthy Green Kitchen
  • Grilled Chicken with Tarragon-Mustard Marinade by Kalyn’s Kitchen
  • Grilled Turkey Burgers with Greek Yogurt-Based Sauce by Epicurean Mom
  • Lamb Burgers by Southern Living
  • Lemony Potato and Pea Salad with Mint by Savory Moments
  • Toasted Walnut Spinach Pesto Pasta by Family Fresh Cooking
  • Tofu Burgers by Real Simple
  • Watermelon and Feta Bites by Yummy Mummy
  • Whole Wheat Pasta Salad with Beans, Capers, and Balsamic Yogurt Dressing by Cookin’ Canuck
  • Zucchini with Ricotta and Mint by Katherine Martinelli via Everyday Maven

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Filed Under: Fun, Menus, Recipes Tagged: Pool Party Foods, Recipes, Simple Pasta Salad, Summer Food Ideas, Summer Menu Ideas, Summer Party Foods

Comments

  1. Magic of Spice says

    July 4, 2012 at 3:46 pm

    These are all wonderful for summer time dishes and pool parties!
    P.S. congrats on the no maintenance pool score ;)

    Reply
  2. Katie {Epicurean Mom} says

    June 26, 2012 at 2:22 pm

    These all look SO wonderful Faith!! Thanks so much for the shout out! :)

    Reply
    • Faith says

      June 26, 2012 at 4:55 pm

      My pleasure, Katie! Your burgers look fantastic! :)

      Reply
  3. Jean (Lemons and Anchovies) says

    June 22, 2012 at 10:53 am

    I think all the things you and your sister wanted as children were perfectly reasonable! I would have loved the same. :)

    You’ve put together such a mouthwatering collection of summer foods. I’m drooling over each one. Great idea!

    Reply
  4. Hannah says

    June 22, 2012 at 9:24 am

    Loving each and every one of these ideas. I’ve been at a bit of a loss because the seasons switched over so quickly, but this aught to set me straight again! I’m all over the idea of a pasta salad that looks so good for so few ingredients. Just have to make that dressing first!

    Reply
  5. Jeanette says

    June 21, 2012 at 6:26 pm

    What a wonderful roundup of summer party foods. It is 92 degrees today so everything on this list sounds good! Thanks for including my popsicles.

    Reply
  6. [email protected] says

    June 21, 2012 at 11:08 am

    You are too funny about your Mom! You *will* have the best of both worlds :D And I love your round-up of summery recipes – the cheeseburger pie looks fab. And, I didn’t realise I was included in your links until I saw my name, so thanks so much!

    Reply
  7. Catherine says

    June 21, 2012 at 12:25 am

    Dear Faith, you have presented a beautiful array of light and delicious dishes!! Everything looks like a delightful treat. Blessings my dear, your friend, Catherine xo

    Reply
  8. Blond Duck says

    June 20, 2012 at 5:20 pm

    I want a pool. And cheeseburger pie.

    Reply
  9. [email protected]'s Recipes says

    June 20, 2012 at 11:43 am

    Delectable! The pasta salad looks light, colourful and delicious and I love that cheese burger pie too.

    Reply
  10. Girlnapurpledress says

    June 20, 2012 at 8:26 am

    Amazing post & ideas! I love your photographs, simply beautiful! Loving the cheese danish cupcakes! What a great idea. Your white bean red-roasted pepper salad looks really delicious. What a feast!

    Reply
  11. Nancy-SpicieFoodie says

    June 20, 2012 at 8:18 am

    Hi Faith,

    I’m giggling at the pool story. Enjoy it:) All of the recipes in this roundup are perfect for summer. I love pasta salad with tomatoes in the summer.

    P.S.
    Glad to hear your book will also be available in Kindle format. Can’t wait to get my copy:)

    Reply
  12. Joanne says

    June 20, 2012 at 6:54 am

    I LOVE these summer party ideas! And had to laugh about the pool and your mom…maybe now that you’ve all moved out she’s just trying to lure you in to visit more with the pool? :P

    Reply
  13. Sanjeeta kk says

    June 20, 2012 at 6:14 am

    Where’s the party tonight…lovely-lovely ideas to kick start one soon!

    Reply
  14. coco says

    June 20, 2012 at 5:25 am

    love this posts for party ideas! all the recipes sound delicious and easynto make! :)

    Reply
  15. [email protected] says

    June 20, 2012 at 12:02 am

    Love this post and every picture. I shouldn’t read blogs at night, now I’m so hungry for that bruschetta.

    Reply
  16. Alyssa (Everyday Maven) says

    June 19, 2012 at 4:45 pm

    That is so funny Faith. Having a pool makes summer amazing – I miss that about the East Coast!

    Reply
  17. Jenn and Seth (@HomeSkilletCook) says

    June 19, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    such great ideas for summer parties! love it!

    Reply
  18. Diane says

    June 19, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    Wow, what a great selection of ideas and recipes as well. Diane

    Reply
  19. Erica says

    June 19, 2012 at 12:05 pm

    I’m starting to make my menu for Kaylin’s birthday! Perfect post :) Great timing ;)

    Reply
  20. Krista says

    June 19, 2012 at 8:30 am

    Faith, you are a wonder. :-) You have SO many good ideas for summer, I love it. :-) My brothers and I hankered for a pool too – and actually got one for a couple of years at a rental we stayed in. We absolutely loved it. :-)

    Reply
  21. Rosa says

    June 19, 2012 at 5:48 am

    Wonderful food, indeed! I particularly like the cheeseburger pie.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply

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Hello! I’m Faith and I write An Edible Mosaic. This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics, with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. I focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home. Welcome to my mosaic of recipes.

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I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

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Pelmeni are Russian meat dumplings frequently serv Pelmeni are Russian meat dumplings frequently served with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh dill. You can boil or fry them, they freeze like a dream (and they cook directly from frozen!), and they make a big batch so you’ll have a freezer stash of easy dinners for busy nights. But fair warning, these are definitely a labor of love. I made them last spring on a Zoom call with ma chérie Evelyne of @cultureatz that involved ridiculous amounts of laughter, and the shenanigans of us hand making about 100 dumplings each! I’m definitely a bad blogger for not sharing the recipe until now lol. But it’s (finally!) up and you can check it out on @anediblemosaic 🥰 —> https://www.anediblemosaic.com/pelmeni-recipe-russian-dumplings/ #dumplings #dumplingsfordays #russianfood #pelmeni #foodstyling #foodstylist #foodphotography #photography #moodygrams #lightandshadow
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