Back to School Barbeque

 I have a major life changing announcement to make...my sweet husband Kevin is ditching his corporate job and is going back to school.  Yes - I will be the wife of a full-time law student.  To celebrate this major change in his life, we threw a backyard bash for all his friends over the weekend.  We enjoyed traditional barbecue food and great weather despite the cold front we have been plagued with for the past few weeks.  The school colors inspired the decor, but I avoided tacky school themed decorations.  The red accents came from roses in glass jars filled with fresh basil and parsley from my garden.  I tied in blue by using blue tea lights in glass votives.

If you are going to throw a party soon, I have one piece of advice: Prep a few days before by laying out all the pretty platters and decor.  It is a total time saver and helps things run smoothly the day of the party.

I tried to keep everything rustic and simple.  For our s'more station at the fire pit, I used jumbo marshmallows with wooden skewers.  Be sure to soak them the morning of your party to avoid catching fire.  For an unexpected twist, try these peanut butter cut s'mores.

Sweet Pepper & Cream Cheese Dip
Tortilla Chips and Garden Fresh Salsa
Authentic Tomato and Basil Bruschetta
Grilled Pork Brats
Mesquite Chicken Drumsticks
Traditional Pasta Salad
Authentic Caesar Salad
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fire Roasted S'Mores