A Family Cookout!

Well on Saturday June 18th we had a huge family cookout.  My dad's side of the family came into town, my mom's family was there, and then my sister's in-laws came.  In our family we always have a TON food.  My mom is an amazing cook so is my grandmother... well our whole family.

I make macaroni and cheese from scratch that is required at any gathering we have LOL
I buy 4 different kinds of cheeses in HUGE blocks.  I then shred or cut into small pieces so it will melt easier and smoothly.  Mix the cheese with some flour and butter, and milk, add noodles and voila.  The secret is in the cheese!!  But the recipe I have makes a HUGE HUGE amount.  I think the one pan weighs 10 or more pounds.  It is a ton of cheese, incredibly rich and a family favorite for sure.

It makes 2 HUGE pans full!!!  And that is a very very large mixing bowl filled with cheese!!  There was only a quarter of it left at the end of the day.  One whole pan empty and the bulk of the 2nd one gone!  (I also topped this with crumbled bacon!)

We of course had hotdogs, and then my mom made pulled pork BBQ!  We had amazing fruit platters, that my mom fixed, she is very creative and always fixes visually appealing displays.

We had steamed shrimp!!  I LOVE seafood.

A really good friend of the family that truly is a part of our family makes this amazing taco dip!  It is cream cheese and cottage cheese, taco seasoning, cheeses, lettuce, tomato, onions, olives... and you dip dorritos into it.  YUMMY.  I only get this like once a year and it is amazing!

Of course there were deviled eggs, corn pudding, chips and dip, a tomato mozzarella basil olive oil salad, wine, tea, sodas....

The desserts... My grandmother makes a candy bar cake that has chunks of Hersheys bar in with the chocolate cake.  Oh my goodness!  My mom made a lemon lime refridgerator cake, it is cake mix that you poke holes in and you add lemon and lime jello liquid into it, and put cool whip on top..... My dad's side of the family, his in-laws are Italian.  My Uncle's mom on that side of the family made some amazing Italian pastries!  There was a coconut cake.  HOLY COW!  I mean there would be enough to feed an Army.

It was really really nice to decompress, relax, visit.... my parents have a peaceful yard, surrounded by a beautiful flower garden, woods, and then a pool.  It was a wonderful day.

I hope you enjoyed reading about our feast!  LOL  And that you don't get too jealous :)))

Thanks.
Janet
http://www.galla15.etsy.com/