Summer is officially here, and the LeaseQ team couldn’t be happier! We quickly found that one thing everyone on our team has in common is the love of summertime. Specifically, we all love a good cookout! During a recent call, we got a little carried away talking about our favorite cookout recipes and thought we should share some with you.
Whether you’re hosting a summertime soiree or are heading to an outdoor BBQ, our team has some tried and true side-dish cookout recipes to share that are always crowd-pleasers.
Easy Pasta Salad- Nick Funk, Regional Account Manager
I love summer cookouts, and of course, I love any and all meat on the grill. I’m also big on side dishes/appetizers, and pasta salad is one of my absolute favorite cookout recipes. It’s easy to make, and there’s always leftovers for the ensuing 3 or 4 days after the cookout (I like to double the recipe to make sure there’s plenty leftover)!
Ingredients
1 lb cooked and cooled pasta of your choice (I prefer tri-color rotini)
1 cucumber peeled and chopped/diced
2 peppers of any color (1 red and 1 yellow is my go-to)
½ stick of pepperoni sliced/chopped
1 block of your choice of cheese – cubed (Colby-Jack is my favorite)
8 oz Italian dressing
Directions
Throw everything into a large bowl and mix well, then refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Strawberry Pretzel Jello Salad- Kim Lorang, Sales Enablement Manager
This side dish was always one of my mom’s go-to contributions for parties, and it was always a hit! It now is one of my most made cookout recipes. Lately, I’ve been using crushed pineapples and pineapple gelatin instead of the strawberry, and it has quickly become even more loved than the original.
Ingredients
½ C butter
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
2 C crushed pretzels
1 C powdered sugar
3 T white sugar
1 (8 oz) package Cool Whip
2 (3 oz) packages strawberry gelatin
1 (20 oz) frozen strawberries
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine the melted butter, pretzels, and white sugar. Spread the mixture in the bottom of an ungreased 9X13 baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. While it is cooking, blend the cream cheese, 4 oz of Cool Whip, and powdered sugar.
Allow the crust to cool until it is cool to the touch. Once cooled, spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Be sure to spread the mixture all the way to the ends of the baking dish. Evenly spread the strawberries on top of the cream cheese layer.
Prepare the gelatin according to the directions on the packaging and pour it on top of the pineapple layer. Place into the refrigerator on an even surface until the gelatin is set.
Top with remaining Cool Whip and refrigerate until served.
Potato Salad with Bacon- Sandra VanBuren, Director of Strategic Business Development
About a decade ago, I started bringing this side to family BBQ’s and potlucks. This fast became a go-to as it was easy and a crowd-pleaser. It has all the richness of a loaded baked potato. Pro Tip: Make this in a disposable pan and set it on top of another tray filled with ice to keep all your dishes cold and fresh, even on the hottest days.
Ingredients
2 ½ lbs russet potatoes
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
2 diced celery stalks
1 C diced red onion
4 slices of bacon
¼ t celery seed
1/8 t smoked paprika
1 T sugar
1t black pepper
1T salt
1 t garlic powder
1 ½ C mayonnaise
2 T apple cider vinegar
2 T yellow mustard
*1 diced jalapeno is optional
Directions
Coat the potatoes with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Place them in the oven at 400 degrees and cook for one hour, or until done. Allow potatoes to fully cool. Once cooled, peel the potatoes, and set aside.
Cook the bacon per the instructions on the packaging. Once fully cooked to your liking, allow strips to cool before crumbling them into small pieces.
In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt, sugar, pepper, celery seed, and garlic powder. Add in the celery, bacon, eggs, potatoes, and pepper (if using).
Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours to allow flavors to properly mix.
Before serving, sprinkle the paprika over the dish and enjoy!
Not everyone loves an outdoor cookout, but luckily with COVID-19 restrictions continuing to lift, more and more people are able to join friends and family at their favorite local restaurants. Ensure your kitchen is prepared to meet the increased demand by taking inventory of your kitchen and leasing the equipment and other items you need for your operations to thrive.
The LeaseQ team is here for all your equipment lease financing needs; contact us today to learn how we can help you get the equipment you need!