Meat and Sweets with the Gardners

This summer Drew and I are beginning a Gardner family summer tradition! Throughout the summer we want to host a BBQ with friends and family and for each BBQ we will be grilling a new meat and method (not just burgers and dogs) and baking a new dessert that I've never made. A couple of weeks ago we had round one of meats and sweets with the Gardners, we had a great time with wonderful fellowship.

Mindy, Mike, Ryan, and Brandon enjoying dinner...after dinner came a heated game of cherades, (I think the boys cheated).

Tim and Ashlyn enjoying some pool time, the pool was a great refresher to the warm weather.

Sebastian having fun in the sand table

The girls chatting and hanging out, and Cassie enjoying her chicken.

Drew and JP hanging out

It felt great that evening when the sun set...Mindy, Kara, and Mike enjoying eachothers company

Ryan being cool and trying on Ashlyn's floaties

Cute couple...Ben and Mikaela

Drew and me

Of course the cute kiddos



For our first ever meat and sweets we grilled chicken, here is the recipe and for dessert we made smores, the kids and adults loved them!

Honey Mustard Chicken:

12 chicken drum sticks

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup country dijon-style mustard

2 teaspoons shredded lemon peel

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons onlive oil

4 garlic cloved minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade, in a small bowl stir  together honey, mustard, lemon peel, lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper. Pour over chicken; seal bag. Turn to coat chicken. Marinate in fridge for 4 hours turning occasionally.

2. Drain chicken; place any remaining marinade in a sauce pan. Bring marinade to boil. Preheat grill, reduce heat to medium. Adjust for indirect cooking. Place chicken pieces on grill rack over burner that is turned off. Cover and grill for 50 to 60 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (180*F), brushing occasionally with the sauce during the last 5 minutes of grilling.

Makes 6 servings