This post is sponsored by Ace Hardware.
I am not a good cook.
Not even close.
Not even in the ballpark of good cooking anytime anywhere.
And so whenever I throw a party it’s usually a potluck—as in they bring the pots and I bring the luck.
Until now.
I discovered the best idea ever in the history of ever if cooking’s not really your thing and you never met a party you didn’t like.
Vegetable skewers.
Aren’t they adorable?
Aren’t they cute?
Don’t they look like they want to be best friends with a little tomato and summer squash and green peppers?
My entire vegetable skewer journey started here.
On the back porch with the setting sun.
This amazing, wonderful, incredible Weber Genesis II E-210 LP Gas Grill.
Isn’t it beautiful?
I’ve been wanting a new grill forever and I didn’t even know where to begin. The team at my local Ace store had a huge selection of high-quality grills and helped me find this one. The handle is so substantial and the knobs are so well-made and it heats up quickly and the heat is so evenly distributed it makes grilling so easy.
It comes with shelves on either side for extra storage.
And even better?
Ace delivered it right to my house and set up it up with their free assembly and free delivery service (can you even believe they set it up for FREE). The grill was delivered and set up and I didn’t have to lift a finger.
And then?
It was time to get my party on.
We are trying to eat healthier here this summer, so fresh home-grown vegetables are on our menu.
I also discovered this handy LED thermometer when choosing my grill with Ace, which makes cooking even easier. The iGrill attaches to your grill and the app tracks your food via the thermometer and alerts you when items reach the ideal temperature.
Then I loaded up the skewers with layers of fresh vegetables and added fresh corn to the grill, too. They grilled up perfectly thanks to the smooth porcelain-enameled cast iron cooking grates that allowed me to cook the veggies without having them stick to the grill grates.
The meal was almost ready.
It was such an easy meal to put together in under 30 minutes.
I added cheese and pita crackers and fruit and baked beans and I also put together a salad tossed with raspberry vinaigrette and cranberries and walnuts and blue cheese as an alternative if people didn’t want grilled vegetables.
Then we finished off the night with watermelon.
Weber makes such a great line of products that made the grilling and getting everything ready for the party even easier and our awesome associate at Ace helped us pick out exactly what we needed when we stopped into our neighborhood Ace earlier this week. We told them what we were looking to prepare for our grill party, and they pointed us in the right direction to what we needed for the recipes we were looking to cook.
Here are a few of my favorites that our Ace associate recommended:
These grilling mitts.
They also suggested long handled tongs and the cutest corn on the cob skewers and of course—my vegetable skewers.
All the ingredients for the perfect party.
Everything was amazing. The food was perfect. The conversation skipped across the deck as we settled into these chairs to listen to the crickets and watch the fireflies as the sun set across the back pasture.
It was a night to remember along with a meal that’s still making my mouth smile.
Truly.
Even though there wasn’t a pot or a luck in sight. 🙂
PS There’s a great offer right now with Ace. You can go to Ace Hardware to receive $10 off your $100 purchase at Ace or $15 off $150 to purchase to get your own grilling supplies using my code THISTLEWOODFARMS. You can also order online at AceHardware.com and pick up for free at your local Ace until the end of August.
disclosure: This post was sponsored by Ace Hardware.
All of my opinions are my own.
Please see my advertising page for more information.
My husband does the grillin' at our house and everything is scrumptious!!! Nothing much to clean up either!!!
Great!!! So happy you've discovered the world of grilling!!! My Dad taught me to grill many years ago when I was about 12 years old and I've loved it ever since. I even grill in the dead of winter with the snow flying! Enjoy your new grill.
Nice grill but, more importantly, where did you buy that great outdoor carpet?
You rocked this!! So very proud of you!! I'm not good at the grill...I hand those mitts over to my SuperMan...who always LOVES a Weber grill!
Beautiful grill! Always fun to grill and eat outdoors!
My husband handles the grill chores. He 💓It! And the bonus is hardly any clean up. He gets most of his grill stuff supplies at Ace too. Nice selection and helpful people. We've owed a Weber our whole married life. But my husband is a purest. He likes lump charcoal.
There's nothing like fresh, summer veggies on the grill, and watermelon and/or berries for dessert!! xoxo
Yum!!!!!
Can I get your salad recipe and the dressing. Sounds so good.
YOU are now my fav b;og...hands down. Your BBQ is beautiful as is your backyard setting. AND, I absolutely L.O.V.E. that sweet picture of you!
I love your candor and honesty about everything--including your cooking skills. Although, I have to say, your solution of hosting potluck get togethers is genius! I have roasted vegetables in the oven, but I haven't tried grilling them. We will have to do this. Thanks for sharing!
Great grill! We are the hunt for a new one since hubby just dragged our last one out to the curb last week. They just don't last forever in the salt air. Nancy
I love to grill - as a single woman it is the only quick way to get a nice cooked meal on the table after work - your outdoor space is stunning. Can you share where you got the wicker dining table and chairs. To die for!
Love your post! Funny, but we have just bought exactly the same Weber in our Malaga house:-) It is fantastic and we use it every day, when we are in the house....
Hm, with that spread, you officially are a cook! Oh my goodness, it looks delicious! Plus those might be the cutest vegetable skewers ever! We finally got some cooler temperatures (under 100) so just might venture out to grill.
Everything sounds soooo yummy and the LED thermometer? Excellent idea! I told myself years ago that I was finally tapped out on technology. Boy, was I ever wrong! I'm getting techier by the minute :D and loving it. As cute as those vegetable skewers are, though, that salad sounds spectacular. Love me some blue cheese!
Sounds amazing! Now go to:: https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/news/g4431/foil-packet-recipes/ These foil bundles are to die for!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A "no cook" can shine and enjoy a good meal. We just purchased the same grill and KNOW WEBER is the best.
Love our Webber grill and our local Ace Hardware store! Nice post.
You just can't beat grilled veggies in the summer! And that thermometer - who knew technology could be so helpful when cooking. I"m similar to you in that I need all the luck and help I can get! :) Best, Kelly
We just recently (finally) got our deck added to the house, along with the new deck came a new Weber. We probably could have gotten another year from our Char-Broil but I've always wanted a Weber and was determined when it was time for a replacement it was going to be a Weber. It's just the 2 of us so we opted for the smaller Weber but my husband is now a Weber convert. He also how much better can it be...well, it's pretty darn good! Your deck and furnishings are beautiful, I could sit there and listen to the crickets while slippin on a beverage, that is if you could ever get me out of your house! So adore YOU.
What a yummy looking spread! Ya dun good, Betty Crocker! 🤣