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Summer is in full swing and we’ve been enjoying lots of dinners al fresco. It’s our favorite time for outdoor entertaining with family and friends. Dining outdoors doesn’t have to be elaborate, but it should be relaxing. With just a few decorations, some awesome food and beverages you can have the perfect outdoor meal.
I’m excited to share with you some Summer Entertaining Ideas including recipes with two of my favorite products, Gold Peak Tea and Barilla.
Let’s get started!
Summer Entertaining Ideas
To set the mood, bring a little bit of the indoors out! A dining table and area rug create an inviting space for dining. Incorporate outdoor furniture and add bright colored throw pillows for your guests.
Coordinating table linens and place settings add to the ambiance.
Layer plates on top of chargers with matching napkins to create a more formal yet, inviting look.
Set out glasses for tea as well as water for your guests. Simple little details like drink stirrers add to the fun!
Be sure to have plenty of beverages on hand. Keep extra drinks on ice for your guests to enjoy throughout the evening.
Gold Peak Tea is our favorite tea and nothing is more refreshing on a hot summer day than a tall glass of Iced Tea!
Add some flowers to the table for more color and interest.
Once you have your table set and your drinks on ice, it’s time to move on to the food. Summer dining is all about staying cool and cooking as little as possible. Simple main dishes like fried chicken from the deli are perfect, especially when paired with a refreshing salad.
My Pasta Fruit Salad is super easy to make and is always a huge hit at potlucks and parties.
Pasta Fruit Salad
What you will need:
- 1 Box of Barilla Rotini Pasta (Check out the current Ibotta rebate – Buy 3 products and earn $1. Valid on all Barilla Blue Box Products and Barilla Pesto Sauce)
- 1 cup Sliced Strawberries
- 1 cup Mandarin Oranges
- 1 cup Seedless Red Grapes, halved
- 1 Kiwi, diced
- 1/2 Fresh Peach, diced
Start by cooking the pasta per the directions on the box. Once cooked, drain and rinse. Place the pasta in a large bowl to chill in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. While the pasta is cooling, start the dressing.
Dressing:
- 1 cup Vanilla Yogurt
- 2 tbs Mayonaise
- 1 tsp Honey
Place ingredients in a small bowl and whisk. Set aside.
Once the pasta has cooled, add the remaining ingredients to the pasta and stir.
And that’s it! An easy and refreshing Pasta Fruit Salad, perfect for any summer party or potluck!
Want to add more variety to your table? How about making a quick batch of Peach Tea? Simply add fresh sliced peaches to Gold Peak Unsweetened Tea (available in 1-gallon bottles and 64 fl. oz. bottles at Walmart), add honey to taste and you have the perfect Peach Tea to accompany the Pasta Fruit Salad!
Don’t forget to head to Walmart for all of your Summer Entertaining needs! You can find Barilla in the pasta aisle.
And you can find Gold Peak Tea in the six packs in the center aisle. The 1-Gallon bottles can be found in the refrigerated section, along with the 64 oz. size which has a great deal going on right now. $1 off when you buy any two (2) 64 fl oz bottles of Gold Peak Tea on Coupons.com.
Looking for more Summer Entertaining Ideas? Be sure to check out Summer Tastes for more summer recipes.
What are your favorite summer entertaining ideas and recipes? I’d love to hear from you!
Happy Entertaining!
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31 comments
I have never had pasta with fruit before! But it sure looks delicious. And I sooo wish that I had your patio stuff on MY deck, lol!
I love your pictures so much. Definitely I have to try this gold peak tea
I like this tea. It is a perfect party tea.
Really awesome ideas, any guests would love to be greeted with this
Oh wow. That pasta salad is great! I love how you were able to set up an outdoor dining area with those colorful throw pillows. The bottled tea looks so refreshing too. Good job!
That tea looks delicious. Sounds ideal for a hot Summer night!
This looks like such a great summer meal! We love Gold Peak Tea around our house. It’s the only tea we will drink when we’re out.
I like drinking tea, this is nice. I want to try this but not sure if this is available in our country.
I love teas in a bottle and surely yours is refreshing nbest partnered those superb and instagramable pasta.
You set up such a beautiful party setting. The tea was so perfect for a summer day too. I’m craving some now!
Pasta and fruit an interesting combination but it really sounds good. Great meal idea on a hot summer night.
The setup is simply lovely! I love the colors, everything’s perfect for the summer. This is definitely the best way to entertain friends and family during the summer. The iced tea sounds great, but the real winner is that pasta fruit salad! I’m keeping the recipe, thanks!
Your table set up is gorgeous! I love Gold Peak Tea! That pasta salad looks really interesting, I bet its great for a brunch.
You have awesome photos! I love all your shots. The food looks delicious too!
I love your tables-cape and how bright and colorful it is! The fruit pasta salad looks delicious.
Beautiful pics and the pasta looks delicious. I want to make that
Is that your house with the pool in it? It looks amazing and I love the pasta recipe plus the sweet tea too!
Everyone always asks for Ice Tea at a party in the Summer. It’s a great drink to have on hand.. I’ll have to try that pasta salad too-looks so good!
Well now, that’s my kind of meal. I love simple but delicious recipes and that tea would hit the spot right now.
I will be checking this out because my son is obsessed with ice tea and apple juice. Also, love the decor of your backyard and food presentation!
Great tips for summer entertaining! Love the colours you’ve used and the tea sounds good!
I love the look of this spread and the food looks amazing! Gold Peak is a really awesome tea brand 🙂
All of this food looks so good! I have never thought to make this type of pasta before but will be giving it a try.
These are a great meal and I think that tea was perfect for me.
My husband loves this iced tea! Your pictures are so pretty!
Tea, fried chicken and delicious summer pasta salad! Can I come over? Everything looks beautiful!
This looks delicious! I might be getting all the chicken 🙂
We are huge Gold Peak Iced Tea fans. Looks like a fun party! Yummy food!
Would sure like to know how much pasta to buy, says one box BUT how many ounces is that? Would love to make this for a family get together on Sat. Can someone tell me?
The Barilla rotini comes in a 1 pound box. 🙂
Dinner looks great for those hot summer. Does the tea come in decaf without lemon? Cannot seem to be able to find it here.
Thanks for sharing with us