Spontaneous BBQ Panic

I'm tired today after a spontaneous BBQ that grew from two people (including myself) up to eight people, causing me to panic about my not having enough corn on the cob. Ack!

I started inviting a friend who lives closeby since I had vegetables and burgers that would have to be grilled soon or they would die. And I love playing with my roomie's very groovy Weber grill, even if I bypass the fancy shmancy propane starter and just use a chimney starter. I think the food came out pretty good but I was too overwhelmed by the larger crowd to either take photos or even really come up with a yummy dessert. Sigh. So much for grilled pears and mangoes. That will have to be another evening.

The menu:

• Grilled zuchini, summer squash, onions and peppers (olive oil and salt)
• Just barely enough for all grilled corn on the cob, drizzled with salt and lime (the best way)
• Free range australian burgers from Trader Joe's (pretty good but a little tough)
• Fresh salsa (farmer's market tomatoes, hooray)
• Baba ganoush -- very yummy and easy -- just throw a large eggplant on the grill, wait til it deflates like a bad tire, take out the pulp and throw in processor with 2 Tb. tahini, lime, garlic and salt. Yum! Serve with pitas.
• Popsicles of various types.

That's what you get when you go spontaneous. Popsicles for dessert. Sheesh. The horror. But no one seemed to mind. That's what I have to remember about entertaining -- people LIKE to get together and don't expect much more than a place to sit and something cool to drink. No one is expecting to go into paroxysms of joy over the food or fine tableware. (Even if I would like them to do so). (And isn't it nice when you can work paroxysms into your entry?)