One of the great joys in life is entertaining at home for friends and family. With BBQ season in full swing, we’re excited to fire up the grill, serve up some refreshing cocktails and share some yummy summertime fare with those we love! From good ol’ homemade apple pie to salads and burgers, great food is meant to be enjoyed with great company.

Check out some of our favorite dining and kitchen gadgets for pulling off the perfect lunch or dinner get-togethers in your backyard this summer.

1. Lenox Tuscany Classics Beverage Pitcher

2. Echo Design Latika Seafoaf 4-Pc Place Setting

3. Vitamix CIA Professional Series

4. Dansk Classic Fjord All Purpose Serving Bowl

5. Gorham That's Entertainment Bar Set

6. Riedel H2O Classic Bar Long Drink 2-Pc Set

7. Lenox Chip & Dip Serving Plate

8. Le Creuset Bistro Grill

9. BIA Cordon Bleu BIAmboo 4-Pc Salad Plate Set

10. BIA Cordon Bleu 2-Pc 3-Section Server Set

11. Spiegelau Beer Tall Pilsner Glass Set

12. Emile Henry Le Grande Pie Dish

For a refreshing summer treat for the whole family, try this delicious smoothie recipe from Vitamix®!

Citrus Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 orange, peeled and quartered

¼ lemon, peeled, quartered and seeded

½ cup fresh pineapple chunks

¼ cup fresh mango chunks

1 cup ice cubes

Place all ingredients in the Vitamix in the order listed. Start at Variable 1 setting and turn on the machine. Slowly increase the speed to 10 then to High. Blend for 1 minute or until desired consistency is reached. Enjoy!

As the dust from the playoffs start to settle, and the last two teams standing face each other for the big game, football fans across the country congregate to enjoy the competition, food, friends and of course, those awesome commercials!

If you’re planning on hosting a game day party to root for your favorite team (or just enjoy this last hurrah of the season if your team didn’t make the cut!), here are a few tips to get you prepared along with some of our top picks for football fun at home:

It’s all about atmosphere. Make your home more festive than any bar in town by incorporating team colors—napkins, paper plates, serving bowls, pennants, balloons… It IS a party after all! Try having a football ready to toss around between guests during halftime. It’ll get everyone in the touchdown spirit!

Snacks, snacks, and more snacks! Chips and dip are a great game-day go to. Since this IS the biggest game of the year, why not elevate your selection of dips by whipping up something special in a slow cooker? Mom’s chilli anyone?

1.Mitchell & Ness NFL® hats, 2. Waechtersbach Fun Factory Serving Bowls (Set of 2), 3. Krups Beer Tender, 4. Spiegelau Beer Glasses (Set of 2), 5. DeLongi 5-Quart Stainless Steel Slow Cooker, 6. Highbury Whittier 3-Section Tray, 7. Waring Pro Buffet Server, 8. Wilson NFL Game Ball, 9. Bodum Picnic Charcoal Grill

Tailgate favorites are always a hit. An at-home football party calls for BBQ classics, wings and ribs! They keep hungry guests happy…even if their team is on the losing end. Set up a buffet-style table with a heated server, some colorful serving plates and some stick-to-your ribs recipes.  

Cheer on your team with a selection of beverages. Beer and soda are the obvious must-haves for football parties, but make sure you offer lots of cold water, too! If you really want to impress your guests, bring the bar home by serving a traditional foam-topped beer from your personal beer draught tap!

There’s nothing quite like enjoying a nice glass of wine with dinner. It’s the pillar of a fine meal which marks a time to connect and share with friends and family.

Spiegelau™ toasts those who venture to experience the fullness of life. They are dedicated to producing the very best wine glasses possible, merging quality, aesthetics and a good value. Spiegelau™ carries a great selection of not just wine glasses, but martini, beer and cocktail glasses to make any gathering cheer-worthy.