Sometimes, when it rains, it pours.  Sometimes, when it pours, it doesn’t stop.  Even if you’re hosting a barbecue for your family.  Even when the linens are pressed, groceries are bought, cupcakes are made and the twinkle lights are hung.

We have had an unseasonably warm spring in my part of the world.  Our trees bloomed early, tulips and daffodils poked out of the ground weeks ahead of schedule and people are just itching to get their gardens started.  Mother Nature, though – she’s got a sense of humor – she just won’t let us get too comfortable with our nice weather.  Case in point:  the last week was fabulous – sunshine and temperatures just above jacket-weather.  But today, when I had visions of a backyard family barbecue, it rained.  A lot.

So we improvised.  We brought our smorgasbord inside.  We were lucky to get a quick break in the rain so we could actually use the grill, and we got about half of the patio decorated before we called it a rain-out.  My parents have a great patio and deck area that’s under the umbrella of a huge maple tree.  We hung some festive twinkle lights, decorated with red gingham tablecloths and used white pails for centerpieces of drinks and yellow roses.  Even in the rain, it was lovely.

While it was disappointing that we couldn’t be outside, we weren’t too upset because the food spread was fantastic.  Our menu was as follows:

Hamburger sliders stuffed with cheddar and bacon with {homemade rolls}
Hamburger sliders stuffed with feta, parsley and spicy mustard with {homemade rolls}
Hot dogs and brats
Mustard Potato Salad
Deviled Eggs
Mom’s sweet, sticky baked beans
Tomato, mozzarella & balsamic salad
Twice baked potatoes
Garlic & parmesan corn on the cob
Angelfood cake with macerated strawberries & whipped cream
Double chocolate cupcakes filled with marshmallow cream

My dad ran the grill as usual, with help from my nephew Evan.  (Isn’t he the cutest?)  Dad has done all of the grilling for every barbecue since I can remember.  That’s just how it works around here.

Since we had so much food today, I thought we could get by with smaller hamburgers so I decided to make sliders.  These weren’t just any old slider though – they were stuffed with cheesy good-ness.  The first was stuffed with crispy bacon and cheddar jack cheese.  The second was stuffed with feta cheese, parsley and spicy mustard.

They were full of flavor and went over really well, served on homemade sandwich buns and topped with a slice of white american cheese, lettuce and tomato.  Think of the possibilites – grilled onions, barbecue sauce, pizza toppings – you could really get creative with these!

Our side dishes, as usual, seemed to multiply as the day went on.  We always seem to add “just one more thing” until we run out of time.  Of course, there are a few staples that we can’t do without – namely my Mom’s baked beans and potato salad – but we always have some new recipes at the table, too.  Today we added a tomato and mozzarella salad, twice baked potatoes and garlic and herb corn on the cob.

As good as all of this was, if you know me at all you know that I was most looking forward to dessert.  Our standard summer dessert is angelfood cake with macerated strawberries and homemade whipped cream, so of course we had that.  But because one dessert is never, ever enough, I also made cupcakes.

These are double chocolate cupcakes, topped with chocolate fudge frosting, filled with marshmallow cream and topped with chocolate flakes.  Admittedly, the original plan was to fill them with chocolate cream, but I ran out of cocoa.  I was sad.  (Well, I was sad until I ate one.  That cheered me up.)

All in all, I have to say that our barbecue was a success.  I was pretty upset that it rained on us, but in the big scheme of things, it really doesn’t matter.  What does matter is that I had my whole family under the same roof, together – eating, laughing and enjoying the company of the ones that matter most to us.

Thanks for spending this (rainy) day with me!  I’ve shared the recipes for a few of our menu items below.  Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Cupcakes
Yield:  18 cupcakes

Cupcake recipe:  {Click Here}
Fudge Frosting recipe:  {Click Here}
Marshmallow Filling recipe:  {Click Here}

Assembly instructions:
Prepare cupcakes and allow to cool completely.  Place marshmallow filling into a pastry bag with a filling tip, and press into each cupcake to fill. Top with frosting and chocolate flakes.

Chocolate Flakes:
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 Tablespoons shortening

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate and shortening in the microwave just until the shortening melts.  Remove and stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Spread chocolate in a thin layer over a piece of parchment paper, using a offset icing spatula for a thin layer.  Place parchment into the freezer for 15 minutes, or until hardened.  (I moved my parchment to a cookie sheet first.)  Once hardened, break into large chunks and put back into freezer or refrigerator until ready to use.

Bacon & Cheddar Stuffed Hamburger Sliders
Yield:  4-6 sliders, depending on size

1lb ground sirloin
2 Tablespoons worchestershire
2 Tablespoons minced, dried onion
1 Tablespoon Picka Peppa Sauce (optional)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/3 pound bacon, chopped and fried crisp
3 oz cheddar cheese

In a large bowl, combine ground sirloin, worchestershire, onion, PickaPeppa, salt and pepper.

Form into a small patty, and press thumb into the middle.  Fill indention with cheese and bacon.  Top with another small patty and press seams together and mold into a small, flat shape.

Grill to desired doneness.

Feta & Herb Stuffed Hamburger Sliders
Yield: 4-6 sliders, depending on size

1lb ground sirloin
2 Tablespoons worchestershire
2 Tablespoons minced, dried onion
1 Tablespoon Picka Peppa Sauce (optional)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped italian parsley
1/4 cup brown spicy mustard

In a large bowl, combine ground sirloin, worchestershire, onion, PickaPeppa, salt and pepper.

Form into a small patty, and press thumb into the middle. Fill indention with feta, parsley and a dab of mustard. Top with another small patty and press seams together and mold into a small, flat shape.

Grill to desired doneness.