The thing I love most about summer barbecues is the side dishes — salads, dips, etc..  I love trying and tasting everything, seeing how someone else’s potato salad recipe differs from mine or what sides they grew up with as go-tos.  It’s the best.

A few weeks ago, I bought a can of Mela Watermelon Water after a workout.  The can touted the benefits of drinking watermelon water, which is packed with electrolytes and antioxidants.  It tasted great, and was very refreshing. But the price?  Woof. So I decided to make my own.

One of my a-number one hostess tricks is cookies.  I make a batch of cookie dough, freeze it, and then bake a few when people come over.  They’re also a great option for potlucks and backyard barbecues.  Because everyone from kids to adults loves a good cookie.

I thought a boozy frozen treat would be the perfect thing for this week.  But I’m in Montana, and it’s snowing.  In mid-June.  Every time this happens I get a little bit further away from convincing my husband to move for my job.  Because he can tolerate a lot of things, but snow in June is a stretch.

It’s important to hydrate, especially during the hot summer months.  And one of my tricks for staying hydrated is to make an infused water in a large drinks dispenser, and have it out on the counter, where it cannot be avoided.