Summer Block Party #3: Ziplock Outdoor Living W/ Robin Miller's Recipes & Tips Review & Giveaway

One of my favorite things about summer is that we spend much more time outside. We invite friends over, sit on our deck, and, my favorite, we grill out! Ziploc Brand has partnered with Robin Miller from the Food Network to help families get the most out of their fun cookout festivities and save money and resources, too. That's right up my alley, for sure!

Miller has some great ideas and tips to make your cookout easy, hassle-free, and delicious that I'd like to share with you guys. Here are some of my favorite tips:

• Marinate It- We all know to marinate our chicken and steaks to make the meat tasty and juicy. Instead of using bowls, plates, and other items that mean additional clean-up, use Ziploc^® Brand Freezer Bags to marinate chicken, pork, beef, and fish! Remember, meat and poultry can marinate for up to 24 hrs. When you are ready to grill, just take the bags straight out of the fridge and to the grill to prepare your delicious dinner! Yummy!
•  Dip It- Get creative with your cooking! Make dipping stations so guests can put their own personal twist on grilled favorites! For instance, make unique dips and serve them with grilled staples like fish, veggies or meat! (If you try out the Beef Kebab recipe by Miller below, be sure to make the dips to go along with it. Guests will love trying something new. You can also make the kebabs with chichen, shrimp, or portobello mushrooms!)
•  Prep It, Store It, Take It- Go ahead and prepare your side dishes and desserts ahead of time. You can seal in the freshness in Ziploc^® Brand Containers with the Smart Snap™ Seal, which can go from fridge to cooler to the party easily! Serve some savory sides like Miller's Spiral Pasta W/ Pesto, Sundried Tomatoes & Pine Nuts or other favorites like homemade dips served with chips and pita wedges. 
•  Pack It- To save some money when out and about, pack a picnic for the family instead of purchasing expensive meals. We all know how expensive theme-park meals can be and this is a great way to pinch some pennies! Store your tableware and spoons in Ziploc^® Brand Slider Storage and Freezer Bags with the Smart Zip™ Seal. You can even pack up some pre-moistened paper towels in the Ziploc^® Brand Freezer Bags for spills and clean-up. When the picnic is over, put all the tableware back in the bags, take them home and wash.

Here are some of Robin Miller's Recipe suggestions:
Spiral Pasta with Pesto, Sundried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts – A delicious, yet healthy snack and side dish!
Beef Kebabs with Three Dips –Chipotle-Lime Mayo, Wasabi Soy Sauce, & Roasted Red Pepper Dips to make your dip station!Creative and fun for your cookout.
There are more great recipes and more tips on the Ziploc website to keep you entertaining and on a budget.

My Thoughts

I am a huge Ziploc addict and always stock up on these bags. You may ask why, especially since I am all about natural living, right? Well, these are reusable. I wash mine over and over in the dishwasher to clean and sanitize after use. They last quite a while and are great for just about anything. I pack snacks for the kids, store leftovers, and have frozen the fruits and veggies from our garden!

Ziploc can help make your cookouts and entertaining a cinch to stay on budget and make some delicious treats for you and your guests. So, ready to win some great Ziploc products for your summer entertaining?

Win It

One Children Teaching Mama reader will win a Ziploc Prize Pack, including a variety of Ziploc Freezer, Storage, and Slider Bags!

**Remember to include your email address if it is NOT visible in your profile so I will know how to contact you! The initial entry is mandatory! Be sure to answer that question before earning extra entries listed below! Each bullet is worth one extra entry unless specified. Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry you earn and include your email address is at least one entry.

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Leave A Comment Below Telling Us Your Favorite Cooking Tip (can be anything cooking related!)

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Plenty of opportunities to increase your chance of winning! This Giveaway is open to US Residents and Ends June 8th at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be drawn by random.org. An announcement will be made on the blog and the winner will also be contacted by email. The winner has 48 hours to respond to my email or another winner will be chosen.