With both Canada Day (Happy 150th!) and the Fourth of July coming up, we’ve pulled together a few recipes to make for a successful party on your vinyl patio.

We’ve all been there – you’re planning on having a few guests over, but don’t want to go through a ton of trouble to prepare a bunch of food. Fortunately, with a vinyl patio party nothing could be easier than to prep a few delicious and easy meals. Tuff Industries has scoured our resources to find you the quickest, easiest, and most delicious recipes for your next deck or patio get together.

Recipe #1: Chicken, Fig, & Prosciutto Skewers

Adapted from CookingChannelTV.com

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Sliced prosciutto
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup/125 ml balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup/125 ml olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 fresh figs, halved
• Wooden skewers (soaked in water for several hours)

Combine garlic, vinegar, oil, and pepper. Cube chicken breast and marinate in sauce for a few hours. Slide chicken, fig, and prosciutto onto skewers. Grill on both sides for 10-12 minutes.

Recipe #2: Barbecued Corn Salsa

Adapted from Cooking Channel TV

Ingredients

• 10 large ears corn, husked
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 8-10 vine-ripened tomatoes (1 lb)
• 1 cup diced white/red onion
• 4 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup basil leaves, chopped fine
• ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped fine

Brush the corn cobs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-high heat and turn regularly for 10- 12 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and remove kernels with a sharp knife. While cooking, toss onions with 2 tablespoons vinegar.

Core each tomato and cut an X on the bottom. Brush with oil, season, and place X side down on grill away from heat. Close grill and cook for about 15 minutes (do not overcook!). Let cool, then peel. Squeeze tomatoes to release seeds and juice, sieve and save tomato juice. Roughly chop tomatoes.

Combine corn, tomatoes, juice, onion, herbs, 1/3 cup olive oil and toss. Add additional salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste. Serve with tortilla chips, toasted naan bread, or crackers.

Recipe #3: Salmon Rillettes

Adapted from Sunset.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup white onion, minced
• 1/2 pound smoked salmon, skinned and in pieces
• 3 ounces cold-smoked salmon, in pieces
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup finely chopped chives
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dill
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper

Melt butter in a small frying pan. Add onion and cook for a few minutes, until soft but not browned. Let cool and scrape into a food processor. Add salmon and pulse until roughly chopped. Place in a medium bowl and stir in remaining ingredients. Season to taste with pepper and serve with toasted crackers.

Recipe #4: Barbecued Lime Shrimp and Corn

Adapted from CookingLight.com

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 ears corn, each cut crosswise into 4 pieces
• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 cups cooked couscous, rice, or quinoa

Combine the first 9 ingredients. Combine mixture, corn, and shrimp in foil oven bag. Place directly on hot grill (or about 450°F); cook 10 minutes. Serve over couscous, rice, or quinoa, with French bread for mopping up leftover juice.

Recipe #5: Easy Sliders

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 pound ground sirloin
• Cooking spray
• 2 teaspoons butter, softened
• 8 small rolls

Combine salt, pepper, and sirloin. Divide into 8 equal portions, shaping each into an approximate 1/4-inch-thick patty. Coat patty with cooking spray so it doesn’t stick on grill. Place patties on medium-heat grill rack; grill for about 3 minutes on each side. Serve with condiments, dill pickles, and potato chips.

There you go – 5 easy recipes to make for a great party on your vinyl patio or deck. If you’re not sure if your vinyl patio or deck is ready for a party, perhaps it’s time to have it checked out by a professional decking contractor.