
No summer weekend is complete without a backyard BBQ. But sometimes cooking for a crowd can turn into a hassle as you run around trying to get everything prepared and decorated, and by the time the party starts you’re ready for bed. Well, not anymore! These 21 delicious make-ahead recipes will ensure that you actually get to enjoy the festivities and still look like a badass in the kitchen.
1. Spicy Sriracha Dip: Whip up this spicy-hot dip for a snack that guests (and you!) won’t be able to get enough of. (via Brit + Co)
2. Asian Meatballs: Serve up an unexpected twist on the typical BBQ fare with Asian-inspired meatballs served in crispy lettuce cups and drizzled with a sweet chili soy sauce. (via My Foodbook)
3. Rosemary Watermelonade: Whether you like your lemonade spiked or prefer to go the traditional route, a big batch of this refreshing sipper will be delish either way. And don’t forget to serve them in a mason jar. (via Brit + Co)
4. Pulled Pork Sliders: A crock pot is the holy grail appliance when it comes to make-ahead meals. Throw all your ingredients in and you can forget about it for the next six hours. Then just shred and serve! (via Table For Two)
5. Caprese Sticks: There’s a reason why some flavor combinations just keep coming back, and mozzarella, tomatoes and basil are one of them. Keep it nice and simple with this easy appetizer. (via Back To Her Roots)
6. Crispy Roasted Chickpeas: Grab that can of garbanzo beans hiding in the back of your cabinet and make them the star of the show. These are so good that you might just want to save them all for yourself. (via Rachelle B)
7. Cheesy Mushroom Puff Pastry Bites: Store-bought puff pastry sheets make this appetizer a cinch to put together. Their grab-and-go size also ensures that your guests will be able to socialize instead of waiting in line. (via Well Plated)
8. Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes: Make these mashed potatoes up to two days in advance and pop them in the oven the day of the BBQ. Your guests will think you spent all morning slaving over the hot stove. Don’t worry, though — your secret is safe with us. (via No. 2 Pencil)
9. Ice Cream Scoop Pops: Bite-sized ice cream pops are the perfect way to end a party. The best part? No one gets stuck cutting cake for all the guests. (via Betty Crocker)
10. Pesto Turkey Meatball Sliders: Make these meatball patties in advance and store them in your fridge for three days or the freezer for up to two weeks. Then you can just top them with cheese and heat 30 minutes before your friends arrive. (via The Yummy Life)
11. Mexi-Corn Dip: This creamy dip filled with corn, tomatoes, green onions and a dash of hot sauce is so good you might want to double the recipe. (via Caramel Potatoes)
12. Crock Pot BBQ Ribs: Simmered in your favorite BBQ sauce for five hours, these fall-off-the-bone ribs will have your friends convinced you’re the next Master Chef. (via Your Homebased Mom)
13. Pesto Caprese Pasta Salad: Elevate your average pasta salad with a fresh herb pesto sauce and watch as the whole bowl disappears in seconds. (via Chew Out Loud)
14. Easy Grilled Chicken for a Crowd: Standing over a hot grill all afternoon is no way to enjoy the party. Pre-cook your chicken in the oven the night before and they’ll only need a quick reheat on the grill the day of. (via Cook the Story)
15. Bacon Chive Dip: Any reason to indulge in a big batch of creamy bacon dip is a good one, and when it’s this easy there is never an excuse not to. (via Brit + Co)
16. Frozen Fruit Daiquiris: Whip up a big batch of frozen daiquiris the day before and you’ll get to enjoy them right along with your guests instead of being tied to the blender for the whole party. (via The Yummy Life)
17. Mini Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches: Mini sandwiches FTW! These buffalo beauties are made with pre-cooked deli wings, so they’ll be ready before you’re done Instagramming your #OOTD. (via Home Made Interest)
18. Saucy Sesame Noodles: Another take on traditional pasta salad, this one is covered in a sesame-peanut sauce and topped with peanuts and fresh cucumber right before serving for a fresh crunch. (via Tadaka Pasta)
19. Muffaletta Dip: This dip might have a lot of ingredients, but it comes together in an instant with just a little choppin’ and droppin’. (via Southern Spicy Kitchen)
20. Crock Pot Sweet Potatoes: Trying to cook enough potatoes for everyone in the oven would take all day, not to mention your house would turn into a sauna. Cool off and let your crock pot do the work. Did we convince you to buy one yet? (via Family Fresh Meals)
21. Green Bean Casserole Cups: In less than 30 minutes you can have the perfect easy-to-eat appetizer thanks to a package of frozen fillo shells. You can thank us later. (via Let’s Dish)
What tips do you have for planning a backyard BBQ? Will any of these recipes make the cut? Dish it out in the comments section!
Welcome to Selfmade Finance School, our new money series with Block Advisors to help small business owners with their tax, bookkeeping, and payroll needs year-round. This week, we explore the tax implications of bringing family members into your business.
The question for today is this: Does hiring your family members make sense for your business? Let me be clear. This is not a piece about whether hiring your family members makes sense for your relationships with those family members. As someone who is part of a family business, I could fill up a lot more than 600 words on my opinions about that. For today's purposes, we focus on whether it makes sense from an overall "good business and tax implication" perspective. As it turns out, there is a decent amount of tax nuance when it comes to employing your family. Let's break it down based on relationship to the employee:
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Spouses Who Are In Business Together
Personally, if I had to be in business with my husband, it would not go well. However, many couples build viable, strong businesses together and I say, good for them! Depending on how you have your business entity structured, it will make a big difference on the tax treatment of you and your spouse working as partners. Because a business jointly owned and operated by a married couple is generally treated as a partnership for Federal tax purposes, the spouses must comply with filing and record keeping requirements imposed on partnerships and their partners. The election to file two Schedule C (Form 1040) forms, (one for each spouse) permits certain married co-owners to avoid filing partnership returns, provided that each spouse separately reports a share of all the businesses' items of income, gain, loss, deduction, and credit. Under the election, both spouses will be subject to self-employment tax and on net earnings from self-employment and receive credit for Social Security earnings.
One Spouse Employs Another
If you have a dynamic where your spouse is an employee of your business, then your spouse's wages are subject to income tax withholding, Social Security and Medicare taxes. If you are self-employed (not a corporation or a partnership), your spouse's pay does not have to be included in your federal unemployment tax account (FUTA) contributions and payments. However, if your business is a corporation or a partnership you must include that spouse's pay in your unemployment tax contribution calculation.
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You Employ Your Child
First, let's be clear. I work in my family business, but I am an adult, so I am treated just like a normal employee. However, if you, for example, run a family restaurant and want to hire your children under 18 to work for you, there are some tax benefits. But first, you should check with your state for rules on how many hours minors can work (in non-agricultural jobs) and reference the Fair Labor Standards Act for information on limitations on the kinds of work children can perform.
"This is an often overlooked or under-utilized strategy. Paying your children for true services they provide in your business can be a powerful tax-saving tool," says Cathi Reed, Block Advisors Regional Director. "If you are a sole-proprietorship or single member LLC, and the child is less than 18 years of age, the business is not required to withhold FICA or payroll taxes. The child can use his or her standard deduction against income you pay."
You Hire Your Parent
Oh dear. If you are brave enough to do this, know that you will need to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on your parent's wages and make the appropriate withholdings, but you don't have to pay unemployment taxes. Now all you have to do is convince your parent that you are the boss. Have fun with that!
Is Hiring Family Members Worth It For The Tax Benefits?
"There are some positive tax advantages to hiring family members. It's important to treat a family member like any other employee. Hiring your children can result in substantial savings for businesses. Make sure your child has real, age-appropriate work to do and a reasonable pay rate, comparable to other employees. Consult with a Block Advisors small business certified tax pro to ensure that you are complying with all requirements," advises Reed. "Block Advisors, a team within H&R Block, is dedicated to meeting the tax, bookkeeping and payroll needs of small business owners year-round. To start working with the tax experts at Block Advisors, visit blockadvisors.com."
In my opinion, you should not hire a family member solely because of the tax benefits. You should always hire based on whether that person is right for the job and keep in mind how this hire could materially impact your relationship with that person and others in your family. Finally, as I mentioned, make sure you have a tax professional on your team when making these determinations. As you can see, things can get a little tricky!
*All details were sourced from IRS.gov and blockadvisors.com
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect those held by Kestra Investment Services, LLC or Kestra Advisory Services, LLC. This is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations for any individual. It is suggested that you consult your financial professional, attorney, or tax advisor with regards to your individual situation. Comments concerning the past performance are not intended to be forward looking and should not be viewed as an indication of future results. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. O'Keeffe Financial Partners and any other entity listed herein is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS Investor Disclosures: https://bit.ly/KF-Disclosures