How To Have An Epic Summer Cookout — Without Actually Cooking Out

Our seasonal feasting habits look like this: During the winter we dine in and during the summer we cook out. Dining in can be done anywhere from small apartments to spacious country cabins. But cooking out? Well, that requires something that not all of us possess (namely, an outdoor area and grill). Summer feasts without the proper space are something we urbanites often avoid attempting to pull off, because in our minds, cookouts exist in wide-open backyards and not our cramped kitchens.

But because we love a good barbecue — and we can't always count on a weekend country escape — we've crafted an easy plan for making cookouts dine-in doable. Forget grass and a grill, we've got everything you need ahead to amp up the warm weather vibes right inside your own apartment. Our ten step menu plan covers all the epic cookout bases, minus any actual cooking out. All you need to do post grocery shopping is turn on the oven, plug in your microwave, and open a few windows for that fresh air flow.

Red and white checkered table cloth, paper plates, and plastic utensils are optional but encouraged.