What We’re Cooking for the 4th
I’m planning an easy 4th of July menu that will feed a crowd, but won’t knock me off my feet in terms of prep and cook time. I want something different than burgers and dogs, although truthfully I love those too. Here’s some menu inspiration in case it helps you pull of a 4th of July that’s full of delicious eats.
Cocktails
I’m freezing a couple bottles of rosé in silicone muffin tins or ice cube trays to make our easy strawberry frozé. Stay tuned for the recipe! Spoiler alert: If you’re headed to a beach house or ranch and you want the ingredients ahead of time, grab a decent bottle of rosé, a pint of strawberries and some vodka. I also like making a big pitcher of grapefruit palomas. They don’t exactly fit the red-white-and-blue color scheme, but they’re darn good.
Appetizers
I have some Teton Waters Ranch grass-fed mini hot dogs I’ll wrap in Immaculate Baking crescent roll dough and top with Everything But The Bagel Seasoning before baking at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Grainy mustard on the side. You can assemble these the morning of the 4th and keep them refrigerated on a sheet pan until they’re ready to bake, just cover with plastic wrap so they don’t dry out.
Make-your-own crostini with a big batch of roasted mini peppers , sliced crusty bread or baguette, goat cheese, bleu cheese or Boursin. Add some fresh herbs and crunchy salt to the platter.
We need an easy dip that can be made the day ahead. Either romesco with crudité or artichoke jalapeño dip that can be served hot or cold. You could also make a batch of kale guacamole the day of.
Main Dish
I’m thinking either grilled tri tip or chile-lime flank steak. If you’re not red meat eaters, try these tamari-honey chicken drumsticks — delish! Or for hands-off cooking, slow cooker BBQ pork ribs. You could use the same method to make slow cooker BBQ pulled pork for sandwiches.
Sides
The 4th of July would not be complete without potato salad and cole slaw, in my humble opinion. You can always pick these up from your favorite grocery store or hit up a friend to bring them.
Spinach salad with pesto and peas is always a crowd pleaser. Or I might make shortcut caesar salad. Use romaine or shredded Lacinato kale.
Dessert
I’m such a fan of berry crisp, you guys might be sick of hearing me talk about it. You could also make this lemon olive oil cake a day ahead and top it with blueberries, raspberries and the lemon cream. You could also just pick up some 4th of July-themed cookies and call it a day!
Please leave a comment with your favorite 4th of July recipe! I like to compare notes! And don’t miss our 4th of July-themed Friday Love List for tabletop ideas.
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