I’m sure many of you have plans to do a cookout with friends and family this 4th of July – I know I do! Well, I have put together a list of some of my Best Recipes for the 4th of July that are perfect for a summer gathering in order to help with your planning.
Outdoor BBQs full of fun and laughter are one of my favorite things about summertime holidays. I have always found that three day weekends in the summer are the perfect excuse to gather everyone together, cook delicious food, enjoy a great cocktail or two (or three…), and enjoy the lighthearted feeling warm weather brings. Personally, I always tend to get caught up in the minutiae of planning gatherings like these, such as obsessing about the menu and fretting over table decorations. For me, these details often overshadow the true reason behind why we have these holidays in the first place. However, I find myself lately reflecting more and more on how lucky I am to live in the United States. Maybe it’s because Rob and I just recently went to Washington DC and were immersed in the history of our nation’s birth, or maybe it’s because of the turmoil happing in so many other countries right now that is broadcast all over the news, but I am incredibly grateful to be a US citizen. Now, I know very well that our country is not without its faults and is far from perfect (the ridiculous election this year is just a microcosm), but we are afforded freedoms that people all over the world would, and do, die for every day. So on this Fourth of July holiday, please take a moment in between sips of beer and bites of hamburger to reflect on all of those people who helped to make the United States one of the leading beacons of freedom back in 1776.
We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls. ~Robert J. McCracken
Best Recipes for the Fourth of July
Fruit Salad with “Something Extra”
Farro Salad with Edamame
Mt Diablo Bean Dip (AKA Nine Layer Dip)
Citrus Marinated Grilled Shrimp
Chimichurri Marinated Flank Steak (or Tri Tip)
Brown Sugar Balsamic Grilled Strawberry Shortcake
Raspberry Beer Punch
Stone Fruit Sangria
Happy Fourth of July!
2 comments
These are some great recipes! I’d also like to say that, as one who has vegetarians in the family (I’m a carnivore, myself), I really appreciate that so many of your recipes are vegetarian, and with only minor tweaks, can be fully vegan. We will be out of the country over the 4th of July weekend, but we will surely whip some of these up after we return!
Sante!
Thank you so much for your feedback, Kent! I hope you have a safe return and were able to enjoy your time traveling.