Fourth of July Menu & Recipes
Fourth of July calls for an all American spread. This year, serve up dishes inspired from all corners of the USA. We’ve added some fun twists on the classics – like pimento cheeseburgers and potato chip potato salad. The real star of this menu is the American Flag pie for dessert, it’s delicious and beautiful!
Drinks
Why should the adults have all the fun? This drink is a non-alcoholic alternative that is so fun and delicious. You can either make a big pitcher ahead of time, or make each serving in a glass.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 can lemonade concentrate
- 1 liter club soda, chilled
- Fresh blueberries, lemon slices, mint sprigs, for garnish
Instructions:
- Heat granulated sugar and 1 cup water over medium heat until dissolved.
- Add in blueberries and boil for about 5 minutes, until blueberries break down.
- Pour blueberries through a fine mesh sieve and cool to room temperature.
- Add thawed lemonade concentrate to a large pitcher with 2 cups water and club soda.
- Stir and refrigerate to chill.
- To serve, pour a little blueberry syrup into each glass, top with lemonade and a splash of club soda. Garnish with fresh blueberries, lemon slices and mint sprigs.
You can choose to make this sangria punch with or without alcohol. Make a big batch of this sangria ahead of time to let all the fruit flavors meld together in the punch.
Ingredients:
- 16 – 18 hibiscus tea bags
- 4 oz agave nectar
- 2 oz rose liquor
- 1 bottle rose wine
- 8 oz brandy
- 1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
- 1 medium lime, thinly sliced
- 1 medium peach, cut into wedges
- ½ orange, thinly sliced and halved
- 1 cup mixed berries
Instructions:
- Combine tea bags with 24 oz boiling water and steep for 10 minutes.
- Strain and stir in agave.
- Add three cups cold water and rose liquor.
- In a large pitcher combine hibiscus mixture with remaining ingredients.
- Store in the refrigerator overnight and serve with ice and fresh fruit.
Appetizers
Serve up something to snack on while you finish preparing the rest of your meal or wait for guests to arrive. This easy, scoop-able salsa is sweet, savory and salty when eaten with tortilla chips. Keep your avocados from browning with a generous squeeze of lime juice.
Ingredients:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 ears grilled corn, removed from cob
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 lime, juiced
- ¼ tsp toasted sesame seed oil
- 1 pinch sugar
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 – 2 avocados
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients, except avocados, and toss to combine.
- Dice avocado and gently stir in right before serving.
This is an easy, healthy appetizer with a unique flavor combination. Watermelon wedges are delicious on their own, but grilling the fruit adds a smokyness and caramelizes the fruit’s sugars. Salt enhances the flavor of watermelon, resulting in a savory dish that will please a crowd.
Ingredients:
- ¼ large watermelon, cut into 1 inch wedges
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- Zest of one lime
- Fresh cilantro and lime wedges
Instructions:
- Combine sugar, salt and zest in a small bowl.
- Reserve 1 tbsp and sprinkle the rest over both sides of the watermelon. Let rest for 15 minutes.
- Grill wedges over high heat for 2 – 3 minutes per side.
- Before serving, sprinkle with the remaining sugar/salt mixture and cilantro leaves.
Mains
The trick for authentic New England style lobster rolls is the split top buns. They may be difficult to find, but, trust me, it’s well worth it, buttered and toasted! You can use fresh or frozen lobster for this dish. It can be made well in advance and assembled right before serving for the easiest prep.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lb cooked lobster meat, cut into ¾ inch cubes
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup celery finely chopped
- 1 tbsp thinly sliced chives
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 split top hot dog buns
- 2 tbsp softened butter
Instructions:
- Combine lobster, lemon juice, celery, chives, salt and pepper in a bowl.
- Spread the butter onto the sides of each bun and toast in a pan until lightly browned.
- Fill the buns with the lobster mixture and serve immediately.
Inspired by the Urdaburger from Urdaneta in Portland, OR, this loaded pimento cheese burger will take your barbecue to the next level. In the south, you can buy pre-made pimento cheese at many grocery stores and markets. The Spanish aioli in this recipe sounds amazing… But purchasing a spicy mayonnaise will taste just as delicious. Layer on the bacon and pimento cheese, and this burger is as easy to put together as any other.
Ingredients:
- Spicy Mayonnaise
- Pimento Cheese
- 4 spices prosciutto or bacon
- 4 6-oz burger patties
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 potato hamburger buns, buttered and toasted
- Shredded lettuce and pickles
Instructions:
- Crisp the prosciutto in the microwave for 1 – 2 minutes, covered in paper towels.
- Preheat grill to high.
- Shape pimento cheese into 3 inch disks.
- Season hamburgers with salt and pepper and grill, uncovered for 3 – 4 minutes.
- Flip patties and cover with cheese disk and prosciutto. Grill for another 3 minutes, closing the lid for the last minute to melt the cheese.
- Assemble the burgers by spreading 1 tbsp of mayonnaise on the top bun, layer lettuce, burger and pickles, then top with the top bun.
Sides
Macaroni and Cheese
I was first introduced to this Mac and Cheese on a trip to Seattle with my friend Jackie. A truffle shop in Pike Place Market offered wine tastings with pairings. One of the pairings was with a cup of macaroni and cheese from Beecher’s Handmade Cheese, just up the street, and a dab of white truffle oil. I was sold. It was, hands down, the best macaroni and cheese I had ever had. We went back to Beecher’s the next day and ordered a full serving.
I found the recipe online and decided to try this out for Thanksgiving one year. It was a hit! I don’t typically like to make the same dish more than once, but this is the one recipe I am asked by friends and family to make over and over again. I love it so much, I am happy to comply. Add a drop of truffle oil if you like; a little goes a long way!
Ingredients:
- 6 oz penne pasta
- 8 oz white cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 tbsp, plus 2 tsp flour
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 oz Monterey Jack cheese
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ – ½ tsp chipotle chili powder
- Pinch garlic powder
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Cook pasta 2 minutes less than package instructions. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and set aside.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for about 2 minutes to make a roux.
- Slowly add the milk while whisking constantly and cook for about 10 minutes, until the milk thickens.
- Add 1 and ¾ cups cheddar cheese, ¼ cup Monterey Jack cheese, salt and spices. Stir until cheese is completely melted.
- Combine and mix pasta and sauce, then pour into an 8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and a dash of chili powder.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Forego the traditional mayo-based potato salad this year for a version that will stay fresh through the heat. Grilling the potatoes adds a smoky flavor. The crunchy potato chip topping makes this dish fun and unique.
Ingredients:
- 3 lb new potatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 red onion, sliced
- ½ cup Champagne vinegar
- ¼ cup extra version olive oil
- 1 cup parsley, chopped
- 2 cups salt and vinegar kettle chips, coarsely chopped
Instructions:
- Boil the potatoes until tender, about 20 minutes.
- Drain and let cool before cutting in half.
- Lightly pickle the onion by mixing with vinegar in a large bowl. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
- Grill the potatoes over high heat until lightly charred.
- Add the potatoes to the bowl of onions. Add olive oil and mix well.
- Once cool, stir in parsley and salt and pepper. Top with potato chips.
This dish is beautiful, and healthy too! Zucchini and tomatoes are at their best this time of year. Show off these summer veggies with a dish that is easy to prep up to a day in advance. It is sure to impress your guests and even travels well for a potluck.
Ingredients:
- 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
- 3 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Oregano
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Sauté onion for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Transfer ⅓ of onions to a ceramic tart or au gratin dish.
- Layer the zucchini and tomato in a circular pattern, 2 zucchini rounds for each tomato round.
- Top with remaining onions, salt and pepper to taste, a dash of oregano and the parmesan cheese.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, until browned.
Dessert
It doesn’t get more American than this American Flag pie inspired by King Arthur Baking. Since rhubarb is no longer in season, make the stripes section full of strawberries. Blueberries are the perfect backdrop for the stars. Keep the berries in their own section while you’re pouring them in by folding aluminum foil to create a barrier between them. Remove the foil before adding the decorative crust on top.
Ingredients:
- Double Pie Crust
- Strawberry Filling
- 5 – 6 cups halved strawberries
- ½ cup pie filling enhancer
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- Blueberry filling
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp pie filling enhancer
- 2 – 2 ½ cups blueberries
- 1 ½ tsp lemon juice
Instructions:
- Place one of the rolled dough disks into a pie dish and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Mix together ingredients for each filling, separately.
- Fill one quarter of the pie with the blueberry filling and the remaining with the strawberry filling.
- Cut out Stars and Stripes from the remaining rolled dough disk. Decorate as a flag with the stars over the blueberries and the stripes layered horizontally over the strawberries.
- Brush the dough with water and sprinkle with sugar.
- Place the pie over a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.
- Lower the oven temperature to 375F and bake for an additional 45 to 60 minutes until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely to allow the filling to set.
I have a small ice cream maker from Cuisinart that is very easy to use. I only use it a couple times each year, so I don’t feel the need to splurge on a compressor-driven model. It has a bowl insert that you place in the freezer before using. The special liquid inside keeps the cream cold enough while it spins on the machine, churning your ice cream to perfection.
This simple recipe for vanilla ice cream came with my ice cream maker. Creamier versions require eggs and more prep time. But, if you’re planning to eat your ice cream right away, it doesn’t get much easier than this. You will notice a difference if you decide to hard freeze it though. So, if you plan to store it, an egg based recipe may be best for you.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup sugar
- Pinch salt
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
- Whisk together the milk, sugar and salt until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Stir in the cream and vanilla extract.
- Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight. (Remember to put your ice cream maker bowl in the freezer if using the Cuisinart model)
- Assemble the ice cream maker and turn on.
- Slowly pour the cream mixture into the frozen bowl and let it mix until thickened, about 15 – 20 minutes.
- For firmer ice cream, place in the freezer for about 2 hours.
If you are trying to figure out what to wear to your Fourth of July party, Courtney put together some great Red, White and Blue looks. And our Memorial Day Menu post has some ideas for Red, White and Blue decorations that will last you all summer long. Whatever your holiday plans include this year, I hope we’ve inspired you to serve something fun and festive!
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