Essentials For The Perfect Fourth of July Barbecue
Cindy Kurman
With Fourth of July here, there are a few essential appetizers, mains, desserts and drinks to have for a perfect family and friend’s barbecue. Also, these yummy recipes can be used throughout other summer barbecues that you may have planned. Here are just a few food ideas to utilize this summer.
A few easy and great appetizers and starters are essential to a good barbecue. These can range from a simple salad to finger foods. Some great easy appetizers to have include mini hot dogs, grilled chicken wings, tomato and mozzarella salad and of course chips and salsa. All these small things that are easy to make or pick up at the store and are a great addition to a good barbecue.
For the main course it’s great to have a variety of dishes especially if you have a big crowd. Some staples for this type of barbecue would be the basics, hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and corn. However, especially if some of the group is vegetarian you can add in a black bean burger or portobello mushroom burger. Also, if you feel like you want to add something a little more fun to the barbecue then add in some kebabs which both allow for protein and veggies for dinner. Also, you can either add shrimp or steak if you want a seafood option. A few other great sides you should have include coleslaw, potato salad, and a simple tossed green salad.
With dessert you can put some of the food items to the theme of the holiday with simple additions to treats like dyeing the icing and adding red, white and blue sprinkles. Some easy desserts to provide could include a fourth of July flag cake which through strawberry and blueberries creates a flag on top. Also, you could have a simple strawberry or blueberry pie that would go with the theme. If you feel like going off topic, having cookies, popsicles or s’mores is easy and a great addition to a good barbecue.
Finally, a great fun way to spice up your barbecue is having fun drinks that go with the theme. This could include red, white and blue Jell-O shots which creates a fun drink for the adult guests to enjoy. Some other fun drinks you could add to the barbecue include a raspberry and lemon rose sparkler which combines rose with fresh raspberries and lemon juice. Another fun drink you could add is a watermelon infused margarita which is a slight variation on a regular margarita but great for an event like this.