4th of July Parties

[Belm]

Is anyone going to have any 4th of July parties? What’s on your menu? What are your drinking?

We are having the usual:

• Hamburgers
• Hot Dogs
• Veggie Burgers
• Salad & Fruit Salad
• Potatoes Salad
• Apple Pie for dessert

I still need to come up with a few more side dishes and something alcoholic to drink. We are having about a large group over and I want to have some sort of punch or specialty drink. Any suggestions?

[KKay]

We're having a 4th of July party. Our menu:

Ribs
BBQ chicken
Pasta salad
Fruit salad
Pineapple Rum torte
Sangria

We'll probably have hot dogs/hamburgers and red/white/blue popsicles for the kids

[Kinetic]

For our 4th of July Party, we are having:

-Hamburgers
-Hot Dogs
-Baby Back Ribs
-Pasta Salad
-Potatoe Salad
-Chips + Dip
-For Dessert: A red, white, + blue trifle dish of berries, cool whip, + pound cake
-Beer + Pinot Grigio to drink

We're going the traditional, All-American July 4th BBQ route.

Double Berry Layer Cake
http://www.duncanhines.com/images/recipes/rec1-double-berry-layer_1.jpg

Strawberry-Rhubarb Trifle
http://www.bettycrocker.com/images/beautyshots/r33981fp.jpg

[tigger8402]

We are having:

crabs
shrimp
crab legs
potato salad
baked beans
fruit
beer
soda

I need some more stuff but i need to confirm head count before i do.

[Jessica]

I still need to come up with a few more side dishes and something alcoholic to drink. We are having about a large group over and I want to have some sort of punch or specialty drink. Any suggestions?

Last year we did Libertinis. I can't remember the exact mixture but it's made of citron, peach liqueur, Midori, Blue Curacao, and lemon juice. I think I just kept mixing until it tasted good. It was mostly citron, the peach, and midori with just a little bit of the curacao for color and a touch a lemon juice to balance the sweetness. Since it's blue, we floated strawberries in the pitcher. We also made a less alchoholic version with seltzer added to it. I'll try to replicate the recipe tonight while my DH is at grad school. ;)

We're just planning our menu, but all of your ideas have been really helpful!

[Belm]

Jessica - Libertinis sound great!

[Jodi AKA BostonTeacher]

I always make a "jello cake"

Simply...

bake a white cake

let it cool

poke holes 3/4 of the way down and spaced about 3/4 inch apart with the handle of a wooden spoon

mix blue jello and carefully pour a little into the holes (while it's still liquid of course)

put in the fridge

the jello doesn't actually become that solid jello consistency, but rather makes a very cool, tasty addition and looks neat when cut

I top it with strawberries and whip cream

I've also made cupcakes this way for "festive strawberry shortcakes"

[nic]

Sorry, I don't have exact measurments (my estimates are below). I make this in a large punch bowl.

1 can Pineapple juice (64 oz, I think)
32 oz cranberry juice
32 oz orange juice

orange flavored vodka
raspberry flavored vodka
( I can't say for sure how much vodka I use since I just taste it as I go but I'm going to say about a 1/3 of the bottle for each flavor)

Once I mix it all together, I throw in some pineapple chucks (fresh is best and orange slices). It's so yummy

[Tempest_too]

We're also going the traditional route, but I haven't finished the menu yet.

What we have so far:
Hot dogs
Hamburgers
BBQ London Broil
Potato Salad

I'm thinking about doing a melon medly with watermelon, cantelope and honeydew, and an italian pasta salad. Apple pie for dessert.