4th of July party time!
It's
the 4th of July. Maybe you're having a family reunion. Or a block
party. Or maybe getting together with the gang of buddies. Your house,
park, back yard, beach, what have you...
Anyway, you're ready to roll on getting together with your friends, family, and ready to eat, drink, and be merry! And what's a 4th of July party without grilling and cooking out?
Well, here are a few that can be for yourself, or to share, along with other favorites to make sure that you have a great meal, from start to finish!
Anyway, you're ready to roll on getting together with your friends, family, and ready to eat, drink, and be merry! And what's a 4th of July party without grilling and cooking out?
Well, here are a few that can be for yourself, or to share, along with other favorites to make sure that you have a great meal, from start to finish!
Grilling & Barbecue: The Main Course
Here is a basic dry rub, which helps make your ribs or any pork cut tender. You will need:
Up to 1 cup dark brown sugar; 1/2 cup paprika (or lemon pepper); 2 TBS salt; 1 TBS each black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
1-2 tsp each dry mustard, celery seeds, and optional chili powder.
Mix up well, and use half on the pork or ribs and let sit 12 hours or more in the dry rub. Save the other half for just before grilling. You may use barbecue sauce, but it's not necessary.
Basic barbecue sauce:
Ingredients: 2 cups ketchup; 6 TBS vinegar; 1/2 cup water; 1/2 cup dark brown sugar; 1 heaping TBS mustard; 1 bulb garlic, pulverized; 1 small onion, pulverized; 1.5 tsp salt; 1 tsp paprika; 1/8 tsp black pepper.
Saute pulverized garlic & onion. Add other ingredients. Bring to a boil, simmer for at least 10 minutes. This sauce is good with chicken, pork or beef.
With either the rub or the sauce, you can adjust the heat by adding or decreasing the amount of red pepper. Good stuff, Menard! Enjoy your barbecue!
Up to 1 cup dark brown sugar; 1/2 cup paprika (or lemon pepper); 2 TBS salt; 1 TBS each black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
1-2 tsp each dry mustard, celery seeds, and optional chili powder.
Mix up well, and use half on the pork or ribs and let sit 12 hours or more in the dry rub. Save the other half for just before grilling. You may use barbecue sauce, but it's not necessary.
Basic barbecue sauce:
Ingredients: 2 cups ketchup; 6 TBS vinegar; 1/2 cup water; 1/2 cup dark brown sugar; 1 heaping TBS mustard; 1 bulb garlic, pulverized; 1 small onion, pulverized; 1.5 tsp salt; 1 tsp paprika; 1/8 tsp black pepper.
Saute pulverized garlic & onion. Add other ingredients. Bring to a boil, simmer for at least 10 minutes. This sauce is good with chicken, pork or beef.
With either the rub or the sauce, you can adjust the heat by adding or decreasing the amount of red pepper. Good stuff, Menard! Enjoy your barbecue!
Food note; to make it happen with taste.
Because
our main course such as a barbecue is already high in meat, side dishes
should be complimentary to the main course, so please don't over do it
in the protein, because a delicate side will go well with the boldness
of the rubs and sauces, along with the deep flavor of meat.
Of course there are tons of sides to choose from, and then don't forget the desserts... the sweetness at the end should be refreshing against the acidity of the sides, as well as the flavors of starches.
Of course there are tons of sides to choose from, and then don't forget the desserts... the sweetness at the end should be refreshing against the acidity of the sides, as well as the flavors of starches.
Pot luck sides...
Pasta Salad:
2 boxes of veggie rotini- noodle, cooked 80% through. Cut a bunch of green onions, tips and roots discarded, and coarsely chopped. Black Olives, sliced. Optional - cheddar or feta cheese cubes. Your favorite Italian type dressings.
Please do not use a creamy dressing. I like the Newman's Caesar dressing, or the tomato basil vinaigrette. They're light but full of flavor, and after being mixed, will soak into the noodles, to soften up the rest of the way. It's also good for your vegetarian friends, unless you add ham, which is not necessary, unless this is your main course.
Seafood Salad:
1 pound of elbow or other short noodle, I like the whole grain penne or mostacciole noodle. 1 bag of frozen peas, 1 medium onion, minced. 2 ribs of celery, minced. Salt and pepper to taste. Salad dressing such as Miracle Whip just enough to wet it. Two 8oz packages of imitation crab or imitation lobster (to make it a surf n turf supper), or a can of salmon, or 3 small cans of chunk tuna in water, or even mini shrimp or clams. Optional minced green pepper to help give it some brightness.
My family baked beans:
2 pounds Great Northern Beans, soaked over night, or use quick method, reserving the liquid. Make sure the water covers up to an inch above the beans. 1.5 cups brown sugar. 1/2 cup molasses. 1 quart of tomato juice or sauce. 1 pound raw bacon. Add dash of dry mustard and a minced onion. Pepper to taste.
Mix together the brown sugar, molasses, mustard, pepper, and tomato sauce. Layer bacon on bottom of nesco oven or crock pot. Using slotted spoon, scoop out beans over bacon. Add mix & onion. Repeat process until all ingredients are gone, and pour bean water over mix, until just covered. Slow cook. Check regularly to add more bean water. The beans will soak more moisture to dry out. You will use the water.
2 boxes of veggie rotini- noodle, cooked 80% through. Cut a bunch of green onions, tips and roots discarded, and coarsely chopped. Black Olives, sliced. Optional - cheddar or feta cheese cubes. Your favorite Italian type dressings.
Please do not use a creamy dressing. I like the Newman's Caesar dressing, or the tomato basil vinaigrette. They're light but full of flavor, and after being mixed, will soak into the noodles, to soften up the rest of the way. It's also good for your vegetarian friends, unless you add ham, which is not necessary, unless this is your main course.
Seafood Salad:
1 pound of elbow or other short noodle, I like the whole grain penne or mostacciole noodle. 1 bag of frozen peas, 1 medium onion, minced. 2 ribs of celery, minced. Salt and pepper to taste. Salad dressing such as Miracle Whip just enough to wet it. Two 8oz packages of imitation crab or imitation lobster (to make it a surf n turf supper), or a can of salmon, or 3 small cans of chunk tuna in water, or even mini shrimp or clams. Optional minced green pepper to help give it some brightness.
My family baked beans:
2 pounds Great Northern Beans, soaked over night, or use quick method, reserving the liquid. Make sure the water covers up to an inch above the beans. 1.5 cups brown sugar. 1/2 cup molasses. 1 quart of tomato juice or sauce. 1 pound raw bacon. Add dash of dry mustard and a minced onion. Pepper to taste.
Mix together the brown sugar, molasses, mustard, pepper, and tomato sauce. Layer bacon on bottom of nesco oven or crock pot. Using slotted spoon, scoop out beans over bacon. Add mix & onion. Repeat process until all ingredients are gone, and pour bean water over mix, until just covered. Slow cook. Check regularly to add more bean water. The beans will soak more moisture to dry out. You will use the water.
Appetizers or other sides...
Guacamole:
6 good sized avocados (maybe more, depending), cut in half, scooped and mashed - should be lumpy. 1 tomato, small diced. 1 onion, diced. About a tsp salt. Juice of a lime or two. Cilantro to taste. Mix well, chill.
Spinach Dip (may substitute chipped artichoke):
8 oz mayonnaise. 8 oz sour cream. 1 box of spinach, heated and extra water squeezed out. 3 green onions sliced. 1 package dry Knorr vegetable soup mix. Refrigerate overnight. Serve inside of a hollowed out bread loaf.
6 good sized avocados (maybe more, depending), cut in half, scooped and mashed - should be lumpy. 1 tomato, small diced. 1 onion, diced. About a tsp salt. Juice of a lime or two. Cilantro to taste. Mix well, chill.
Spinach Dip (may substitute chipped artichoke):
8 oz mayonnaise. 8 oz sour cream. 1 box of spinach, heated and extra water squeezed out. 3 green onions sliced. 1 package dry Knorr vegetable soup mix. Refrigerate overnight. Serve inside of a hollowed out bread loaf.
Sweet desserts for all!
Make a graham cracker crust, and layer at bottom of a 9x13 pan. Chill.
Make your favorite gelatin dessert, I like raspberry, but any red jell-o is good. Pour over chilled crust. Set.
Cover gel with cool whip. Place blue berries in upper right corner, like stars. Line across with sliced strawberries or raspberries to stripe the 13 stripes.
Snicker Dessert:
12 frozen yogurt (vanilla bean). 1 cup cool whip. 1 package instant chocolate (or butterscotch) pudding. 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter. 3 oz grapenuts (optional).
Layer in 9x9 pan. Freeze, cut, enjoy!!
Make your favorite gelatin dessert, I like raspberry, but any red jell-o is good. Pour over chilled crust. Set.
Cover gel with cool whip. Place blue berries in upper right corner, like stars. Line across with sliced strawberries or raspberries to stripe the 13 stripes.
Snicker Dessert:
12 frozen yogurt (vanilla bean). 1 cup cool whip. 1 package instant chocolate (or butterscotch) pudding. 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter. 3 oz grapenuts (optional).
Layer in 9x9 pan. Freeze, cut, enjoy!!
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