Food Ideas for the 4th

How are you celebrating the 4th? Do you make the standard burgers and hot dogs or something else? I have all next week off work. So we are unplugging, relaxing, and doing family time to the max. I thought I’d just do a quick post with some food ideas for the 4th. Have a happy and safe holiday everyone! I’ll catch up with you in a week.

• You can slice vegetables big enough to place on the grill directly or put them in foil pouches to place on the grill. Either way I coat them in olive oil with a little salt, pepper, and chop whatever herbs I have on hand. It’s easy peasy but still so flavorful.
• For a honey soy spin try marinating your chicken or pork chops in a mixture of one part honey two parts soy sauce. Feeling a little more adventurous? Try adding pineapple chunks or slices of a sweet onion.
• Try marinating your chicken or pork chops in a mixture of 1 part jelly (I prefer peach or grape) with 2 parts BBQ sauce.
• Try adding Tzatziki Sauce to your grilled vegetables or burgers.
• Skewers are fun and easy. We like using shrimp and the easiest vegetables to skewer we have found are squash, zucchini, mushrooms, onion chunks, and slices of pepper. Like the grilled vegetables we just coat with olive oil, salt, pepper, and whatever fresh herbs we have.
• For an easy side make some Balsamic Tortellini Salad.
• You’ve heard of roasting marshmallows over the campfire.Well we line a bunch up on a skewer and roast them over the grill. Sounds weird I know, but they get roasted and have a different flavor then campfire marshmallows. It’s fun, gets the kids involved, and is tasty.
• What do you do with all of your leftovers? Try making a mixed grill sammie. Build a sandwich with your choice bread, spread, veggies and/or meat, cheese, and herbs. Bake at 350 for a few minutes to melt the cheese and heat the meat and/or veggies through. Pictured here are leftover boneless pork chops with mixed grilled veggies, Havarti cheese, mayo, and a few sprigs of dill on ciabatta rolls.

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