July 4th BBQ
The 4th of July is right around the corner. We don’t have a set tradition in my house and are always up for something new. Last year, we hosted a family reunion. This year, a great friend from high school is flying in from Texas with her 3 kids to spend the week with us. The two of us somehow got talked into running The Peachtree Road Race the morning of the 4th. (Still not sure how that happened exactly. I hate the heat and she hates running. Put them both together and you’ve got two people who will be running straight for the beer stand after we cross the finish line). For those of you in Atlanta, we are in the “W” start wave. We decided it stands for “What have we gotten ourselves into?” Anyway, after a nice long shower, we will be headed to a friend’s house for a fantastic July 4th BBQ.
Chances are you are headed to a BBQ of some sort if you’re not hosting one. We’ve got some great ideas that are always a hit for get togethers like this!
APPETIZERS:
Buffalo Chicken Dip (Denise’s Specialty for over 10 years)
Peach, Prosciutto and Ricotta Crostini (Denise’s “Healthy” Favorite)
Bacon Cheese Ball (Melissa’s favorite for a hot day)
Jalapeño Popper Dip (Denise’s “Not so Healthy” Favorite)
SALADS:
Pasta Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette
Sensation Salad (Denise’s original favorite)
Kale Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons (Denise’s new found favorite)
Grilled Romaine Salad with Tomato and Corn Tumble
Watermelon Salad with Papaya and Honey Citrus Vinaigrette (Melissa’s favorite for a refreshing bite)
Grilled Caprese Salad (Denise’s favorite on the grill…and it’s pretty impressive)
Tomato Cucumber and Onion Salad
SIDES:
Macaroni and Cheese (Melissa’s ‘you’ve got to have it’ at a BBQ side)
Baked Potato Bar (Denise’s favorite to serve when kids are around or there’s a big crowd)
Grilled Peaches (Melissa’s favorite for summer BBQ’s light side)
Sauteed Broccolini with Lemon and Garlic
Garlic Green Beans (Denise’s favorite)
Zucchini with Feta Cheese and Tomatoes
MAIN COURSES:
Grilled Chicken Wings with Ranch (Melissa’s favorite for a bit different)
Roasted Pork Loin with Peaches
Marinated Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs (McNacks’s most popular recipe)
Tuna Steaks with Fresh Salsa (Clearly a Melissa favorite, Denise isn’t touching this)
Lemon Thyme Chicken with Feta Herb Salad (Denise’s Favorite)
Grilled Flank Steak with Lime, Honey, Garlic Marinade
Spicy Grilled Shrimp (Melissa’s awesome and spicy favorite)
Grilled Chicken Wrapped in Rosemary and Bacon
DESSERTS:
Lemonade Pie (Denise’s Favorite)
Peach Cream Pie (Melissa’s Favorite)