4th of July Food

I love Independence Day! Probably because I love the food that is associated with it. (Big surprise right?) I love all the fresh fruits and veggies but I also love barbecues and frozen desserts. The best part is - the whole family gets the holiday off and we get to spend it together. This year is fun becuase it's not just one day - we are celebrating Saturday, Sunday, and Monday!
With all this celebrating, we will be having lots of meals - I'm sure you will be too. If you need some ideas here are some festive ideas or summer favorites.








Breakfast:
Blueberry Pancakes with Strawberry topping -  red, white and blue!
Steel Cut Oats - with strawberries and blueberries - again... red, white and blue!

Lunch/Dinner:
Barbecue Ribs - or anything barbecued... but this sauce is so good I am constantly licking my finger/spoon, etc
Chicken Sausage Sandwich - this is a quick easy lunch that is portable
Coleslaw - I have talked about this alot, but it's my favorite coleslaw recipe I have found
Arugula and Goat Cheese Salad - so good, it could be your whole meal
Baked Beans - no barbecue is complete without them.  These are great, make ahead in your crockpot!
Burgers of all kinds, but try this Teriyaki Burger. If you are looking for other types of burgers - check out Rachel Ray's collection - she's the queen of burgers.

Dessert (or course!):
Pink Grapefruit Sorbet - so delicious and refreshing
Limeade Popsicles - I love all things frozen
Lemon Bars - I love citrusy things when it's hot; and this is a great balance of fresh and rich
Apple Crisp - nothing says America like apple pie or crisp!

Try something different:
Chocolate Fondue - take your foundue outside while you watch the fireworks
Grill pizza - place this pizza dough on the grill, then add your toppings, close the grill until dough is cooked and cheese is melted.
This cake (pictured above) is amazing! Such a fun twist on the typical american flag cake!