America’s Celebration!  Who doesn’t love the 4th – an annual day for cookouts, picnics, family reunions and just plain homespun fun.  Here are some pictures from our cookout at the lake.  It turned out to be a sweltering day, but just eating outside at dusk takes the heat of the day away and just makes everything enjoyable.  I combined two picnic tables end to end.  I love using a paper “runner”, but unfortunately ran out!  These are a fantastic product, so fun and more up to date than the traditional plastic of days past.  I used my cloth seafood motif tablecloths and just built on the red, white and blue.  I collect vintage lobsters and scattered them about.  I placed the utensils and plates attractively in a picnic basket for folks to help themselves.

My menu suggestions:

Our tradition is usually to grill spareribs to “fall off the bone” perfection.  However the extreme heat made my husband (head griller) decide to opt for something that wouldn’t require basking over a hot grill.

Grilled strip steaks – cut in half (not everyone always wants a full one!)

Dill potato salad – recipe on blog

Bean salad – recipe on blog

Corn on the cob

Caprese tomato salad – recipe on blog

Brownies ala mode and s’mores

For links to some of the products seen here and similar – please click on the post title.