Hosting a party for the upcoming Fourth of July holiday? Then you're probably starting to think about what you're going to serve up for your guests (besides some awesome barbecue).
But if you're in the market for a few ideas on some side dishes to serve your guests, never fear, we here at iHeartSoCal have put together a list of some of the tastiest (and easiest) dishes you can whip up in your spare time while everyone's waiting for the fireworks to begin!
Red, White, and Boom Frozen Cocktails
Boozy Snow Cones:
- 1 c sugar
- 1/2 c c water
- crushed ice
- Red Syrup:
- 1 c strawberries halved
- 1/4 c white rum Blue syrup:
- juice from 1 lime
- 1/4 c blue curacao
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat, bringing to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar and reduce to a simmer, stirring for two minutes. Pour half of the syrup solution you just created, about 1/2 cup, over the strawberries. Allow to stand for 1 hour, then puree in a blender with the white rum. Strain through a mesh if you want to get rid of the pulp. Use the remaining simple syrup you created and combine it with the lime juice and curacao. Stir completely.
Use a blender to blend ice and scoop the ice into glasses. Pour your red and blue syrups over the packed, crushed ice and enjoy!
Now that we've got our drink, let's see what's cooking on the barbecue.
Barbecue Corn
Eating corn at a barbecue is as American as apple pie. There are plenty of ways to cook an ear of corn for your hungry guests, but if you're looking for a new way to spice up your corn-on-the-cob, you can't beat this barbecue corn recipe!
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 5 ears of corn
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Brush a thin layer of mayonnaise on top of the husked corn (with the silk removed) and sprinkle it with the Parmesan cheese, chili powder, salt and pepper. Wrap each ear of corn with aluminum foil and place on the grill for about ten minutes, turning occasionally until the kernels begin to brown.
(For a really delicious spin on the recipe, substitute crushed Fire Cheetos in lieu of the chili powder and Parmesan cheese. You won't be disappointed by this!)
Veggies Kebabs - The Ultimate Holiday Side Dish
The 4th of July is a big holiday for meat eaters, but that doesn't mean you should forget about the vegetarians in your life (especially here in Southern California). If you're looking for the perfect dish to serve to your non-meat eating friends, you can't go wrong with these veggies Kebabs.
Veggies:
- 2 cups Mushrooms
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 green/red/yellow bell pepper cut into chunks
- 1 red onion cut into chunks
- 1 yellow zucchini sliced into thick rounds.
To create the Marinade:
- 1/4 cup olive oil 3 cloves of garlic,
- pressed Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, oregano and basil, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Thread your veggies through the skewers and place them on a baking sheet. Lightly brush the olive oil mixture and allow them to sit for ten to fifteen minutes.
Once you're ready, place them in the oven and roast the veggies until tender (should be about 10-12 minutes).
Creamy Potato Salad
One of the best traditional foods people can find at every barbecue, a classic potato salad recipe is sure to be one of the most popular items you can bring.
Don't be the person who brings potato salad that has raisins in it, or some other crazy home family recipe because you think other people will want to eat it. They won't. Instead, try this crowd-pleasing recipe that will surely have people asking for seconds.
- 5 potatoes
- 3 hard-boiled, peeled and chopped eggs
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
- Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste 1/4 cup mayonnaise
First thing you'll want to do is bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add the potatoes, cooking them until they are tender and firm. Drain, cool, peel and chop into quarter sections and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, hard boiled eggs, celery, onion, relish, garlic salt, celery salt, mustard, pepper and mayonnaise. Mix together well. Refrigerate until chilled and you're ready to serve.
Homemade Lemonade
They say when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And there's no better opportunity for a nice, tall frosty glass of lemonade than a Fourth of July barbecue.
Preparing the homemade lemonade is also a great a great way to keep the little ones busy while they're waiting for the food or the fireworks to begin.
Here's what you'll need to get started:
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 gallon cold water
- 2 cups fresh lemon juice 1 lemon, sliced, plus 1 lemon cut into wedges (for garnish)
Start by creating a simple syrup by bringing the 2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Add the gallon of cold water and lemon juice to a large glass pitcher. Add the simple syrup and lemon slices, while stirring well.
Pour the lemonade into tall glasses over ice and garnish the rims with lemon wedges.
Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Jalapeño Poppers
The barbecue is going, but you need something good to tie you over until it's ready. Why not try these incredibly simple bacon-wrapped stuffed Jalapeño poppers.
- 1 Package of thick cut bacon
- 12 large Jalapeño peppers halved lengthwise with seeds and membranes removed
- 1 package of cream cheese
- Toothpicks
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Take a large knife and cut the Jalapeños in half lengthwise, splitting it open and exposing the seeds. Take a spoon and remove the membrane and seeds working from the bottom to the top of the pepper. Fill each Jalapeño with the cream cheese and wrap each stuffed Jalapeño with a slice of bacon and secure it, using the toothpicks.
Cook in the preheated oven until the bacon is crispy - usually takes around 15 minutes.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
If Popeye attending your barbecue, this would be his favorite dish, hands down.
This simple-to-make Spinach Artichoke dip hardly takes any effort and time at all and is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleasing snack your guests can enjoy on while they're waiting for the fireworks to begin.
- 2 cups Parmesan cheese
- 1 (10 ounce) box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained of excess liquid
- 1 (14 ounce) can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 2/3 cup sour cream 1 cup cream cheese
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
Preheat the oven to 375. Mix together the Parmesan cheese, spinach and artichoke hearts. Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture and combine well.
Bake for 20-30 minutes and serve with crackers or toasted bread (you can't go wrong with a sourdough bowl!)
Photos by Getty Images and Unsplash