Fourth of July...

[Mara]

what is everyone up to for 4th of july this year?

making any good food? having a party? climbing to the rooftop to check out the fireworks?

we're going to napa with my parents, but coming home for the 4th...we'll probably BBQ with friends here at home that night. i'm thinking seasoned homemade burgers, fresh corn, various apps, deviled eggs, salad and i love granny smith's apple pie with ice cream !

anyone got some cool homemade burger recipes?? we have one that we use but i'm open to something new!

 

[KimberlyH]

My fiance and I are heading to Chicago tomorrow for the weekend. We spent the last 4th there as well and just had a great time. We''ll see a play and eat good food and visit a few museums and watch fireworks at Navy Pier. But we''ll be on a plane back to San Diego on the day of. We''ll probably just BBQ alone as we aren''t getting back until 3:30.

Happy Independence Day!

 

[Apsara]

We just got a hot tub so we are going to filll it/set it up ths weekend. Also plan to see Superman Returns on one of the 4 days.

We''ll be hosting dinner Sunday. Menu: fresh Jersey tomatoes with basil and extra virgin olive oil & fresh bufflo mozzarella, chicken scallopine milanese with lemon spaghetti, followed by fresh raspeberrries with creme fresh. To wsah it all down, Verdi with crushed ice & fresh lemon.

 

[strmrdr]

Picking up wifey2b at the airport on the 4th then going to chill out for a while and go watch the fireworks if we get around to it.
Might just go up the street and watch them in stereo can see 2 air shows from here but cant see the ground show.

 

[tracys126]

SKYDIVING! Actually on the 3rd, cause it''s my birthday!

Eeeeeeeek!

Tracy

 

[strmrdr]

Date: 6/30/2006 12:43:06 AM
Author: tracys126
SKYDIVING! Actually on the 3rd, cause it''s my birthday!


Eeeeeeeek!

Tracy

kicken

 

[tracys126]

Hi Mara,

Mandarine has another 4th of July post under Ladies in Waiting too if you are interested...

Tracy

 

[monarch64]

We have a lake house rented in northern Wisconsin for the whole week. Two other couples and their doggies will be joining us for the first weekend (the 4th), and DH and I will have Wednesday through Saturday to enjoy by ourselves and with our dog. From the west burbs of chicago it will be a 6.5 hour drive...one couple is bringing their power boat, and the house comes with a 25 ft. pontoon, canoe and kayak...there is a private dock, and the house is situated on a 5 acre lot on a point--we are soooo excited! It''s kind of our last hurrah before we start a family sometime later this year. I had so much fun buying a ton of B&BWorks stuff for our guests--super cute blue-and-white striped tote bags with matching beach towels, and a ton of trial size toiletries to put in these really cute blue terry cloth cosmetic bags that are embroidered with "Good Guests Leave First." LOL, that was the funnest part for me--DH was like "what the H?"

I hope everyone has a fun and safe Independence Day weekend--I hope to come back to lots of new engagements and pics of new sparklies to look at afterwards!

 

[Mara]

thanks tracy, i know a lot of people don''t venture into the LIW forum so figured this post could be more mainstream.

have a FAB time on skydiving...stay safe and happy birthday!

anyone got some homemade burger recipes?!

 

[Gypsy]

We''ve been doing these blue cheese burgers... but it''s the cheese that makes them... damn.. don''t remember what the name is... its imported... green paper.. will have to find the name. I use a little bit of worchestershire sauce TBLSPOON for 1 pound, same of dried onion flakes and fresh ground black pepper (salt if you want it) and make them into thick burgers. Then I push down the center of them (like a bagel)... but not all the way through... just so it''s got a nice dip in it. Grill the burgers to desired wellness and put bluecheese (at room temperature already) in the dip and on top... close grill lid for 30secs or until it''s oozy... and serve. Yummy! I want to say the blue is saint agur. Not positive though.

 

[Mara]

Oh Gypsy that sounds fab. We do what Greg calls Ukranian burgers which is egg and breadcrumbs, Worsteschire sauce, A1 sauce, chopped onions, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. They are always REALLY yummy. But I''m just looking for that something something a little diff this time. Maybe the blue cheese is the ticket. We both love blue cheese...my fave now is called something like Neil''s Yard Cashel Bleu...anyway I will see what I can find!

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 6/30/2006 1:46:23 AM
Author: Mara
Oh Gypsy that sounds fab. We do what Greg calls Ukranian burgers which is egg and breadcrumbs, Worsteschire sauce, A1 sauce, chopped onions, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper. They are always REALLY yummy. But I''m just looking for that something something a little diff this time. Maybe the blue cheese is the ticket. We both love blue cheese...my fave now is called something like Neil''s Yard Cashel Bleu...anyway I will see what I can find!

I used to make something very much like the ukranian burgers... DF doesn''t like them though... calls them grilled meatballs, lol. Of course... now I have an hankering....

 

[mrssalvo]

we''re going to spend that day at the pool and then friends and family are coming over for and early dinner. hubby just bought a smoker, so I''m sure we''ll have smoked chicken and ribs. We''re going to have Graeter''s icecream for dessert which is a rare treat

we never do fancy homeade burgers. hubby normally drenches them in soy sauce and a little garlic powder and some secret ingredient he won''t tell, but they are so yummy. that bluecheese recipe sounds yummy too.

 

[fire&ice]

We are having our NC friends (with kids away at camp) come to VA. Boys will prolly go golfing. Girls sitting by the pool taking advantage of the club''s cookout! Sounds heavenly! 4th of July is my favorite holiday. No expectations. No big issue driven family get together. Just good clean fun. From our house we can see fireworks on our front porch & our back porch.

Happy 4th everyone!

No good burger recipes here. We like them plain, toasted bun & good ole dopey American Cheese.

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 6/30/2006 8:45:43 AM
Author: mrssalvo
We''re going to have Graeter''s icecream for dessert which is a rare treat

Lucky you! I suppose it would melt by the time it made it from your neck of the woods to mine.

 

[monarch64]

Mara, here are some recipes for Ninja Burgers: http://www.ninjaburger.com/about/recipes.shtml

I just thought this website was hysterical and I couldn''t resist posting this.

 

[Starset]

My brother, sister and I all have summer birthdays so we''re meeting up at my parents house for a big party since this will be the only trip my brother will be making home until Christmas.

They have a 10'' deep pool with a diving board so we all make fools of ourselves trying to see if we can still do the tricks we did as kids. We figured a long time ago that if we just make ourselves do the flips every year we won''t forget. I''m 31 and afraid for my turn on the backflip...

Each kid has requested a different cake so my mom got small versions of each''s favorite: red velvet with vanilla icing, yellow cake with chocolate icing, and my brother''s locally made peanut butter ice cream cake.

For lunch is kabobs on the grill. Skewers of steak, chicken and shrimp with potatos, peppers, mushrooms and onions. There''s this other tradition we have during the summer party - homemade bonacalda (I think it''s Italian). Fattening but

Most of us will be drinking vodka lemonades - on a 96 degree day by the pool. Thank goodness I don''t work Mon or Tues!!!

 

[littlelysser]

Mrs. Salvo - are you from Cinti? I used to live there and I was JUST talking about the deliciousness of that which is Greaters.

MMMMMM.

What kind are you having? Please allow me to live vicariously through your icecream experience!

 

[littlelysser]

Oh and Fire and Ice, I believe that they will ship it to you in dry ice if you order it over the internet.

OHHHHHH I sOOOOOO want some black raspberry chip!!!!

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 6/30/2006 9:39:54 AM
Author: fire&ice

Date: 6/30/2006 8:45:43 AM

Author: mrssalvo

We''re going to have Graeter''s icecream for dessert which is a rare treat

Lucky you! I suppose it would melt by the time it made it from your neck of the woods to mine.

you have Graeter''s F & I? You can always have it shipped to you for an insane amount of money. I just try to bring a bunch back whenever I go to Cincinnati for a visit. They''ll dry ice it for free if you bring your own cooler

 

[ammayernyc]

My boyfriend''s mother is coming to visit. I''m terribly nervous for some reason. I also just learned that we''re going over to my Aunt and Uncle''s place for brunch tomorrow. It will be the first time any of my family has met her. Aaarrgh!

 

[Mara]

okay starset i''m a''comin over!!!!! a pool and vodka lemonades and 3 types of cakes??!?!?!? sounds like my kinda party! hehe.

 

[hlmr]

Happy Fourth of July to everyone!

I like our holiday too for being a stress free, usually nice weather kind of day, which is great!

Happy Canada Day for us tomorrow. We plan on having some friends over for a BBQ and fireworks. I hope the weather will cooperate!! We're having burgers and potato salad, green salad and various other munchies. It's good to keep it relatively simple so it is more enjoyable for the hostess!

 

[FireGoddess]

Date: 6/30/2006 10:04:07 AM
Author: Starset
There''s this other tradition we have during the summer party - homemade bonacalda (I think it''s Italian). Fattening but

It''s bagna calda and it is Italian. And can I have some? With some red velvet cake for dessert?!?!

I have NO idea what we will be doing on the 4th. Totally lame! I''ll come up with something though.

 

[Starset]

Bagna Calda - Thanks FG!!!
That stuff is the best! My Mom's family and bf's Dad's family are both Lithuanian and both claim that bagna calda is part of their culture as well.

Well, I've been eating it ever since my first family reunion. I prefer cabbage and cauliflower (and of course bread - but I try to eat it more with vegetables.) It's a summertime favorite cooked outside in a large skillet so the anchovies and garlic don't take over my Mom's house

Oh and PS - the red velvet is my choice

 

[KristyDarling]

I wish I knew.

My MIL is coming to visit Sunday through Wednesday and I suppose we''ll have to come up with a nice July 4 plan for her. Normally we''d probably just hang out with our friends but she''s pretty shy, so we might stay closer to home and keep it a family thing. We just had a party for our son''s birthday so we''re not feeling up to hosting another event here....it''ll probably just be the 5 of us: grilled sausages and corn. Take the dog and kids to the park. Simple stuff!

 

[Allisonfaye]

The blue cheese burgers sound great. I think the hands down best grilled burger ingredient is charcoal. (Not in the burgers). We had a gas grill in the city but when we moved out to the burbs, we bought an old fashioned grill with charcoal. I will never go back.

We have friends coming to visit from out of town on the 5th so I will be scrambling to get everything finished. On the 4th, we will take our daughters (2.5 and 9 mos) to the parade and I will pay all the rest of the day for blowing naps but they have to have some fun, right? Unfortunately, no one wants to babysit on 4th of July so we will probably miss the fireworks again this year. There will be many years (hopefully) to come though.

Have a great holiday, everyone.

 

[mia15]

Food! That''s usually my plan for July 4th. I love these holidays that are all about food and friends, like Thanksgiving.

Lately I''ve been adding soy sauce to burgers as a marinade. It''s fantastic. You''d think it would be overwhelming, but it''s not. It just adds this great, savory depth.

A friend of mine does a wonderful cider and ketchup glaze from Cook''s illustrated and uses it instead of ketchup or as a marinade. It''s unbelievably popular with the guys for some reason.

I''m making granny smith pies too - they''re the best.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

We plan to spend the week in the NC mountains with my family. My BIL will cook homemade BBQ pork, and we''ll have fresh corn on the cob, coleslaw, etc. I understand that there will be a bluegrass festival in the area, but I''m not sure I can handle that!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Long w/e for us Canadians as well as our southern allies--will spend it packing for our tropical holiday...might drink something long and cool in between to allieviate the heat................

cheers--Sharon