Festive Fourth of July Picnic

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Christy

We went to my friend Andrea’s house for a wonderful Memorial Day picnic, and I wanted to share the photos with you before the Fourth of July, because the red, white, and blue theme is perfect for every patriotic event!

I loved the burlap that she used to cover her dining room table, and the “America” banner on the front added a pop of color.

We didn’t have ALL the food on the table at this point, and some of it was in the kitchen, but we decided to keep the food inside to minimize flies.  I used an idea I saw on Pinterest to put the fruit salad in a covered jar–that way if you are serving food outside, the flies still can’t get in!

I love the way Andrea stacked up old soda crates to hold condiments and salt and pepper.  I have a bunch in my son’s room to hold his Legos; maybe I should borrow them for my next picnic?

The eagle, the straw hat, the copy of the Declaration of Independence…I love all the details!

Even the chandelier gets decorated for the holiday, with red, white and blue paper stars and lanterns.

Andrea took a simple boxwood wreath and jazzed it up with the Declaration of Independence and some flags.

And take a look at what she did over the wreath, with the eagle and the old flag draped around it…

Dessert–the best part!  Hot Tamales, Twizzlers, Three Musketeers, and Crunch bars in apothecary jars create a red, white, and blue display.  Paper flags dress up easy cupcakes made from a box.

Beautiful vintage ephemera on the hall entry table…

The bar was open for the grownups, and the kids enjoyed a bottomless cooler of ice cold Cokes (in glass bottles) on the bunting-draped porch.  Coke in glass bottles is my kids’ favorite junk food treat.  Not surprisingly, this was about the time my children asked me if they could live with Andrea! :)

Even the flowers in the backyard were decorated for the holiday…

While the grown-ups played a cutthroat cornhole tournament, the kids threw water balloons (red, white, and blue, of course) at each other to cool off.  As night fell, Andrea pulled out a bucket of glow necklaces and whip-its to keep them occupied for awhile longer, while we all sat around and enjoyed some adult conversation.  It was a perfect day!

As we celebrate our nation’s birthday, I am so thankful for the freedom that we enjoy, and for the brave men and women (like my husband and all of the guys at this picnic!) who fight to protect it.  Happy Independence Day!

Thanks for stopping by!

{We are sharing this post at Common Ground and Serenity Now and Honey We’re Home}

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Posted in 4th of July, Entertaining, Holidays, Real Spaces | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Stars and Stripes Inspiration Board and Summer BBQ Recipes

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Terry

Are you ready to kick off BB-Q season?  Do you have a “go to” recipe that you are planning  to bring to your next pot luck cook out?  Are you looking forward to some patriotic fireworks this Independence Day?   For those of you who need a bit of red white and blue inspiration, this post is for you!  I hope you get into the spirit of summer with this Stars and Stripes Inspiration Board and I hope you enjoy some of my “must try” cookout recipes, perfect for your next party.

Stars and Stripes Inspiration Board- Happy July 4th!!

July 4th always sneaks up on me so this year I wanted to ensure I planned ahead.  I love a good cookout but I often find myself overindulging and overeating!  I have put together  healthy menu to get you through the holiday and/or your next summer cookout without blowing up like a firework:).

Grilled Lemon Thyme Chicken (Ina Garten)

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  • 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice (4 lemons)
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

Directions:

  1. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme.
  2. Pour over the chicken breasts in a nonreactive bowl.
  3. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight.
  4. Grill to perfection and enjoy:)

Red, White and Blue Potato Salad (From Cooking Light)

Cooking Light: Red White and Blue Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise (about 10 ounces)
  • 2 cups small red potatoes, quartered (about 10 ounces)
  • 2 cups small blue potatoes, halved lengthwise (about 10 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  • 3 hard-cooked large eggs, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, minced

Preparation

  1. Place fingerling and red potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool slightly. Place potatoes in a large bowl.
  2. Place blue potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain; cool slightly. Add blue potatoes, onion, parsley, dill, chives, and eggs to bowl; toss gently.
  3. Combine vinegar and remaining ingredients. Pour over potato mixture; toss gently to combine. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Note: Blue potatoes are starchier than the others and tend to bleed, so cook them separately. If you need to, prepare this dish a day ahead, but add the blue potatoes just before serving. If your potatoes are larger than the ones we call for, cut them to a uniform size.

Strawberry Mousse Parfait with Fresh Fruit and Almonds

(Adapted from Chocolate-Covered Katie and it is Paleo friendly!!)

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I found this recipe on Pinterest, but you know me, I had to make it my own.  Chocolate-Covered Katie is a blog I follow as she finds ways to make all decadent desserts healthier.  It is a great way to indulge without overindulging.  This dessert is wonderfully light, fresh and creamy.  You really feel like you are cheating with this creamy dessert when in fact you are feeding your body wonderfully healthy coconut milk.  Coconut is all the rage right now as it is easy for the body to digest and is immediately used for energy.   Who doesn’t need a bit more energy these days:).   The presentation is perfect for your next party and the coconut cream and berries will keep you energized for your next game of horseshoes!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2-5 strawberries for mousse, additional strawberries for garnish and diced layering
  • almonds (sliced or chopped)
  • blueberries for layering and garnish
  • mint for garnish
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • sweetener to taste (Stevia or powdered sugar)
  •  tiny pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

  1. Open coconut milk and ensure it is very thick.  If it is not, transfer can to bowl and refrigerate overnight.  The coconut needs to be very very thick.
  2. Transfer the think coconut milk to a bowl leaving out any of the coconut water.
  3. Blend in strawberries, vanilla and Stevia
  4. Chop additional strawberries for layering (toss with a bit of sugar or Stevia to make them sweet)
  5. Rinse the blueberries
  6. In a pretty glass layer the following: mousse, strawberries, almonds, mousse, blueberries, almonds.  The last layer should end with mousse and garnish with a strawberry and/or blueberry and a sprig of mint.  Chill in the fridge until you are ready to serve.  This is a great time saving, make ahead dessert!

 Happy Independence Day!

 

 

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