Make Your July 4th a Delicious One

Grab your family, your neighbors, and your friends and have an old-fashioned Fourth of July cookout to celebrate America’s 250th! I grew up on a different mountain in Tennessee, where the Lions Club always threw a big BBQ bash on the fourth by the old ballfields and playground. My mom loved that, because we’d pile into the station wagon and head to the festivities — no cooking or cleanup for her, plus we wore ourselves out on the swings until dark. Then we’d pile back into the car and then stagger to bed.

Here are some recipes that might not be on your usual menu but that go perfectly with all the traditional sides. I hope you have warm memories of July Fourths past, and that your celebrations this July fill your heart and your stomach.

Grilled Flank Steak

(Makes 6 servings)

1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1.5 pounds boneless flank steak

1. Preheat grill to 400 degrees. Combine the first 5 ingredients by shaking in a zip-top bag. Rub mixture evenly over steak. Let stand 1 hour.
2. Grill with grill lid on for 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until steak is your desired doneness. Wait 10 minutes to slice across the grain into strips.

Avoid-the-Heat Slow Cooker Shrimp

(Makes 4 large servings or 5 appetizer servings)

This shrimp is the easiest thing ever, and the sauce infuses it with lots of flavor but not overwhelming spice. You can add hot sauce if you prefer a bigger kick. If the July heat gets into the mid-90s, I’m not going to sit outside and eat. No sweating involved in making this one. Serve it with some good bread or dirty rice.

6 garlic cloves, minced
2 sticks butter
6 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons chili sauce
1 tablespoon Old Bay seafood seasoning
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 pounds fresh shrimp, unpeeled with tails on

1. Melt half a stick of butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and saute 2 minutes.
2. Add garlic butter and all other ingredients except shrimp to a slow cooker.
3. Cook sauce on low setting for 1 hour, then stir in shrimp.
4. Cook for 30 minutes or until shrimp turn pink, stirring twice during cooking time to coat with sauce.

Cantaloupe Salad

The below recipe was such a surprise when I tasted it at a friend’s house recently. Allison had been to a cooking school, and the chef, Chef Pierre Magnolini from The Cooking School at Saint Bibiana in Savannah, imparted this lovely combination of flavors.

2½ tablespoons vinegar (champagne vinegar or sherry vinegar recommended)
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ripe cantaloupe, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil or mint

1. Place vinegar, olive oil, and salt in a jar, and shake to combine.
2. Pour mixture over the chopped cantaloupe, and marinate in refrigerator for an hour or two.
3. Right before serving, stir in herbs, and serve.