4th of July: The All-American Family Party and Menu

By Jeanne Benedict
Patriotic FamilySpread the word about your great red, white & blue family party ideas with fun July 4th invitations.

Three cheers for the red, white and blue! Plan a patriotic day of family activities complete with an all-star menu for your 4th of July celebration.

Choose from a variety of fresh and fun ideas: a Parent Decorating Contest, a Firework Kaleidoscope craft, and a menu full of red, white and blue food guaranteed to give your holiday party a siss! boom! bang!

Spend your July 4th morning marching in a neighborhood parade! And evenings, of course, are for gazing up at fireworks lighting up the sky.

The afternoon is perfect for enjoying all-American activities and eating patriotic food with your family and friends.

Super Star Activities

Cool off with red, white and blue water balloons and heat up the competition with these ideas:

4th of July Egg Toss

  • Cover the egg holes with a holiday sticker and use them for your egg toss!

10 Stars & Stripes Hunt Items

  1. Red, white or blue food
  2. Flag
  3. Striped item of clothing
  4. Red, white or blue item from parent
  5. $1.00 in change
  6. Star shape found in nature
  7. Holiday paper plate or napkin
  8. Bottle cap
  9. Item with a President’s name
  10. Star

Stars & Stripes Hunt

  • Send the kids searching for stars, stripes, and other "July 4th" items.
  • Create a list for the hunt and give one to each child along with a bag to collect the items.

Parent Decorating Contest

Fun for the kids -- with a little innocent parental payback! Conduct a contest where one parent is “decorated” by their children.

Patriotic Sequin HatPatriotic Sequin Hat

Here’s how:

  1. Purchase patriotic costumes, wigs, boas, face paints, and anything else that can be used to dress up Mom or Dad.
  2. Set dress-up items on a table.
  3. On “Go,” kids run to the table and grab 5 items. For face paints, each kid gets a brush and the paints stay on the table.
  4. Kids decorate their parent for about 5 minutes while music is played.
  5. Impartial bystanders decide who looks the best based on creativity and parental performance when they strut their stuff in front of the judges!

Patriotic Kid’s Crafts

Snack on Red, White, and Blue Popcorn from The Popcorn Factory!Snack on Red, White and Blue Popcorn from The Popcorn Factory!

You can only throw so many water balloons! Set up a place for the kids to chill out and create a cool memento of the party.

Campaign Buttons

  • Purchase a beginner’s button-making machine at a craft store or online for the kids to make their own 4th of July button pins.
  • Make sure that you have enough supplies for each guest, because each kit only contains so many buttons.
  • Set up a table with the button-making elements, July 4th stickers, markers, scissors, and red, white and blue paper so the kids can create their own designs.

Fireworks

Firework Kaleidoscope

  • Set the kits on a table along with holiday-themed paper, glue-stick, double-stick tape, and scissors to decorate the outside of the kaleidoscope.
  • Get patriotic sequins and faux gems for the prismatic sparkle at the end of the kaleidoscope.

All-Star Menu

All-American Basket CaddyAll-American Basket Caddy

Below you’ll find some zesty red, white and blue recipes for your 4th of July celebration, including a Papaya Slaw, Potato and Black Bean Salad, Pork Ribs and Glaze, Caramel Flan, and Star Pepper Pasta Salad.

To keep your food spread simple and spirited:

  • Place napkins and utensils in a basket with an American flag theme.
  • Stack red, white and blue disposable plates for an easy thematic touch.
  • Place food condiments or drinks on ice in a fun vessel such as a red kid’s wagon.

 

For more July 4th party ideas, check out our Summer Parties and Barbeque and Outdoor Entertaining pages. Our Beer Tasting article with All-American décor is ideal for the adults at the party!



Papaya, Jicama, and Red Onion Slaw in Blueberry Vinaigrette


Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons white grape juice
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 large head red cabbage, finely shredded
  • 1 small jicama, peeled, coarsely grated
  • 1 papaya, peeled, seeded, cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 medium red onion, cut into thin slivers

Preparation:

Place blueberries in a large bowl, and crush with the back of a spoon. Add white grape juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and, sugar, and, whisk together until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand room temperature over night.

Combine cabbage, jicama, papaya, and, onion in a large bowl. Pour Blueberry Vinaigrette over ingredients and toss to combine.

Makes 10 to 12 servings.

Note: Jicama is a vegetable with a crisp, white inside, similar in taste and texture to an apple, and a rough outer brown skin. Peel off the brown skin before slicing.

Zesty Potato and Black Bean Salad


Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs. Russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons whole coriander, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon minced pimientos
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons cup fresh lime juice
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed, drained

Preparation:

Place potatoes in large stockpot and cover with water and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring water to boil over medium-high and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain in colander and transfer to large bowl.

Meanwhile, whisk together garlic, coriander, pimientos, vinegar, limejuice, oil, salt, and, pepper until combined.

Add black beans and limejuice mixture to potatoes. Toss gently to avoid mashing potatoes until combined. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Star Pepper Pasta Salad


Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs. bowtie pasta
  • 1 green pepper, seeded, cut into stars with a mini cookie or canapé cutter
  • 1 red pepper, seeded, cut into stars with a mini cookie or canapé cutter
  • 1 yellow pepper, seeded, cut into stars with a mini cookie or canapé cutter
  • 1 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Bring water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon oil to boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add pasta and cook 8 to 10 minutes until pasta is tender. Drain in a colander and cool. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in pepper stars and tomatoes.

Whisk together oil, parsley, lemon juice, vinegar, pepper, and salt. Pour into pasta and toss until thoroughly combined. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 10 to 12 side servings

Spicy and Sweet Barbecue Sauce for Pork Ribs


Ingredients:

  • 10 lbs. baby back pork loin spareribs
  • Water
Spicy and Sweet Barbecue Sauce

  • 2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoons pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 cups ketchup
  • 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
Preparation:

Place ribs in several large stockpots. Add water into the pots until the ribs are covered in liquid. Parboil ribs by bringing liquid to a boil over high heat. Then, reduce heat to low, cover, and, simmer for 1 hour. Remove ribs from pot and drain liquid.

To make barbecue sauce, combine ingredients in a large pot. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens. Cool to room temperature to allow flavors to blend.

Heat gas barbecue according to manufacturer’s instructions for low heat OR follow instructions on charcoal bag for low coals. Set grill about 6 inches above coals and place parboiled ribs on grill. Brush sauce over ribs and grill, turning ribs over and basting ribs with sauce every 10 minutes, until done, about 20 minutes. Ribs will be done when the meat separates from the bone about 1/2 inch and rib backing often cracks. Place racks on a serving platter or cut ribs in between bones for individual portions and serve.

Makes 10 to 12 servings

Watermelon Caramel Flan


Ingredients:

Watermelon Caramel

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • 8 (18gm. each) pieces Watermelon Jolly Rancher Hard Candy
Flan

  • 8 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
  • 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Preparation:

To make caramel, combine sugar, water, and candy in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and continue to boil without stirring for 3-5 minutes more until candy has melted, the mixture deepens in color, and you smell a watermelon scent. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove from heat and pour hot caramel into a 10-inch round pan. Tilt pan to coat bottom of pan with caramel. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 325F (165C).

Beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale yellow. Add heavy cream, milk, and vanilla and beat until blended.

Pour flan mixture into caramel-lined pan. Place round pan in a larger pan. Pour enough hot water in larger pan to reach halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake about 2 hours until flan appears set and until knife inserted off-center comes of clean. Remove flan pan from water bath and cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Because of the candy used in the caramel, it contains more liquid than usual. Invert onto a large, flat serving platter and wipe off excess liquid from sides.

Just before serving arrange blueberries and strawberries in a patriotic pattern on top of flan. Serve cool. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 1 week.

Makes 15 to 20 servings
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