Fourth of July Special Recipes Planned?

(Said in a neutral tone:) See the new movie, “Food.”

I’ll email you my magic, easy, expandable black bean, lime and cilantro salad.

My son’s birthday is July 5th, so we’re having a huge barbecue for that.
We’re having hamburgers, hotdogs, cole slaw, fruit salad, potato salad, my husbands amazing guac and chips, deviled eggs….and a lot of snack food.
Last year, for his 1st birthday, we had all sorts of “fancy” food. Amazing grilled shrimp and salmon. So tasty. We’re keeping it simple this year though.
My husband says he didn’t get to enjoy last years party, because he’s a chef and people seem to always except him to be cooking up something nice…he wanted to do something easy this year, so he’s not cooking the entire time.

@gailcalled That salad sounds incredible! Love to have the recipe.

@casheroo Sounds like fun! What’s the secret of his great guac? I love guac. It could, you know, have been manna from heaven. Who’s to say?

75% Potassium Nitrate
15% Charcoal
10% Sulfur
Cotton twine
Matches or butane lighter

Mix the first three ingredients together then pack tightly into a thick cardboard or paper rolled up tube. Insert twine for fuse and light using match or lighter.
Stand back.

@AstroChuck As always, your answer sparkles!

@casheroo My birthday is July 3rd!! ^_^ (Very excited, my favorite favorite time of year!) And we are also having a cookout- but with my grandma and immediate family. We always go on a vacation for my birthday and I just love it! =D

@Open Happy birthday tomorrow!

Boiled shrimp with red sauce, and barbecue with my son’s birth family.

@Darwin Red sauce? Sounds intriguing. A la cocktail sauce?

Hubby’s going to smoke a briskett & a couple whole chickens. Deviled eggs for me, too, my tortilla roll-ups & cheesy potatoes.

If I make anything it’ll be my super fabulous, super famous, guacamole. Yummers. It just isn’t the fourth of July without good guac.

@Marina Thank you! And have a great 4th of July! ^_^

@Les Is your guac special? How do you make it?

@Marina
It’s no secret. It is Rick Bayless’ recipe. Avodados (mashed but not super smooth. I like some chunks), a small yellow onion (tiny dice, add as much as you like), a jalepeno (roasted in a dry frying pan until it is blackened, take the seeds out or leave ‘em in if you like heat), a couple small tomatoes (seeded, small dice), cilantro (as much as you like), lime juice and salt. Mmm.. deelicious.

@Les Sounds good. I should try that again.

I have pared mine down to just avocado (mashed with chunks as you describe), a minced 1/2 large clove of garlic, salt, and lemon or lime juice.

@Marina I don’t know ‘bout that ^^. Guac without cilantro is like a day without the sun. My husband’s is very similar to Les’s but he doesn’t roast the jalapeno. Red onion, cilantro, diced jalapeno, mashed avocados, salt and lime juice and keep tasting until you get the proportions right or eat up all the guac!

@Marina When he gets home from work, i’ll ask. He always makes me get the ingredients, but I need the list because I’m always forgetting!

@open Have a great birthday! My birthday is July 9th, so it’s never really been mixed with July 4th.

@janbb I can take or leave cilantro. It tastes like soap to me. I like it in fresh salsa, but I don’t want it overpowering my guac.

@Marina: I decided to share this with the masses since it will feed them.
—————————-
Black and White Bean Salad (Yield: 8–10 servings)

2 cans drained black beans (you can be pure and start with dried beans)
2 cans drained small white beans ( ditto)
1 can drained corn (or cook fresh corn and scrape, scrape, scrape)
1 C chopped red onion
1 C chopped red pepper
1/4 C chopped cilantro (I am not a fan either, but this blends nicely with the other flavors)

2 C. Cumin Vinaigrette (I use 1 1/2) Use whisk for all mixing. Add EVOO last.

1/4 C cider vinegar and 1/4 C fresh lime juice
1 T dijon mustard
1 t freshly minced garic
1 1/2 C EVOO
Salt and pepper to taste. (Kosher and ground).

Combine everything and toss gently; can sit in refrigerator overnight or for at least one hour. May be expanded indefinitely.

Sounds delicious!

@Marina Okay, hubby says his is super simple and he refuses to use tomatos because that’s what salsa is for. “If I wanted pico de gallo I would make it”
He uses half a red onion to every four-six avocados, five limes, salt and pepper to taste, half a bunch of cilantro.

@casheroo Yum. OK, people, I am trying all three recipes side by side. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do the ultimate guac taste tests.

You bring the chips and see you on the fourth.

@casheroo: Yeah, I get the thing about no tomatoes in guac, but my friend (from Mexico) makes his guac the same as I do, so I’m going to go with the first hand expert experience. But to each his own, I guess. ;-)

Another tip, however you make your guac, add the avocado pits (whole) to the finished concotion. It helps the guac from turning brown.

@Marina deviled eggs? wow, how retro! love it! i do believe in adding texture and surprise flavors to old stand-bys.

i have a sister-in-law who has outdoor functions all the time, but all that is being grilled or prepared is meat. for some reason, sides are not a priority until people start coming over and asking about, well, side dishes that go with the meat.

here’s a few of my my side faves:

1.redskin potato salad with turkey bacon
2. sweet baked beans with turkey bacon and onion
3. baked turkey spaghetti with melted cheese
4. fried sweet corn with peppers, onions and cilantro
5. grilled and buttered sweet corn in the husk
6. hoagy salad with pepperoncini, white onion, oregano and tomatoes

@charliecompany34 Not retro, a classic made modern! : D

Those are some might fine sounding sides! 4 Sounds especially interesting.

@Les If we were eating it over the course of a couple days, we’d do that…or add more lime juice, but this guac will be gone by the end of the party.

cilantro must happen.
the “soap” taste is a good description. i do see your point, but salsas or any latin dish cannot survive without it. cilantro provides the “so fresh and so clean clean” punch in latin and asian dishes. it’s that herb that is just needed.

Hey everybody, guac party at Marina’s! The nieghbors will all want to come and join in the fun!

Brown rice with herbs and almonds, Barbecued chicken strips and stir fried vegetables, with mandarin oranges. For dessert, we will have chocolate pudding and sliced bananas, topped with black cherries and crumbled graham crackers.

Potato salad with new, red potatoes (skin on), raspberry vinaigrette, capers and a few fresh raspberries.

Sugar snap peas, radishes, and light vinaigrette.

Watercress, diced cooked beets, walnut pieces, and light vinaigrette.

Gail I am ready to eat at your place. Unique food that sounds great.

@charliecompany34 Hope you’re happy. I bought a bunch of cilantro at the farmer’s market yesterday.

@gailcalled The bean salad is on the agenda today.

@Gooch; No animal products here; remember that. I gave my gas grill to the guy who mows my lawn.

A lovely dinner for one is 3 ears of corn, sliced and dressed tomatoes and basil from the garden with organic mozarella, and a chuck of watermelon.

@Marina Glad to see you caved on the cilantro. Now enjoy it – or wash your mouth out with it!