Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

It is my B-Day so we will have friends over for typical bar q, and then watch the fireworks from our roof top deck. What are you doing?

we'll be headed out to Wa. the 3rd is SM's birthday (significant mom) we always have a huge picnic, usually involving seafood pasta and whatever else she requests. I'll be in charge of the dessert table, which means merangues and short cakes and lots of fresh berries and fresh whipped creams. we have a couple of ppl with ceialc attending so the merangues are a quick tasty sub for the cake.

Since we opted out of Memorial Day festivities we will most likely have a July 4th party. At this time the only thing definite is there will be grilling of copious amounts of chicken, burgers and hotdogs, a couple of desserts and lots of alcohol. The side dishes vary from year to year, but I am leaning towards a corn on the cob and salad nicoise. That, however, could change if I see something I like better. Oh and I will be having pizza this year because I just learned how to make pizza dough. : D ( Big deal for me as dough has always been a thorn in my side and I can't wait to show it off!)

We have a big potluck chicken bbq every year...I've been doing it for about 10 years now...but we have it on the 3rd because that's when they do fireworks on the beach near us. We supply the chicken, & beverages & everyone brings a dish. Ironically, I never tell anyone to bring, but we never have duplicated dishes, and after all these years everyone pretty much knows what the others are bringing. My mom always makes her famous baked beans, my neighbor her broccoli salad...etc.
One of the highlights has become the jello shots....I usually make 5 or 6 different kinds, and after dinner we bring them out on trays & pass them around....the rum & pineapple jello and tequila & lime jello are favorites. I have to make non-alcholic ones for the non-drinkers so they don't feel left out. Guess this year I'll be making a batch of sugar free too!

OK, this is obviously not the answer the Serious Eats community, who is planning picnics, etc., is looking for, but I'm getting married! And I'm really excited!

To stick to the theme, however, I will be eating well. Raghavan Iyer is our chef and he is making yummy appetizers like crispy rounds with chutney and shrimps and open-faced samosas. And he's making lamb and chicken for the banquet

Most exciting, however?

Mango cardamom cheesecake with a pistachio crust.

I can't wait!

Going to Montreal for July 4th. Will miss the fireworks, but seemed like a good place to go for a long weekend.

Ughhh working- doing crowd control for thousands of drunk people at my resort's beach. Hopefully some of my friends will step up to the plate and have yummy bbq ready when i get home!

pjracz - Happy Birthday, one month ahead of time!

inothernews - Congratulations!!! It looks as though you will be making some major fireworks, alright! Menu sounds great, too! Very nice!!
Best wishes for much success and tremendous happiness! Bravo!!

The family goes to the Saint Paul, Oregon Rodeo (biggest 4th of July redeo in the country) Race home to McMinnville and for the third year in a row we will host a crawfish boil with 75 lbs of crawdads, 30 lbs of home made anduille sausage with all the fixins. Corn and mushrooms in the boil. Pimento cheese, boiled peanuts and crawfish cheesecake for appetizers. Red velvet cupcakes for dessert. All the while drinking cold beer and Sangria. The cost of admission is a bottle of everyday wine for our cellar. We expect around 100 people. This is the one day of the year that we fly the flag that ardorned my father's casket. Is this a great country or what?

we're having a neighborhood/friends/family early bbq, that will still allow folks to get over to the fire-works at dark, but with a twist. we're providing drinks, snacks, side-dishes, condiments, rolls, cheeses, and desserts and are asking the guests to bring whatever meats they want for the grill. a girlfriend of mine does this annually for her little boy's birthday each spring and it works great! you want steak? bring steak! boca burgers? there's room over there! chicken? burgers? dogs? you're buying! we'll grill to please!

Happy Birthday to all the Yankee Doodle babies!

Going to a big bash held annually on Independence Day by a work associate of BF's. Considering two desserts to bring - one a sort of fruited trifle and one a chocolate trifle. I figure it's easy to serve with just a spoon and a guest can take as little or as much as desired.

Rest of the weekend...No idea :D. I'm sure grilling will be involved.

Going fishing!

Sent an Evite last night for an afternoon July 4th potluck. Evite allows you to create a potluck dish sign-up list for your invitees. It's very convenient to use, in case you're planning a potluck in the future.

@veggieout: Enjoy your Egypt trip. You're lucky to have family there to visit. What an opportunity. Will you be sight-seeing at all?

@meem21: I like Cassaendra's suggestions. They should work for people with uncomplicated tastes.

Probably a couple of hikes at Buttermilk Falls and Taughannock Falls in the Ithaca area. There's a reason they say Ithaca is "Gorges." Absolutely beautiful. After that we'll cook out by Cayuga Lake and the kids will demand that we stop for icecream on the way home.

@Susquehanna
Won't be doing too much sightseeing as we've visited 4 times already and my parents grew up there--we're ready for some downtime with the family.
we WILL, however be doing LOTS of eating! Can't wait for REAL falafel, fresh mangoes and hot out of the brick oven pitas.

San Diego County Fair at Del Mar Racetrack.

Live 5 minutes away, but have never been. Looking forward to horse races, livestock showings, and fair food!