With a focus on outdoor, casual and festive gatherings, the Fourth of July is the true marker of the summer season. These side dishes would be great for your July 4th menu — or for any meal this season. Easy to transport for a pot-luck!
TIP: Keep your cool by ordering up some fried chicken from local takeout — like Brenda’s (see below) — and you’ve got yourself full-on July 4th picnic.
Home-style Potato Salad
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 pounds of Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1/2 c diced red onion (green could work too)
- 1/4 cup dill pickle relish drained
- 2 large hard boiled eggs peeled and chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbs. yellow mustard
- 2 tsp. each salt and black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
- In large pot cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 12-15 minutes until tender. Drain and quarter into bite-size pieces.
- In a large bowl, combine potatoes, celery, onion, relish and eggs.
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard salt and pepper. Add to the potato mixture and toss gently. Cover and refrigerate.
- Garnish with paprika if desired.
- Best to make this a day ahead or at least a few hours before serving.
Summer Succotash
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups fresh lima beans
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 slices of thick bacon
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 6 ears)
- 1 pt cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp. red-wine vinegar
- 2 Tbsp chopped chives
- 2 Tbsp chopped parsley Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- Bring the first 4 ingredients and water to a boil lower heat to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes until beans are tender. Drain the beans keeping 3/4 of the cooking water.
- Cook the bacon in a large skillet about 7 minutes or so until it is crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon and set aside.
- In the bacon grease pan, saute chopped red onion about 3 minutes until tender, add the corn and cook another 3 minutes, add the tomatoes, the lima beans, and the 3/4 cup cooking liquid, and cook stirring occasionally for 5 minutes.
- Stir in butter, vinegar and chives, add bacon and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh parsley when serving.
These recipes were first posted on June 30, 2020.