Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!

We'll be cooking out with just a few friends this year. I'm sure it will be a good time, but I miss the 4th of Julys of my youth!

The day would start out on the Common at Lake Quannapowitt, with Doll Carriage/Wagon Parade... kids would decorate their carriages or wagons to win prizes... pet show... kids decorate their pets for prizes... bicycle/tricycle/scooter parade... relay races... popcorn vendors... cotton candy vendors... ice cream vendors... balloon/noise maker/flag vendors...

Then after the morning kid activities, we'd regroup at our house and head over to my dad's best friend's house to watch the parade. Crow (nickname for dad's best friend) has always been like a favorite uncle to me. Dad always bought my sister and me a bomb pop at the parade.


After the parade we'd hang around Crow's house at his cookout, for just a little while... then it was time to go up to Nana's house for the big cookout!

My dad was one of 11 kids... so I had tons of aunts & uncles & cousins! It was great!

I loved playing with my cousins. I can remember Auntie Mary with Uncle Joe, Auntie Cathy with Uncle Norman and Uncle Tommy with Auntie Ingrid... all when they were just dating. I thought they were all so cool! (They still are cool)

The cookouts weren't anything fancy. It was burgers & dogs... potato salad... Nana's chicken wings... tossed salad... soda... beer.... toll house cookies... Auntie Marie's no-bake cookies... basic cookout food... but was the BEST!

One year a streaker ran by!!! Auntie Linda was out front saying, "Hey streaker! Wait for me!" hehehe

There was also the Emerald Street Blues Band! That consisted pretty much of my uncles... mostly I remember them playing stuff like Ice Box Man and Elvira (my great-grandmother was Elvira)

We'd all eat and play and have fun all day until it was dark... then we'd all head back down to the lake with blankets to watch the fireworks!

A perfect end to a perfect 4th of July celebration with family and friends.

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So our 4th of July won't be quite that busy. Just a few friends... some food...

From our backyard we can see fireworks for 5 or 6 different locations... they're small and in the distance... but we can see them all.

If our friends go to get a better look at fireworks, that's fine... if they don't, they can enjoy some PA legal fireworks fountains in the backyard. (after I give it a good soaking with the hose!)

Here's a little of we'll be having...

Potato Salad


Ranch Burgers... but they'll be turkey tomorrow.


Broccoli Salad


Porch Sangria


There will also be hot dogs and brats... steak tips... veggies... fruit... beer... and some kinda desserts!

Happy 4th of July!

Hiatus, a Cookover & some Potato Salad

Hi! Remember me?

I guess I've been on an unscheduled hiatus.

I've been a little busy... but then when I wasn't busy, I was busy being lazy!

I think I'm back now. There's still been stuff going on in my kitchen, mixed with lots of FFY (Fend For Yourself) days!

Sooo... where to start...

I was going to post about the first official BakeSpace Cookover.

What's a Cookover you ask? It's when you get together with your foodie friends to cook!

I got to meet some fun foodies & food bloggers that I've been chatting with for over a year! Not to mention I got to cook in Karen's DREAM KITCHEN for 2 days!



Michele & DD from BakeSpace have already posted about it and I'm just going to let you read their blogs. Hopefully you're already familiar with both of them. But if not, check out Michele's post over at My Italian Grandmother and DD's at DDpies's Slice. You can also read about it in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

It was so much fun meeting everyone! It was like we were all old friends, even though it was the first time actually 'meeting' for most of us!

I also want to say again... Thank you Thank you Thank you to Karen for hosting us all at your lovely home!!

So that accounted for one busy weekend... followed by a lazy week, that ended with 4th of July.

While the actual 4th of July was very busy for me... it was an extra long, extra lazy weekend otherwise!

For me, it's not the 4th of July without Mum's Potato Salad.

Actually... I think she learned to make if from Nana (dad's mum). Anyway... Mum makes it for cookouts! I don't know if she still does... but 25 years ago, she always did!

And she usually put it in her big yellow Pryex bowl.



Remember those? I can only remember my mum having the green one and the yellow one. Mum... did you have the whole set? I wonder if she really 'reads' my blog or just kinda skims through it. I guess I'll find out!

Anyway. It's really just basic Potato Salad. And I do make it a little different from mum.

This time I cut 3 pounds of baby Yukon Gold potatoes into bite sized pieces. I left the skins on, since they're so thin. Then boiled until just tender.


Rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Hard boiled and chopped half a dozen eggs.


Throw in some diced onion.


This is where I stray from Mum's version. I add some chopped dill pickle.


Add some salt & pepper, mayo & mustard.


Toss until well mixed and sprinkle with smoked paprika.


Basic Potato Salad... that has graced the picnic tables of millions of Americans for countless cookouts.

I added dill pickle. Maybe you like black olives... or some crunchy celery... I like yellow mustard... maybe you want to use or brown or dijon.

Anyway... I like it basic... and it's a MUST for the 4th of July!

Hope you had a great weekend and spent it with friends and family!

More cookout food coming up... stay tuned!