Fourth of July Cookout Menu Ideas

Planning a Fourth of July cookout to showcase your patriotic pride? Celebrate independence with good taste by wowing your guests with these dynamite recipes for the main course, sides, drinks, and desserts.

The Main Event – Cookout Entrees

In Minnesota, we like cheese in our burgers. Hello, Juicy Lucy! So these cheese-stuffed burgers from Napoleon are definitely on our cookout menu. Will your attendees ask for seconds? You betcha!

burgers on Napoleon grill

What is a summer cookout without ribs on the grill? Try Napoleon’s smoky maple ribs recipe. Of course part of being a host with the most is catering to your guests’ dietary needs. This black bean burger recipe from Beko provides a tasty vegetarian option!

BBQ Side Dishes

What you serve on the side is just as important as what you cook on the grill. Add the following ideas to your cookout menu. Spice up your potato salad with this healthy version made with pesto.

Then your guests won’t feel as bad piling their plates with macaroni and cheese! Add some flair with this colorful veggie pizza recipe from GE.

Delectable Desserts

Don’t fire down the grill just yet! These grilled peaches with raspberry yogurt are a fun, fresh dessert option.

Incorporate some red, white and blue into the menu with these patriotic cupcakes:

Summer Drinks

All that food and nothing to wash it down with? Not at your party! Quench your guests’ thirst with refreshing fruit infused water. Use blueberries, strawberries and pineapple to add to the theme.

sliced strawberry and blueberries

If you really want to kick the party up a notch, the adults will love these simple lime margaritas!

Last but not least, celebrate responsibly, have fun and thank a service member.

We love to see what you’re cooking! Share your festive feast photos with the tag #cookwithwarners.

Healthy BBQ Side Dish: Pesto Potato Salad

Summertime means days at the pool, road trips with the windows down and good old-fashioned barbecues. If you’re on sides duty for the cookout, spice up your potato salad with this recipe from KitchenAid. Not only is it healthier, but you’ll impress the guests by going homemade. Roll up your sleeves and get to work!

Pesto Potato Salad Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 medium red onion, peeled
  • 4 sticks celery, strings removed
  • 1.6 pounds small waxy potatoes (such as small Coliban, Chats or Kipfler)
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Dressing

  • 1 1/2 cups arugula leaves
  • 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt flakes

Directions

  1. Attach the work bowl to the food processor with the adjustable slicing blade. Slice the onion. Slice the celery. Remove the onion and celery, set aside.
  2. Slice potatoes.
  3. Place the potatoes into a medium sized saucepan, fill with enough cold water to just cover and season with the salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until just tender. Drain the potatoes and set aside.

For the pesto dressing

  1. Add half of the arugula, then the Parmesan, pine nuts, olive oil, lemon rind, juice and salt. Process until creamy yet slightly course in texture.
  2. Roughly tear the remaining arugula into smaller pieces. Combine the potatoes, onion, celery and torn arugula. Pour over the dressing and gently toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Tips

  • Waxy potatoes have a better texture for salads, as they won’t fall apart in the dressing.
  • Use basil or baby spinach in place of the arugula, or a combination of half and half is also delicious.

Featured image via KitchenAid

We want to know your best barbecue recipes! Share them with us by tagging us and #cookwithwarners!

Keep Your Grill Clean While Cooking

You’ve probably heard the age-old advice that the best way to maintain a spotless kitchen is to clean while you cook. Well the same concept applies to your grill. Cleaning as you go saves you time and sanity later. Follow these tips to avoid dreading the cleanup throughout your whole cookout.

Grilling Tips

Use a high-heat cooking spray on your grates to avoid sticking. Just remember that when it comes to oil on the grill, less is more. Avoid flare-ups by opting for lean cuts of meat and less oily marinades or by trimming fat off the meat before cooking. If it’s good for you, it’s good for the grill too.

Grill Accessories

grill accesories

As any fashion guru will say, it’s all in the accessories. And we’ve rounded up some great ones to keep you from splashing barbecue sauce all over the patio. Level up your grill game with the following grill accessories:

  • Shelf mats: When cooking with sauces and greases, messes are bound to happen. But mats can offer protection from marinades and sauces dripping off your grill tools. Look for something that is compatible with your grill. The Broil King silicone side shelf is dishwasher-safe and won’t scratch stainless steel.
  • Grill brush: No one wants to taste last night’s salmon all over today’s kabobs. Even if you like the flavors together, the mix of old and new is fishy. So what’s the solution? Use a grill brush to remove any stuck on foods or residue after every grilling session. It’s easier to clean a grill when it’s still hot. Bonus: This will prevent flare-ups.
  • Grill mat: Prevent oil and sauce stains from tarnishing your patio by investing in a mat to keep under the grill. If you want to cover more area, even a tarp will do.
  • Dishwasher-safe supplies: When it comes to cleanup, especially after entertaining guests, the dishwasher is your friend. Look for grill accessories you can throw in the dishwasher and forget about… at least until the following morning. Stainless steel and silicone are good options.

Louisiana Grills Founders Legacy 1200 Food-4

Firing Down

Take some steps after you’re done grilling to prep it for next time.

  • Empty the grease tray.
  • For charcoal grills, remove the ash.
  • Wipe any splatters off the exterior to keep it shining.

Now that you know how to keep your grill clean, there’s only one more thing to do. Fire it up! It’s cookout season!

Do you have any tips for keeping your grill clean as you go? Share them in the comments section below!

Images via DCS

How Much Money Do You Spend on Your Daily Coffee?

Got your coffee, calculator and maybe a note pad?

The average time spent waiting in line at popular coffee chains is 4 minutes, which doesn’t count surprises like getting stuck being the guy ordering four blended vanilla frappes.

If your frequent store is a high-traffic chain, you dedicate approximately 25 minutes each week, 100 minutes each month and 20 hours each year to morning lines. That’s considering coffee on workdays alone, and it doesn’t include the time it takes to make your drink.

No, staring at your watch really hard doesn’t actually slow down the little hand so you get to work on time (most of us have tried).

Now the big kicker…

Have you considered the amount of money spent over time on these completely necessary and delicious coffee drinks? The average American coffee fan spends $1100 per year.

Skip the Lines With a Built-in Coffee Maker

The silver lining is that you can redirect that disposable mocha money into a smart and classy investment. Built-in coffee machines pay for themselves in two years, and they come in various easy-to-use models that are designed to make basic espresso or lavish drinks in under two minutes. You choose the temperature and strength, and there’s no more awkward frothing with a stick.

JennAir Built-in Coffee System

This Jenn-Air built-in coffee system allows you to customize your perfect from the strength of the brew and the foam on top. It has 13 different levels for grinding beans, preferred water temperature settings and a frothing system for milk.

Fisher & Paykel Built-in Coffee Maker

We also have a Fisher & Paykel built-in coffee maker, and it has 13 different beverage options! It also features a self-cleaning function, a conical burr grinder and LED lights.

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Miele Built-in Coffee Machine

Or check out one of our Miele built-in coffee machines. This one comes with DirectWater perfectly combinable design with CoffeeSelect + AutoDescale for highest demands. It features a large touch display with movement sensor, individual coffee enjoyment with 3 bean containers and two coffees at once at the touch of a button.

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Gaggenau Built-in Coffee System

Meet the Gaggenau 24-inch built-in coffee system with Wi-Fi and TFT touch display. Looking for something that hooks up to plumbing so you don’t have to fill up the water tank? Here you go! Built with a  warming plate, Bluetooth, frothing nozzle, and it’s easy to clean.

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Wolf Built-In Coffee Maker with Cup Warming Drawer

Lastly, you might want to check out the Wolf built-in coffee makers with the cup warming drawer. Your cups are held at the ideal temperature warm enough to maintain the temperature of your drink while still cool enough to hold comfortably. this brushed stainless steel drawer front coordinates perfectly with the 24” Wolf coffee system in stainless.

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As for those fabulous scones your coffee shop carries, Warners’ Stellian can suggest the best appliances for making those yourself too. You can treat yourself with your own home barista and enjoy the time and money saving benefits.

What’s the first coffee drink you would make on a built-in coffee system?

Recipe: Spaghetti Meatball Cups

We know you’d rather be out in the sun, but we have the perfect rainy day recipe. You can use classic comfort food to turn lunch into a fun activity while you’re stuck indoors. These Spaghetti Meatball Cups are also delicious and easy enough for anyone to make.

Spaghetti Meatball Cups

This recipe comes from Beko’s “Eat Like a Pro” campaign. They promote healthier food for parents to feed their kids by partnering with FC Barcelona. Check out some of their recipes for the whole family.

Time: 1 hour

Serving Size: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 3/4 lb. spaghetti
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 2/3 cups shredded mozzarella
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1 1/4 cups marinara
  • 1 1/8 lb. ground beef
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • additional Parmesan and parsley for garnish

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cook spaghetti until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
  2. In a large bowl, toss cooled spaghetti with 2 beaten eggs, shredded mozzarella, and 1/2 cup grated parmesan.
  3. Grease a muffin tin and nest spaghetti inside. Using the bottom of a small glass, firmly press down to create a well.
  4. Bake until set.
  5. While spaghetti cups bake, make meatballs. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, garlic, remaining egg, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Roll into balls.
  6. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Brown meatballs, then drain fat. Pour over marinara and let simmer 5 minutes.
  7. Spoon meatball onto spaghetti nest. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley.

Serve and enjoy!

Photo Credit: Beko