The Fourth of July is always a fun week at the Buchanan house! Usually one or both of our sons bring their families home and I go a little nuts trying to pack every good thing into the week.
This year our oldest son, his wife, and four boys are here for the week. Hurraaaaaayyyyy!!!!
It’s a challenge to feed everyone (three meals a day + snacks?!?!) so I keep things simple. And the more the kids can help with preparing the meals, the better–I get the meals made AND get to spend time with them! Making memories together is the BEST!!
Feeding the Neighborhood Fairies
One of our first excursions when the kiddos come is to the nearby “Fairy House.” This year we decided to take cookies to the people who live in the same yard as the fairies. We asked them to share the cookies with the fairies if they saw them. We’ve never been able to catch the fairies at home. They’re always out doing some mischief. That, or they’re heavy sleepers and don’t hear us ring the bell. Who knows?
Here’s the recipe for the cookies we took. Note: Fairies LOVE sprinkles, so don’t hold back.
(Fairly Simple) Fairy Shortbread Cookies
1 C butter, softened
2/3 C sugar
1 egg yolk
2 t vanilla extract
2 C all-purpose flour
1/8 t salt
1 large egg
2 T whipping cream
2 (3.3-ounce) jars white sparkling sugar (or any sprinkle)
Instructions:
Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 2/3 C sugar, beating well. Add egg yolk and vanilla; beat 1 minute or until yellow disappears.
Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until dry ingredients are moistened. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Divide dough into 3 portions; shape each into a ball, and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour.
Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Sprinkle parchment with flour, and unwrap each dough portion on a lightly floured surface. Roll each into a 9×6-inch rectangle (about 1/4 inch thick). Use whatever cookie cutters you think fairies will like! Place the cut-outs about 3 inches apart. Freeze cookies on baking sheets 15 minutes. Sprinkle your toppings on the unbaked cookies then bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes (just until the edges are starting to brown but the centers are still pale). Or, you can ice the cookies after they’ve cooled and then add sprinkles.
Tonight Won’t Be Just Any Night!
Themes for dinner! Well, food for dinner, but based on a theme. Nothing fancy. Just what four boys think is fun! Gotta know your audience.
Welcome Super Heroes Night–The perfect way to kick off our week–celebrating heroes! So, of course, Hero Sandwiches are on the menu. I mean, come on, that’s a no-brainer. Why, you ask, is it called a “hero sandwich”? The term probably comes from New York Herald Tribune columnist Clementine Paddleworth (yes, that was her name), who in 1936 described a sandwich so large “you had to be a hero to eat it.” Now you know. You’re welcome.
To round out our meal, I asked the grands what Super Heroes eat. They came up with the following: Goldfish (crackers not the actual fish), Cheetos, Doritos, Bread, and Gatorade. So now you know that, too. You’re learning all sorts of stuff here today.
The Rest of the Week…
God Bless America Night–Grilled Hotdogs and Hamburgers, Potato Salad, Chips, Baked Beans, Mocha Mud Ice Cream pie (or, if I run out of time…a Dairy Queen cake!)
Taco Tuesday–Taco Bar consisting of every topping imaginable (go ahead, use that imagination!) Our daughter-in-love makes the BEST guacamole, so that’s a definite feature. Seasoned beef and chicken will show up and, of course, cheese, jalapenos, tomatoes, lettuce, and onion. But we’re open to anything you might suggest. Plan B: Pick up tacos from one of our fine Mexican food establishments!
Little Italy–Baked Ziti (cause I can make that ahead and freeze it), Pasta House Salad, Garlic Bread
Hawaiian Luau–Sausage/Pineapple Kabobs (see recipe below), Kings Hawaiian Rolls, veggie tray with dip, fruit tray with dip. The boys love helping me make the kabobs!
Make Your Own Pizza–a variety of toppings everything from pepperonis to Cheetos. Yes, Cheetos make a fine pizza topping. Can you tell who helps me pick these things out?
Sausage-Pineapple-Veggie Kabobs
1/2 fresh pineapple cut into spears, then cubed
Multi-colored peppers, sliced into thick strips (I bend the strips and skewer them twice)
Vidalia onion, cut into chunks (optional)
Zucchini, cut into chunks (optional)
Large mushrooms (optional)
1 cup teriyaki sauce (I’m going to use Kikkoman Teriyaki Glaze)
1/4 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp cornstarch used to help thicken the glaze
small wooden skewers
Instructions:
- Soak wooden skewers in cold water (this prevents them from burning on the grill).
- Measure teriyaki sauce into a small saucepan, stir in brown sugar. Heat over medium heat until it comes to a low boil.
- Stir 1/4 cornstarch into about a tablespoon of water until well blended. Stir into teriyaki sauce. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer until sauce begins to thicken (20-30 minutes).
- Cut each sausage into cubes and set aside (4-5 per sausage).
- To prep pineapple, first cut off ends, and carefully slice off skin. Slice in half lengthwise, then into quarters. Cut out core. Cut each quarter in half. You should now have 8 peeled and cored spears. Cut 4 of those spears into cubes (same size as the sausage cubes). Save remaining 4 spears for enjoying another time. OR, do what I’m going to do–buy fresh pre-cored pineapple!
- Remove skewers from water and assemble with sausage, peppers, and pineapple chunks. (The boys will love assembling the kebobs!)
- Preheat grill to medium and grill, turning regularly for about 5 minutes or until heated through with nice grill marks.
- Drizzle teriyaki glaze over top and enjoy!
Keepin’ It Super Simple
Did I mention paper plates? While I know it’s not the “greenest” way to go, just this one time a year I give myself a break by using toss-away plates. It was fun this year finding paperware that fit with my themes, too. It feels like every meal’s a party!
Hope you had a great long weekend and got to enjoy some fun on the 4th! What did you do to celebrate?
Connie Smith
Wonderful ideas! Thank you so much! You are blessed with those 4 boys and your other grandkids!
Tracey Buchanan
We are SO blessed…and very thankful!
Paulette Petty
Great ideas, Tracey, not to mention the cutest grand!
Tracey Buchanan
Thanks! We’re so happy they’re all ours!
Brenda McElroy
You’re making memories these boys will never forget!