MAKE IT CUTE

There's no better way to celebrate our country's independence than by gorging on classic American dishes...or is there?

This Fourth of July, ditch the hamburgers, mac 'n' cheese and s'mores and try your hand at these creative dishes to impress your friends and fam—all while showing off your American pride!

From sweet heat hot dogs to firecracker milkshakes, these fun and easy recipes will leave you wishing it was Independence Day all year-round. The best part? You can add a unique flair to each recipe to truly make it your own! Who's hungry?

1. Appetizer: Fourth of July charcuterie board

@olivesandbriecharcuterie

This red, white and blue-themed charcuterie board is the perfect way to start your Independence Day dinner. This aesthetically pleasing appetizer will take your guests' tastebuds on a journey filled with a variety of tasty, mouthwatering flavors such as sweet and spicy almonds, blueberry vanilla goat cheese, salty yogurt-covered pretzels and much more. 

The good thing about charcuterie boards is that there isn't really a right or wrong way to do it—you can make it as original as you want! For example, instead of using yogurt-covered pretzels, you can use white chocolate-covered pretzels. You can also add ingredients such as red grapes in the blue section of the board. The possibilities are infinite!

2. Entrée: sweet heat hot dogs

@geordie_scranners

Hot dogs are a staple Independence Day dinner, with 150 million hot dogs being consumed in America every Fourth of July! Follow this non-traditional hot dog recipe for a sweet and spicy twist on one of America's favorite classics.

If you want to add even more flavor to these hot dogs, you can add your own toppings such as relish or ketchup. You can also substitute ingredients in this recipe like whole grain mustard for honey mustard if you want it to be extra sweet. Either way, you will never want to return to basic hot dogs ever again.

3. Side: watermelon feta flag salad

@bristolfarms

This watermelon American feta flag salad will fill you up with lots of nutrients and energy. Not only is it healthy and delicious, but it's also the perfect patriotic dish as a side to your sweet heat hot dogs! Bc what's more patriotic than the American flag?

Don't like watermelon? No problem! Simply replace it with strawberries, cherries or any other red fruit you like. You can also replace the feta cheese with white cheddar cheese cubes or the blueberries with blackberries if you feel like switching it up! 

4. Dessert: firecracker milkshake

@blacktapnyc

No meal is complete without dessert--luckily, we've got you covered with this yummy milkshake recipe that takes only 10 minutes to make! Just a few sips of this colorful milkshake and your sweet tooth will be satisfied.

If you're in an adventurous mood, you can add red, white and blue popcorn for a garnish and drizzle your shake with red strawberry sauce.

Check out these posts for more holiday meal inspo:

 Glow up your Mother's Day baking game with these delish recipes
 The most ~aesthetic~ recipes for Valentine's Day
 5 recipes to make for your Halloween party

Make any of these unique dishes? Tag us in your creations on Insta for a chance to get featured @girlslifemag!

Top and slider image: @thedameliogroup

by Danielle Phillip | 7/4/2023