Tomorrow is one of my favorite holidays, 4th of July! I have such great memories celebrating with family at the lake in Minnesota. This year I’ll be sticking around Indy, but looking forward to the pool and friends. One of the top priorities on my list – food! Here are a few recipe ideas I think would be perfect for your holiday barbecue, party or get together.

Panzanella Salad

Cut leftover bread into cubes and toss in a tangy lemon and dijon mustard vinaigrette with fresh produce. Ripe tomatoes from the farmer’s market, cucumbers, asparagus and fresh basil makes for my favorite combination. Don’t forget the salty feta cheese!

Grilled Pizza

One of my favorite summertime dinners, especially with a group of friends – grilled pizza! Use store-bought pizza dough rolled out (but no need to get perfect) and lay directly on a clean grill. After cooking one side of the dough, flip it over and add your favorite toppings. It would be so fun to do individual pizzas with a group!

Jalapeño Cilantro Hummus

I am obsessed with making hummus from scratch. Instead of swinging by the grocery store to pick up a store bought version, why not give my easy homemade recipe a try? If you don’t love spice, just slowly incorporate the jalapeño into the hummus!

Orange and Dried Cherry Cous Cous Salad

This salad just screams summer! The bright flavors of the orange contrast the tart and chewy dried cherries and the creamy goat cheese. It has crunch from the slivered almonds and cucumbers, too. You won’t be disappointed with this salad!

Beet Hummus

If I didn’t convince you to try the jalapeño hummus yet, maybe this patriotic looking beet hummus will sell you. The color is absolutely vibrant fuchsia (close to red?!) and is a fun chance to regular hummus. The beets add a sweetness to the hummus, but are truly mild in flavor. Serve with pita chips or sliced veggies for an appetizer.

Happy 4th of July! I’m hoping the rain holds out so I can be poolside all afternoon and enjoy the fireworks at night. I’m still debating which of these I want to bring to my friends’ house, but it’s looking like grilled pizza may be the winner. I look forward to seeing what dishes you cook up. Tag me in your photos (@gourmet_gab) or use #gourmetgab!

Love food. Love self. Love life.
Gabriela