Patriotic Poolside Recipes | July 4th
Whether you’re grilling in the backyard, hanging by the pool, or floating a Texas river, the 4th of July is sure to bring fun, sun, and great company. Still need a few festive food and drink recipes to help you celebrate the 4th this year? We’ve got you covered with some of our favorites — most from local Austin bloggers!
Breakfast
Coconut Whip Chia Pudding with berries
By LivvyLand
We often make a version of this chia breakfast pudding before heading off for a day filled with client meetings and pool inspections. It’s so easy to make ahead, and a great one if you have company coming to stay this weekend! All it takes is a mixture of chia seeds, maple syrup, almond milk, bananas, and blueberries. Austin Blogger, Olivia, shares a super simple coconut whip recipe too. For a patriotic flair, add some raspberries or strawberries, and you’re all set for an easy, healthy breakfast to start your day.
Lunch
Watermelon Wedge Salad with Feta
It just wouldn’t be Independence Day without some juicy watermelon. We love the simplicity of this recipe — made up of watermelon, arugula, and feta with a light lemon olive oil dressing. Serve alongside your favorite sandwich for a balanced lunch.
Dinner
“Papa Hutch” Style Ribs
by Jon George
If you’re not grilling, are you even celebrating?! This year, we’re going with a good buddy’s rib recipe.
Purchase a rack of good quality pork ribs.
Peel off the membrane.
Trim any unwanted/excess fat off the meat.
Rub lightly with olive oil so seasoning sticks.
Season to your liking with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and fajita seasoning of your choice.
Crank up the grill as hot as possible — around 500 degrees or hotter.
Place the ribs on the grill — bone up — and leave until the top side is nicely seared and slightly blackened.
Flip the ribs and sear the backside, taking care not to burn.
Pull ribs off the grill and immediately wrap with heavy duty aluminum foil. Do this as quickly as possible so you don’t lose any heat. Be careful though — they’ll be super hot! If you were a little too slow and lost too much heat in the process, you can always set the ribs back on the grill in the foil for a few minutes.
Once wrapped, immediately place the ribs straight into a well-sealing cooler — something heavy duty like a Yeti works best. You can also place something heavy on top of the lid to create an even tighter seal.
Leave in cooler for at least an hour — the longer the better.
Tip: As long as your cooler can hold them, you can cook more than one rack of ribs at the same time with this recipe. Just throw the second rack on top of the first rack, and you’re good to go.
Dessert
4th of July Ice Cream Sandwiches
These are great for when you want a themed treat but don’t have the time to invest in creating something homemade. Just take your favorite brand of store bought ice cream sandwiches and dip all sides in red, white, and blue sprinkles. You can refreeze or serve immediately. So simple!
Cocktail
Watermelon Mint Spritzer
Talk about refreshing! This watermelon spritzer is sure to be a hit while you’re lounging poolside in the Texas heat. What makes it even better is the use of ingredients from local, Austin-based companies — Waterloo and Tito’s. Just blend up some seedless watermelon to create a puree, add your mint and your alcohol, top with your sparkling water and a little lime, and you’ve got a craft cocktail to satisfy the masses.