Go Fourth! Your Cook Out Menu

With the Fourth of July right around the corner , it's time to plan your annual cook out! There is nothing more frustrating than deciding what items should make it on the menu and which ones get a pass. Don't get stressed.

"Good Morning America" took the work out of planning by pulling together our best party plates. Check out some of our favorites.

Myron Mixon's Ribs

The Fourth of July holiday is synonymous with barbeque. So, fire up the pit, break out your favorite rubs and get grilling. Grill master Myron Mixon suggests using the classic baby back ribs . They're a mainstay in competitions and according to the master "they're fun to cook and fun to eat." Check out his secret recipe and chow down. Nothing pairs with ribs quite like a nice piece of corn on the cob.

Smoky-Spicy Grilled Corn

Its natural sweetness makes it a refreshing compliment to the grilled meat. This recipe for Jim Hirsch's smoky, spicy grilled corn is easy to make and impossible not to like. If the smoky taste isn't your favorite flavor Hirsch suggests flavoring it with curry powder instead of the listed spices. Whatever seasoning you choose, this dish will surely be a hit.

Red Bliss Potato Salad with Crispy Bacon

Usually potato salads are filled with mayonnaise and lots of needless calories. Emeril's red bliss potato salad with crispy bacon isn't. In this delicious combination Emeril paired red bliss potatoes with olive oil, red onion, red bell pepper and bacon. The vegetables and sweet potatoes give the salad a fresh and natural taste, while the bacon adds a salty kick.

Spicy Jicama, Cucumber and Fruit Skewers

After your filling of ribs and potatoes, a bit of fruit is in order. Rick Baylass' jimaca, cucumber and fruit skewer is just the thing. Here Baylass reinvented a popular Mexican street food and jazzed it up with a dash of lime, chile and salt. Regular fruit salad is always fun, but this dish will make a delicious statement.

Menu Plan Monday ~ June 27/11 : I'm an Organizing Junkie

Hello!  Whew I survived my birthday week in one piece :)  My ugly dress party went off without a hitch and was just so much fun.  I’m going to go into more detail in a separate post (as soon as time permits) but until then I thought it would be fun to leave you with a sneak peek of my ugly dress.

Stunning isn’t it?!  Thank you again for all the wonderful birthday wishes so many of you left on last week’s post, you all made my week!!

This week I’m having two different sets of guests.  Two of my best friends are coming for a visit although sadly they just miss each other by a day.  Because my second girlfriend is arriving with her four kids in tow you’ll notice I’ve gone ahead and menu planned for all three meals on the days they are here.  I wanted to make sure we had enough food on hand ahead of time so I could simply relax and enjoy all their company.  I’m so excited to see them and get all caught up.  It’s been way too long!

The family all enjoyed last week’s recipes but if I had to pick a favorite I’d probably pick the Slow-Cooker BBQ Pork Sandwiches because it seriously just does not get any easier than that to throw dinner together.  Awesome!  We also tried the Perfect Parmesan Pizza Dough last week and while it tasted pretty good, I still didn’t think it was as good as my old faithful recipe (link below).   Plus it’s suppose to make four pizzas but we only got two out of the dough.

Perfect party food, all the recipes and tips you'll ever need for stress-free entertaining from the diva of do-ahead

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