So, what are my fellow Merkins planning food-wise for the holiday? Big family dinners? Picnics? Burgers and brats? What’s on the menu?
The animals hate fireworks, so we’ll be staying home and keeping them calm. The main meal will be BBQ chicken on the grill, fire-roasted corn and mashed potatoes & gravy. The beer fridge is full, and the early strawberries are just right for shortcake for dessert.
You?
Grilled Salmon with Chipotle Honey Glaze and Sesame Green Beans.
Dogs, baked beans and shrimp pasta salad. The NYT had a food article where three foodie people rated the best-known all-beef hot dogs. The picked Hebrew National and Wellshire Farms as the best of the bunch, with Trader Joe’s and Ballpark as dead last.
Cheeseburgers, potato salad, and whatever else I put together, not completely sure on the entire menu, but we are just staying home, so shouldn’t be a problem.
Birthday cake
Ice cream
Fried chicken
Biscuits
Taking a picnic basket to the fireworks.
There’s a chance of thunderstorms tonight, so no live fireworks for me; but, I’ll still go have grilled burgers and homemade apple pie with my best friends (and their son/my “nephew”). Yum. 
I’m going to be very unpatriotic.
I finally got some momentum going a couple weeks ago on trying to be healthier again, and don’t won’t to break the streak yet until it starts to feel like the normal again. So no beer or burgers or ribs for me.
T-Bones, Bratwurst, Italian Sausage and Broccoli Au Gratin, Watermelon.
I only eat this stuff on holidays, so I’m getting my fill.
This Chicagoan agrees that Hebrew Nationals are quite tasty. I’ve never heard of Wellshire Farms, though. I’ll have to keep a look out for it. My favorite local all beef hot dog was Best Kosher, but they’re out of business. 
Vienna Beefs are quite good, but they need to be the natural casing ones for optimum flavor. Our local store one month had Sabrett’s (the common food cart dog of NYC) for some odd reason (I’ve never seen the, before or since carry it) and they went at firesale prices (like $2 instead of $5 or$6 a package) when nobody was buying them. I don’t remember being wowed by them in New York, but holy crap these were good! And natural casing like the good Lord intended. I bought up several packages soon enough, but they have not returned since.
Steaks for my wife and me. Burgers for the kids. Lots of cakes and muffins made by the kids this morning. Popsicles will probably make an appearance. Chips, possibly mac and cheese. Beer.
Tri-tip on the grill, some salad and watermelon, Maybe we’ll whip up a batch of brownies. nothing too involved.
Chili cheese dogs, baked beans and cole slaw.
Gin and tonic to wash it all down.
The Children of My Enemies.
Or maybe just some ribs, cornbread and beans.
Thick-cut rib steak with Jack Daniels sauce, probably with challah kugel as a side (basically, french toast with onions, mushrooms and celery).
Baked sweet potatoes, butter beans and grilled steak with kings Hawaiian dinner rolls.
Making enough for leftovers tomorrow. 
Lunch was at an all-you-can-eat Japanese buffet. Brats for dinner when we get hungry again.
Watch out when eating brats - they might be spoiled.
Our condominium complex is putting on a Fourth of July spread for the residents. We’ve preordered our hamburgers and hot dogs. Set for 12 noon, which is about an hour and a half from now.
Our neighbor has organized a barbecue on the beach a couple blocks away and invited us, but we are feeling pretty lazy and will probably just hang out downstairs at the pool this afternoon.
The chicken is marinating, the rest of the stuff is prepped, and I’m kicking back with a rum punch served in a Yondu GeekiTiki, complete with Kaylee Frye umbrella.
Life is Good.
Breakfast (at 13:15) was an andouille sausage on a hot dog bun. Then I had a serving of chocolate pudding. About ten minutes ago, I had three crackers and some jalapeño pub cheese dip. Later, I’ll grill burgers.
