Our teenage nephews are staying with us this week, bringing the total amount of teenagers to our home to five! It’s been an interesting week planning meals because they seem to want to eat around the clock!
We didn’t make big plans for the July 4th holiday other than relaxing at home, but I did want to make it a fun day as we cook-out and attempt to satisfy their ravenous appetites!
Little patriotic touches help set the mood and make a great backdrop for our cook-out dishes.
Decorating for a cook-out doesn’t have to be expensive or over-the-top. A simple pinwheel made from scrapbook paper tucked in a pot of geraniums or colored rice in jars make for inexpensive and festive accessories.
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| Battery powered tea lights last longer than their traditional counterparts. I found these at Party City. |
Serve drinks up in Mason jars with straws that mimic fireworks. Scraps of red, white and blue material tied around them continue this colorful theme.
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| You can find these cute straws at Hobby Lobby |
Then there is always the option of letting the food serve as your centerpiece.
I made this cake for an earlier celebration, but placed on a pedestal plate, it is perfect for a cook-out centerpiece.
For dessert tomorrow, I made “Cup” cakes for the teens.
{Audley & I have to pass}
I used the same recipe as I did for the cake above, but cut it into rounds and layered it in jars, using buttercream icing to separate the layers.
Each “cake” was topped with red, white, and blue sprinkles and cute little pinwheels.
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| The Pinwheels are from Wilton & purchased on clearance at Michaels last year. |
I love individual desserts. I always feel like I am making them special for each person who will be dining with us.
Right now these colorful desserts are sitting in my refrigerator getting much attention. I’ll be lucky if they even make it to lunch tomorrow!
I hope your plans for the Fourth make for many happy memories!
And, from our home in the sultry south, wishing you all a very safe and Happy Fourth of July!
Fiddle Dee Dee by Jennifer Jones 
What pretty decorations! I love those cup cakes in the jars they are just visually stunning (tasty too I bet)!
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Its beautifuly arranged
ASICSGel-260TR
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