4th of July Party Essentials: Everything You Need for a Spectacular Celebration

The start of summer brings many opportunities to gather with friends and family for any celebration. Of course, one of the most important reasons to celebrate is the 4^th of July!

No need to stress if you’re hosting this year; these fun DIY projects and fourth of July recipes will help you get your home holiday-ready in no time. From decorations to recipes to party favors, we have everything you need to guarantee that your 4^th of July holiday is a success.

Bandanna Pillows

Need some 4^th of July themed decorations? Try making a True Destiny Designs’ DIY bandanna pillow this July. These look great on your front porch, inside, or backyard during the independence day celebration.

Bandanna pillows are easy and inexpensive to make, especially for independence day. All you need is some thread, two bandannas for each pillow, stuffing, and basic sewing skills.

Directions:

1. Lay two bandannas flat on top of each other with the patterned side facing out.
2. If you want to take advantage of the bandanna’s finished edges, sew three sides of a square shape around the pattern leaving at least an inch or more on the edges. This will create a “ruffle” on the pillow.
3. Another option if you don’t want a ruffle is to sew along three edges with the pattern facing inward. Then flip the bandannas right side out to have a clean edge.
4. Finally, stuff the bandannas, and sew up the opening on the fourth side.

For more DIY fourth of July decorations, check out our DIY American flag pallet tutorial here.

Sparklers

Every independence day celebration needs party favors, and no 4^th of July celebration is complete without sparklers. Sparklers provide a fun activity that everyone can enjoy and a great photo opportunity this national holiday.

Be sure to stock up on sparklers and pass them out once the sun goes down but before the fireworks.

Seasonal Fruit Salad

Make an independence day fruit salad for a delicious side dish that couldn’t get any easier! Fill a large bowl with any combination of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries to resemble this American holiday’s colors. Add as much fruit as you need for however many people you’re serving this fourth of July.

Save some valuable time in the kitchen this independence day with this sweet salad that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Guide to Perfecting Juicy Lucy Burgers

The “Juicy Lucy” hamburger is a unique alternative to a classic cheeseburger to serve at your fourth of July gathering. A Juicy Lucy is basically an inside-out American cheeseburger.

While these are delicious, cooking them comes with a few challenges. We have the best tricks and tips to help you on this independence day.

First Problem: Exploding Burger

If the burger patty isn’t made correctly, the liquid cheese will burst out of the center and make a huge mess. Why does this happen? As the burger cooks, it also contracts. This can put too much pressure on the melted cheese in the center.

If the patty is not well made, the cheese flows out of holes and will get burned onto the griddle. To avoid this problem, you must ensure that your patty’s construction is flawless. To get thin, even patties, place a ball of meat between two pieces of plastic and flatten it using the bottom of a pan.

Once you have two patties, place the cheese in the center of one, and cover it with the other patty. Be sure to seal the edges tightly.

Second Problem: Overcooked Patty

Another common belief when making a Juicy Lucy is that the burger must be cooked well done for the cheese to melt. Many people deal with this because the melted cheese helps the burger’s texture when the meat is a little on the dry side.

But you don’t have to settle for a dry, overcooked burger. You can take steps to improve the texture and quality of well-done beef.

The best thing you can do is use home-ground meat instead of store-bought pre-ground meat. Often, ground beef you get from the store is ground too finely, which causes it to shrink when cooked. The pre-ground meat doesn’t retain the internal juices and fat, creating a drier patty.

Also, freshly ground beef has a looser texture, which allows the fat that melts as it cooks to sink into the patty. So, if you use freshly ground meat, you can get a juicy burger even if it’s cooked well done.

For step-by-step instructions to make your own Juicy Lucy burger this July independence day, click here.

Red, White & Blue Cupcakes

Try out this delicious recipe and add an independence day twist to make the perfect fourth of July cupcakes. These red, white, and blue layered cupcakes are a fun and easy treat to make for the fourth of July. This recipe makes 24 cupcakes for your independence day.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ stick of unsalted butter
• 1 ¾ cups of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 2 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
• 2 ½ cups of flour
• 1 ¼ cups of milk

Directions:

1. While preheating the oven to 375 degrees F, cream butter and sugar together in a mixer.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla, salt, baking powder, flour, and milk.
3. Stir until the batter is smooth.
4. Divide batter evenly into three separate bowls.
5. Dye one bowl blue and another red using liquid or gel food coloring. Don’t add any dye to the third bowl to represent white.
6. Starting with red, pour equal parts of red, white, and blue batter into paper-lined tins until they are 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Allow the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack for about 45 minutes before frosting.

Frosting

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• 1 box of Domino confectioners sugar
• ¼ cup half & half
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. 1. Whip the butter, sugar, half & half, and vanilla in a mixing bowl.
   2. Once cooled, frost the cupcakes.

1. Add red or blue sprinkles and a miniature American flag for a fourth of July touch.

Interested in more 4th of July recipes? Click Here.

(Photo courtesy of Ginny, True Destiny Designs)