Mix and Match July 4th Party Menu

This refreshing watermelon cocktail is a pure taste of summer. For a nonalcoholic version, skip the tequila and add a little water to help blend the mixture.

Recipe: The Party Starter (Watermelon Tequila Cocktail)

Make frosty pitchers of this beautiful lemonade for the kids, and as a satisfying mocktail option.

Recipe: Strawberry Lemonade

The fruit in this rum-based drink makes it a terrific choice with tangy-sweet glazed ribs.

Recipe: Blackberry Pineapple Mojito

These go down very, very easily. They’re also delightful without the alcohol, should you prefer a cross-crowd-pleaser; just call it ginger rosemary lemonade.

Recipe: Ginger-Rosemary Lemonade

While adults enjoy a refreshing Lime Rickey, the kids will love the flavor and color of our non-alcoholic Fire-Engine Red Cranberry-Raspberry Spritzers. If they prefer a spritzer on the sweet side, use lemon-lime soda; add mineral water or soda just before serving.

Recipe: Lime Rickey

Keep these beauties cold until ready to serve, and put them away (assuming there are any left!) once the party moves on to main courses.

Recipe: Chorizo Deviled Eggs

Sticky sweet replaces blazing buffalo with these tasty wings. Serve them as finger food for your Fourth of July party.

Recipe: Honey-Sesame Grilled Chicken Wings

You can make these hors d'oeuvres even simpler: Without their scallion ties or lemon zest, the asparagus and prosciutto still taste terrific.

Recipe: Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus with Citrus Dip

Short on time? Whip up this crowd-pleasing appetizer in just 25 minutes. Shrimp with lemon, parsley, and garlic echoes classic shrimp scampi, but here it's a cooling salad.

Recipe: Mediterranean Shrimp Salad in Cucumber Cups

This is California’s own style of barbecue, honed over the decades—some say centuries—along the state’s central coast.

Recipe: Santa Maria-Style Top Sirloin

Why not try scattering your Caprese salad over grilled chicken? It's a great way to utilize summer produce, not to mention super delicious.

Recipe: Garlic-Basil Grilled Chicken with Caprese Salsa

Cook these incredible tender, savory ribs ahead of time (it actually improves them). Then all they need is a last-minute turn on the grill.

Recipe: Ginger Rosemary Smoked Pork Ribs

These are the ribs for summer. The black pepper in the rub picks up on the black-pepper notes in Zinfandel. (Be sure to have plenty of bottles on hand!)

Recipe: Herb-Rubbed Baby Back Ribs

These sweet, juicy shrimp taste of fragrant mint and lime, their aromas amplified by rum.

Recipe: Mojito Shrimp

What's more all-American than enjoying a big, juicy burger on the Fourth of July? Enjoy our delicious burgers in six variations, from classic plain, to green chile cheese, to spicy tomato.

Recipes: The perfect burger, 6 ways

Heat up the meatballs and sauce in a pot on the grill and toast the tiny buns at the same time. These are just right for people who can’t commit to a whole burger on top of the Fourth of July ribs, grilled chicken, or hot dogs.

Recipe: Puttanesca Meatball Sliders

Quite possibly the best—and easiest—sausage sandwich we’ve ever had. A cold beer in the other hand and plenty of napkins completes the picture.

Recipe: Argentine-Style Sausage Sandwiches

We can never get enough of this salad; it’s one of our all-time summer favorites, as good with tacos as it is with anything grilled.

Recipe: Grilled Corn Poblano Salad with Chipotle Vinaigrette

Thirst-quenching and gorgeous, this salad is a star at any Fourth of July party.

Recipe: Watermelon, Corn and Tomato Salad

You can use any mild fresh cheese in this recipe. It’s a great use for backyard tomatoes.

Recipe: Tomato and Herb Salad with Fresh Chive Cheese

Fresh tomatoes at their peak are the highlight of this colorful salad.

Recipe: Artichoke, Fennel, and Tricolor Tomato Salad

Add a savory twist to the classic summer side dish: a warm bacon dressing.

Recipe: Warm Bacon and Herb Coleslaw

Apple cider vinegar makes this German-style slaw ultra-refreshing.

Recipe: Carrot, Apple, and Corn Slaw

Corn on the cob is the ultimate summer vegetable for the grill; lime and chili give it a real kick.

Recipe: Chili Lime Corn on the Cob

This reader-submitted recipe puts an elegant spin on the BBQ mainstay by grilling the potatoes and stacking the rest of the ingredients on top.

Recipe: Potato Salad Stacks

This chunky potato salad is a cool summer version of everybody's favorite garlic mashed potatoes.

Recipe: Garlic Smashed-Potato Salad

Meat isn't the only thing that belongs on a stick at a summer BBQ. You’ll need 32 bamboo skewers (each 8 in.); there’s no need to soak them before they go on the grill, because they won’t char with such a short cooking time.

Recipe: Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Kebabs

For dessert, we give you a cherry-blueberry pie with a patriotic topper.

Recipe: Old Glory Cherry-Blueberry Pie

A deep-flavored, luscious pie, it’ll disappear fast, especially when you set out the vanilla ice cream to scoop on top. Better make two pies.

Recipe: Spiced Blueberry Pie

These cookies are not only easy to make and very tasty, they pack well for picnics, too. They won’t crumble on you.

Recipe: Ginger Chocolate Cookies

Every party needs a cupcake! To make them very Fourth-ish, bake them in an assortment of shiny red, silver, and blue cupcake liners.

Recipe: Coconut Cupcakes

Here’s a fun twist on the quintessential Fourth of July fruit.

Recipe: Watermelon Granita recipe