Summer Cookout Favorites

When our family has a cookout, it’s usually a gathering for a big group of people. The menu includes hamburgers and hot dogs, and guests often bring side dishes and desserts. Cheerful touches like a checked tablecloth and flowers create a festive atmosphere. Make some iced tea and lemonade, and you’ve got a party!

If you’ve been invited to a cookout, or you’re planning one for a summer holiday like the Fourth of July, here’s a handy list of dessert recipes from This Lovely Place that would be a great addition to the table:

Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream (this ice cream gets rave reviews and makes 6 quarts)

Best No-Bake Cookies (make these without the oats, and use the chocolate-peanut butter sauce on ice cream)

Easy Three-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Snickerdoodles (no shortening in this recipe, cookies dipped in cinnamon–an old-fashioned favorite)

Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (chewy baked cookies)

Never-Fail Chocolate Chip Cookies (classic cookies that are neither greasy nor dry)

If you’d rather not grill burgers, these two recipes are a great substitute for a crowd:

Easy Beef Brisket (this is easy, but not quick!)

Homemade Sloppy Joes (the recipe is about in the middle of the post–best Sloppy Joes ever!)

We usually spend the Fourth of July at home. We have a neighborhood lake for boat rides, and since we live near the big lake where the city fireworks display is held, we enjoy the show from our backyard.

By the way, I saw a great idea on Pinterest for  fireworks with young children. Poke a hole in the bottom of a plastic Dixie cup and stick a sparkler through the hole. The child holds the handle of the sparkler inside the cup and is protected from sparks when the sparkler is lit.

However you celebrate, have a happy and safe holiday!