What We're Cooking + Drinking for the 4th of July
Two refreshing cocktails, the best turkey burgers for grilling, an easy pork marinade, and sides to serve with all of it and more...
The 4th always conjures up notions of enjoying the outdoors with friends and family. All three of us love to entertain, pull together a dinner menu and mix and enjoy a cocktail on the porch, near a beach, in the mountains, or wherever we may be! Here are the recipes we’re turning to this holiday. Let’s begin with the cocktails, as those should come first!
GTI “Ranch Water” Tequila Cocktail
This is our take on Tequila Soda with lime! The key ingredient here is a splash (or a little more) of Nellie & Joe’s Key West Lime juice. Trust is! It kicks it up a notch and adds a tartness that regular ranch water just doesn't have.
This recipe isn't exact. You’ll have to play with the amounts to your liking - but you'll get the gist.
Ingredients
• Shot or two of Tequila Blanco
• Topo Chico, soda or sparkling water
• Nellie & Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice (linked on Amazon or find in the juice aisle at grocery store, think apple juice, not refrigerated)
• ice
• fresh lime wedges for garnish
Directions
1. Fill cup with ice and add your tequila.
2. Add a few glugs of Topo Chico or sparkling water of your choice. Aim to fill glass about half 3/4 of the way full.
3. Add a few "squirts" of the Key West Lime juice to taste and stir to incorporate. If you like lime flavor, add a few more. You can play with it here. The more lime juice you add, the less of the tequila you will taste. You do you!
4. Garnish with a fresh lime wedge.
Allison’s “Gold Rush” Whiskey Cocktail
Have you ever heard the quote, "I feel like girls who drink whiskey tell good stories”? We agree with this quote 100%. We’re always trying to tell a good story with what we share on Gotta Try It. Whiskey is no exception. We’re fans. Allison and her husband Ben discovered “The Gold Rush” cocktail years ago at a favorite Indianapolis restaurant called Bluebeard. This is one you’ll want to run and get the ingredients for immediately, although it’s quite possible that if you tell a good story, you’ve got everything you need to make this delicious cocktail.
Ingredients
• 3 oz. bourbon (we like Bulleit)
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• ice
• 2 ounces lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoon egg white (optional)
Instructions
Add all the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake hard for 30 seconds. If you decide to leave the egg white out, it'll still be wonderfully tart and delish. Strain into a glass with one large ice cube or multiple cubes.
Turkey Burgers with Cilantro-Lime Mayo
These burgers are kiddo and husband approved, and the cilantro-lime mayo really takes them up a notch as a condiment. Serve on a brioche bun or, skip the bun and eat with a fork and knife, using the mayo as a dipper. These are great for entertaining, pair with the salad below!
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 1 lb dark-meat turkey (93% lean or less)
• 2-3 scallions, sliced
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, leaves pulled off stem and chopped
• salt and pepper
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, gently combine (with a fork, spatula or gently with your hands) the turkey, scallions, mustard and thyme. Be careful not to overmix- the more you handle and stir, the denser your burger will be. You might also squeeze out some of the juices and end up with a drier burger.
2. Form the mixture into four patties and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
3. You can make this ahead of time by assembling the patties in the morning, and covering and refrigerating them until dinner.
4. You can either grill the burgers 6 to 8 minutes per side, or cook them in a skillet. If you're using a skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the patties until cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes per side.
*tip: don't press down on the patties when you grill them, or you will squeeze out and lose the flavorful juices.
Cilantro-Lime Mayonnaise
*Makes enough for 4 burgers
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise - regular mayo not miracle whip
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
Instructions
1. In a small bowl or ramekin, whisk together the mayo, minced cilantro, lime juice and garlic until combined.
2. That's it! Refrigerate mayo until needed. This can even be made a day ahead of time. Slather on those burgers and enjoy!
*Recipe by Marin Mama Cooks
Lemon, Garlic + Rosemary Pork Marinade
This is a perfect-for-summer marinade that can also work great with chicken! We like to use pork tenderloin and start marinating a few hours before grilling but can also increase flavor by doing overnight (see note below on this).
*Works on 2 lbs. of pork tenderloin
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1 tsp minced garlic (we added an extra tsp!)
• 1 tsp. minced rosemary
• 1/2 tsp salt + 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, EVOO, miced garlic, rosemary salt and pepper.
Place pork in a large ziplock bag and pour over until fully coated. Seal bag an place in fridge (we keep it inside bowl too to prevent any leaking) and marinate for a few hours before grilling or, overnight. *Due to the lemon juice, which can “cook” the pork, we recommend no longer than 24 hrs to avoid a tough meat texture.
Grill and cook to your temp of preference!
Our Favorite Chimichurri Sauce - Great with Steak!
Originally sourced from Gwenyth's "It's All Good Cookbook," this sauce is free of all allergens, vegan and just the best condiment for sooo many things. Our go-to is to make it and serve with steak (we like New York Strip or Flank) as it's delicious with every bite. But it’s also really good slathered on fish, chicken, atop a baked potato, as well as on top of corn and even on eggs! Put it in an airtight container such as this one and it will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
Makes 1/2 cup (we often double the batch)
Ingredients
• 1 packed cup italian parsley
• 1/2 packed cup cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 cup EVOO
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
Instructions
1. pulse everything together in a chopper. We love this one! Let it sit for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Creamy Avocado Pasta
This different take on pasta “sauce” is healthy and delicious if you like avocado, garlic, lemon and basil. This makes a great side to any meat dish and goes well over most any pasta, although we love it on angel hair or spaghetti. Be sure to serve with a generous helping of parmesan on top! We make this in a mini chop. If you don't have one...you need one!
Serves 4ish
Ingredients
• 2 ripe avocados, pitted and scooped
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves (I roll them up and chiffonade them before adding to mini chop)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• 12 oz. pasta of your choice - we use angel hair or spaghetti
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• Parmesan Reggiano for garnish
GTI “Emiliana” Salad
Gretchen and Laura love making this easy, delicious salad. It’s a copycat off a recipe from one of our favorite local pizza restaurants, and it delivers every time. Pair with the pork tenderloin or turkey burgers above!
Ingredients
• arugula or mixed greens
• red onion (thinly sliced)
• red bell pepper
• shaved parmesan
Dressing
• 1 part balsamic vinegar
• 2 parts avocado or olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
Mix the ingredients to whatever ratio/amount that suits your liking.
4th of July Fruit Pizza
Allison has been making this fruit pizza with her kiddos for years. Use any fruit you’d like and get creative with your design. Little kids can easily get involved and older kids can make it themselves depending on their oven/knife skills. This pattern works for the 4th, but you can use other designs/fruits for other occasions. You get the idea!
Ingredients
• 2 cans crescent rolls
• 1 tub of whipped cream cheese
• 1 tsp sugar (Allison used a packet of Stevia here)
• package of strawberries
• package of blueberries + raspberries
Instructions
Roll out the crescent rolls to create your “crust.” Follow the baking instructions on the can and bake until golden brown. Pull out and cool.
Meanwhile, mix cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Slice up and prepare your fruit.
Before you start to spread the cream cheese, make sure the crust is cooled completely.
Spread the cream cheese onto crust and add fruit in any design you’d like. Refrigerate until ready to enjoy!