Happy 4th of July weekend, my friends! Our village puts on a fantastic celebration every year and my brother and his girls are driving up from GA to enjoy it with us. The fun begins today and will go through the 4th. Here’s hoping for good weather all weekend!

As you’re getting ready for all the fun foods this weekend, and in case you’re as watermelon obsessed as we are this summer, check out this quick video showing how to easily slice a watermelon into handheld wedges or perfect bite-size cubes.

ON THE BLOGS this week: Crisp bacon and lettuce, tart tomatoes, creamy hard-boiled eggs, and jalapenos combine to create this creamy, slightly spicy Jalapeno BLT Pasta Salad.

The perfectly even doneness of a reverse seared New York strip steak makes every single bite a mouthwatering slice of heaven.

Loaded with robust garlic, zesty lemon, and a kick of red pepper flakes, Cowboy Butter is absolutely crave-worthy on steak, vegetables, or fresh bread.

Sweet grapes, crunchy pecans, and vanilla bean sour cream are combined in this unexpected and delicious creamy grape salad. My boys went nuts over this the first time I made it and I couldn’t stop eating bites of it myself.

Spicy, tangy, and savory flavors are stacked atop each together in a baking dish to create this sensational Layered Taco Dip with Ground Beef. My fellow snackers can rejoice because while this is fantastically snackable, it is also hearty enough to be dinner any night of the week.

Learn how to bake zucchini for an easy side dish all summer long. Baked zucchini is slightly sweet with crispy edges and a smooth rich texture.

Garden-fresh tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, fragrant basil, and a drizzle of balsamic make a timeless combination in this Chopped Caprese Salad.

Tender crisp Thai green beans with peanut sauce can be made as mild or as spicy as you like – in under 15 minutes.

Sweet strawberries mingle with crunchy golden Oreos whispering of summer in this lusciously smooth Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream.

If you think rhubarb is just for baked goods, you will be pleasantly surprised by the sweet, slightly tart flavor of this versatile Rhubarb S

Sweet strawberries mingle with crunchy golden Oreos whispering of summer in this lusciously smooth Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream.

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream

The experience of holding a bowl filled with ice cream strawberry shortcake is one that you won’t soon forget. Initially, my brother didn’t believe me when I told him that we’d be using golden Oreos to make this ice cream.

But, they’re an easy hack to get that fabulous shortbread flavor. Cake doesn’t retain its form well in ice cream, and it often either gets mushy or turns into a brick. Oreos bring wonderful texture to this ice cream, too.

As far as I’m concerned, strawberry shortcake ice cream is the best of both ice cream-loving worlds with its combination of classic strawberry flavors and generous cookies and cream chunks throughout each serving.

I’ve enjoyed strawberry shortcake ever since I was a little kid. Although we didn’t have it often, I can remember my Aunt Judy making it for us when we visited and it always made me grin.

This dessert includes a healthy dollop of nostalgia for me, reminding me of summertime travels and the Fourth of July.

With over 70 ice cream recipes here to choose from, there’s sure to be an ice cream for everyone! If you’re new to making ice cream, the best and easiest vanilla ice cream is a great place to start.

These are my favorite inexpensive

Sweet grapes, crunchy pecans, and vanilla bean sour cream are combined in this unexpected and delicious creamy grape salad. My boys went nuts over this the first time I made it and I couldn’t stop eating bites of it myself.

I’ve made this simple grape salad with pecans countless times now and my youngest son still can’t get enough of it. Every time he sees grapes in the store or in our refrigerator, he asks if we can make “the really good grape salad” again. How could I ever say no to that?

Creamy Grape Salad

There’s no big secret here. Just tasty fresh grapes and pecans covered in creamy, tangy, very lightly sweetened sour cream. Sometimes the simplest recipes really are the best!

This is a popular dish to bring to gatherings with friends, but it’s also great served with a sandwich or wrap for an easy family lunch.

Grape Salad with Pecans

Salads with grapes are classic potluck and party dishes. If you’ve never tasted one, this recipe is the perfect one to make first.

Or, if your experiences with grape salad call to mind overly sweetened, gloppy dishes at family reunions or work picnics, I promise you this particular grape salad recipe is so good it will have you scraping the bowl and going back to the buffet table for seconds.

The pecans in this recipe add great texture and crunch to the salad. As far as I’m concerned, they aren’t optional. If you really dislike pecans, slivered or sliced almonds will also work, though they are not my first choice.

I’d suggest swapping in walnuts before almonds, but in my experience, if someone is averse to pecans, they almost never enjoy walnuts. Just use whatever nut you like best for crunch here, if you don’t care to include the pecans.

Grape Salad Recipe Without Cream Cheese

This grape salad is NOT your average potluck dish. The recipe features a lightly sweetened sour cream dressing and I’m happy to say that this salad trumps any other grape salads I’ve tasted.

Years ago, we made versions of this salad with cool whip or vanilla pudding. They were fine but nothing spectacular so I wasn’t in any rush to make them again.

I’ve also tasted grape salads made with yogurt or cream cheese dressings. Again, they tasted okay but didn’t leave any big impression. I could take them or leave them, really.

Sour Cream Grape Salad

Then, I discovered lightly sweetened sour cream. Several years ago, I made these Layered Lemon Cheesecake and tasted sweetened sour cream for the first time. I was impressed by the difference a tiny sprinkling of sugar made in the typically tangy (and sour) cream.

If you haven’t tried lightly sweetened sour cream before, you’re in for a fun treat. I have served this salad to several people who were shocked that the creamy dressing was simply sour cream.

Sour cream with just a to

Crisp bacon and lettuce, tart tomatoes, creamy hard-boiled eggs, and jalapenos combine to create this creamy, slightly spicy Jalapeno BLT Pasta Salad.

BLT Pasta Salad

Why make another version of the already popular BLT Pasta Salad? Because that recipe became even more delicious when I made it with added eggs and jalapenos! I immediately wanted to share it with you.

And let me tell you, adding creamy eggs to this pasta salad adds a whole new dimension of flavor. With some spicy jalapenos in the mix too, the recipe has become another favorite for the whole family.

BLT with Egg

BLT sandwiches and eggs are a match made in heaven. Ever since I first bit into a warm egg on a crunchy, hot and cold BLT sandwich, I was sold on BLT + Egg combination.

The egg in this recipe contributes texture and depth to the pasta salad and the added fat and flavor make it even heartier as a meal. This is a pasta salad I could very happily make on a weekly basis.

Pasta Salad with Lettuce

Have you tried a pasta salad with lettuce? If not, you’re in for a treat. A little bit of lettuce adds terrific crunch and texture, along with the juicy grape tomatoes, there is a freshness here that can’t be beaten.

I really enjoy all of these flavors together and I’m willing to bet that after you taste it, you’ll be adding some greens to a lot of new pasta salads too. This spinach pasta salad is another great example of the freshness that a handful of greens delivers.

Tangy, crunchy, slightly swe

The perfectly even doneness of a reverse seared New York strip steak makes every single bite a mouthwatering slice of heaven.

Reverse-seared steaks can be started in the oven and finished either on the stove or on the grill. Or they can be cooked using only the grill. Full directions for both methods are included below.

Reverse Seared Steak

Oh my goodness, this was the BEST steak ever cooked in our home, or technically, in our backyard. After doing a bit of research, my husband wanted to try the reverse sear technique.

Edited to add: We’ve been reverse searing steaks for over ten years now and swear by this method as the best and only way to ensure perfectly cooked steaks every single time.

Are you reading this wondering, “what is reverse searing?” It sounded pretty weird to me too the first time I saw it mentioned.

Contrary to conventional methods, reverse searing simply means roasting the meat very slowly at low temp first and then searing it at the end. This method delivers the most evenly cooked steaks you can imagine.

How to Reverse Sear a Steak

The first time we reverse seared steaks we followed the directions from Chris over at Nibble Me This and we were absolutely thrilled. My middle son, who had never been excited about eating steak, even asked for seconds. I could hardly believe what a difference the reverse sear technique made!

Over the years, I’ve followed the tips and advice over at Serious Eats and figured out how to reverse-sear steaks in the oven for an even easier and faster path to perfectly cooked steaks.

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