I am always the one struggling with what to bring to the July 4th cookout. So I decided this year I am bringing some not-so-traditional items. I also decided it wouldn’t spend all day cooking so I made sure my items were easy, tasty, and didn’t take up a whole day.
Summer Salsa
That’s right. I decided salsa would be one of my items. I mean, really, who doesn’t love homemade salsa?!
Ingredients:
2 jalapeños-cut in half with the stems removed
2 cups of cherry tomatoes-cut in halves
1 white onion-sliced into quarters
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt-divided
Freshly ground black pepper
3 large tomatoes-cut into quarters
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup of fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes
Directions:
- Start by preheating your oven to 400°. Place the jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, and onion on a large baking sheet and drizzle the oil on top. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper (we added ½ teaspoon of garlic and onion powder as well). Roast until slightly charred. This takes around 20 minutes.
- In a food processor or a blender, place the roasted vegetables, the cup of quartered tomatoes, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and the pinch of red pepper flakes. Add the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and pepper (we also added garlic and onion powders). Pulse a few times until mostly blended. We wanted ours mostly chunky but if you prefer less chunks pulse longer. **If you are using a blender you will need to stir the bottom after every few pulses.
Pour into a bowl and it is ready to serve!
Tuna Pickle Boats (Dill, Bread/Butter)
Trust me- these things are delicious! I was so skeptical at first, even though I like pickles with my tuna!
Ingredients:
2 5-oz. Of cans tuna. ( these need to be drained)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (we prefer Miracle Whip salad dressing)
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard (this is optional-we made it with yellow mustard and no mustard)
2 stalks of celery (chopped fine)
Juice from ½ of a lemon
1 tablespoon of chopped dill (you will need extra for garnish)
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Onion powder
Garlic powder
6 dill pickles
Paprika – *optional
Directions:
- You want to start by combining the tuna, mayo/salad dressing, Dijon/yellow mustard, lemon juice, dill, and celery in a large mixing bowl. Be sure and mix until the ingredients are all combined. Add the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder and combine/mix some more.
- Next you want to slice the pickles in half;lengthwise. Take a spoon and scoop out the seeds of the pickles to create “boats”. Fill the hallowed pickles with the tuna mixture. You can garnish with paprika and/or more dill and enjoy.
These have been a huge hit at my house for several years. I am not sure why I never thought to make them for our July 4th celebration, but I am going to surprise everyone with them this year for sure!
Tuna Pickle Boats
Ingredients
- 2 5- oz. Of cans tuna. these need to be drained
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise we prefer Miracle Whip salad dressing
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard this is optional-we made it with yellow mustard and no mustard
- 2 stalks of celery chopped fine
- Juice from ½ of a lemon
- 1 tablespoon of chopped dill you will need extra for garnish
- kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- 6 dill pickles
- Paprika – *optional
Instructions
- You want to start by combining the tuna, mayo/salad dressing, Dijon/yellow mustard, lemon juice, dill, and celery in a large mixing bowl. Be sure and mix until the ingredients are all combined. Add the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder and combine/mix some more.
- Next you want to slice the pickles in half;lengthwise. Take a spoon and scoop out the seeds of the pickles to create “boats”. Fill the hallowed pickles with the tuna mixture. You can garnish with paprika and/or more dill and enjoy.
- These have been a huge hit at my house for several years. I am not sure why I never thought to make them for our July 4th celebration, but I am going to surprise everyone with them this year for sure!
Summer Salsa
Ingredients
- 2 jalapeños-cut in half with the stems removed
- 2 cups of cherry tomatoes-cut in halves
- 1 white onion-sliced into quarters
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt-divided
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large tomatoes-cut into quarters
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 400°. Place the jalapeños, cherry tomatoes, and onion on a large baking sheet and drizzle the oil on top. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt and pepper (we added ½ teaspoon of garlic and onion powder as well). Roast until slightly charred. This takes around 20 minutes.
- In a food processor or a blender, place the roasted vegetables, the cup of quartered tomatoes, lime juice, garlic, cumin, and the pinch of red pepper flakes. Add the remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and pepper (we also added garlic and onion powders). Pulse a few times until mostly blended. We wanted ours mostly chunky but if you prefer less chunks pulse longer. **If you are using a blender you will need to stir the bottom after every few pulses.
- Pour into a bowl and it is ready to serve!
