The big two-five-zero is coming up fast. This year's Fourth of July is especially special. So it’s time to fire up the grill, gather your people, and enjoy some truly great food.
A friendly nod to our wonderful Canadian neighbors as they celebrate Canada Day on July 1. While not technically their “Independence Day,” it’s close enough to toast with a burger.
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While you’re enjoying the national party, take a moment to appreciate the freedoms we enjoy—and the folks who help preserve them. Cheers to our military, first responders, and everyone keeping us safe.
This collection features easy, crowd-pleasing recipes—most scaled for smaller households, but ready to double if you're hosting more guests.
🥩 Grilled Steak Recipes
These beginner-friendly grilling options are stress-free. Just season, grill, and eat like a pro.
Grilled Filet Mignon (Best Way on Any Grill)
The best way to grill filet mignon with simple temps, timing, and doneness guides. Juicy, tender steak on a gas or any grill in about 10 minutes.
Grilled Filet Mignon
How to Grill New York Strip Steak
Grill perfect New York strip steak in about 8–10 minutes with simple steps, reliable temperatures, and easy doneness guidance.
Grilled NY Strip Steaks
🥩 Inside Steak Recipes
No grill, no problem! Move it inside.
Filet Mignon in the Oven (Pan-Seared & Oven-Baked Method)
Juicy filet mignon cooked in the oven with a pan-sear for a perfect crust and tender center. Ready in about 20 minutes with simple steps.
Sear and Bake NY Strip Steak
Pan Seared New York Strip Steak (Oven Finish Method)
Pan sear New York strip steaks for a crisp crust, then finish in the oven for juicy, tender results. Simple timing and temperature guide.
Sear and Bake Filet Midgnon
🐄 Burgers and Kabobs
These classic recipes deliver big flavor and are easy to scale up or down. Perfect for any size party.
How to Grill Hamburgers (Juicy, Easy Method)
Grill juicy hamburgers with a simple method, a hot grill, and a 160°F finish. Reliable cook times and easy steps for perfect burgers every time.
Grilling Hamburgers
Beef Kabob Marinade (Juicy Kabobs in About 1 Hour)
This beef kabob marinade uses just 3 ingredients for juicy, flavorful kabobs in about 1 hour. Grill with your favorite veggies for a fast, foolproof dinner.
Marinaded Sirloin Beef Kabobs
Buttermilk Ranch Chicken Kabobs
Delicious Buttermilk Ranch Chicken Kabobs with tender and favorable chicken will make picky eaters happy. The easy buttermilk ranch marinade tenderizes and adds exceptional flavor.
Ranch Chicken Kabobs
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🐓 Chicken Recipes
From drumsticks to tenders, chicken is always a reliable choice. These chicken recipes are simple, delicious, and ready to serve two or ten.
Grilled Chicken Legs (Easy, Crispy & Juicy Drumsticks)
Juicy, crispy grilled chicken legs made simple — season and cook over medium heat on a gas grill about 35 minutes for perfect drumsticks.
Grilled Chicken Legs
Baked Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) – Crispy & Juicy
Dry, season, and bake hot for crispy skin and juicy meat in about 35 minutes. Optional rack or flip once; finish to 185°–195°F for the best texture.
Baked Chicken Legs
Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs (Bone-In or Boneless)
This easy recipe makes crispy oven baked chicken thighs with tender, juicy meat. Ready in about 35 minutes—use bone-in or boneless thighs.
Baked Chicken Thighs
Grilled Chicken Breasts (Gas or Other Grill)
Juicy grilled chicken breasts with easy prep and reliable results on a gas or almost any grill. Cook over medium heat in about 20 minutes to 165°F.
Grilling Chicken Breasts
Grilled Chicken Tenders
Juicy grilled chicken tenders cooked in about 10 minutes with simple seasoning. Includes prep, grill time, temperatures, and easy step-by-step instructions.
Grilled Chicken Tenders
🐖 Pork Recipes
Pork belongs at the party, too. Toss on chops, ribs, or that crowd-pleasing BBQ pork tenderloin. Big flavor without the big effort.
Grilled Pork Chops (Juicy Every Time – Easy Step-by-Step)
Grilled pork chops made juicy every time with simple steps, the right temperature, and timing. Works for boneless or bone-in chops of any thickness on any grill.
How to Grill Pork Chops
How to Grill Pork Tenderloin on a Gas Grill
Grill pork tenderloin on a gas grill in about 25 minutes at 450°F. This easy beginner method delivers tender, juicy pork with simple prep and no fancy setup.
Grilling Pork Tenderloin
Pan Seared Oven Roasted Pork Chops
Learn to cook the best baked pork chops that are tender and moist. With a little searing and minimal time, they are juicy and favorable. It doesn’t get better or easier than this.
Sear and Baked Pork Tenderloin
How to Cook Baby Back Ribs on a Gas Grill
Learn how to cook tender baby back ribs on a gas grill with a simple BBQ dry rub and optional wood smoke. Easy low-and-slow BBQ ribs, no smoker needed.
Grilled Baby Back Ribs
Boneless Pork Ribs in Oven (Juicy, 30-Minute Recipe)
Juicy boneless pork ribs cooked in the oven in about 30 minutes. Pan-seared, then baked for tender, flavorful ribs—an easy and reliable weeknight dinner.
30-Minute Boneless Country Style Ribs
🥗 Easy Side Dishes
The sides will turn the main dish into a full meal. These easy side dishes add color, crunch, and comfort to your plate.
Microwave Corn on the Cob in the Husk (Easy, No Shucking Needed)
Microwave corn on the cob in the husk for tender sweet corn in just minutes. No shucking, boiling, or mess—just an easy foolproof method.
Microwaving Corn on the Cob
Single Serving Lemonade Recipe
This Single-Serving Lemonade Recipe with lemon juice and sugar is easy to make in only 2 minutes. Use a sugar substitute like Splenda®️ to make sugar-free lemonade. This recipe is about the ingredients lemonade ratio, so you can make a glass or a gallon. It's perfect for one, two, or a crowd.
Lemonade by the Glass
Broccoli Slaw Salad
Broccoli Slaw Salad has great crunch and flavor. It has broccoli slaw salad, veggies, almonds, and rice noodles. The homemade dressing is a delicious touch.
How to make Broccoil Slaw Salad
Bacon and Egg Spinach Salad with Tangy Ketchup Dressing
This old-fashioned bacon and egg spinach salad is tossed with a sweet, tangy homemade ketchup dressing. A quick spinach salad dressing recipe that's perfect for lunches, potlucks, or summer meals.
Simple Spinich Salad with Bacon
Easy Small Batch Cold Macaroni Salad (Creamy & Classic)
This small batch cold macaroni salad is creamy, classic, and easy to adjust for two or more. Fresh veggies, a tangy dressing, and tender pasta make it better than deli.
Easy Macaroni Salad
Broccoli Raisin Salad with Bacon (Small Batch or Crowd-Ready)
Fresh broccoli raisin salad with bacon, cheddar, and creamy dressing. Easy to make for two or scale up for family or a crowd.
Making Broccoli Salad
Grilled Mixed Vegetables
Delicious Grilled Mixed Vegetables cooked on the grill compliments any meal. You can easily add them to your grill while you cook dinner to complete your meal.
Grilling Mixed Vegetables
🍖 Main Dishes for a Crowd
These bigger recipes are still easy and delicious, just more of everything.
Brisket on a Gas Grill (Low and Slow BBQ)
Make tender brisket on a gas grill using indirect heat, wood smoke, and a simple dry rub. Beginner-friendly, low-and-slow BBQ beef brisket with great bark.
Grilled Brisket
How to Cook Brisket in the Oven (Smoky, Tender BBQ)
Cook brisket in the oven with just 2 ingredients—smoky, tender BBQ beef. Beginner-friendly, low and slow for fall-apart results, no smoker needed.
Oven Baked BBQ Brisket
How to Cook Pork Butt in the Oven for Pulled Pork
Make juicy BBQ pulled pork right in your oven. Cook pork butt low and slow until fall-apart tender with crispy bark and rich, smoky flavor.
Oven Baked Pulled Pork
Pulled Pork Loin in the Oven
Make tender BBQ pulled pork from pork loin in the oven with a simple braising method. The pork loin shreds easily for juicy BBQ sandwiches or feeding a crowd.
Pulled Pork Loin in the Oven
Chicken for a Crowd
It is easier than you think to feed a crowd fresh baked chicken. From a small party to a large group of a hundred or more, this recipe for baked chicken is perfect for any size crowd. Start with skin-on chicken breasts and drumsticks. Trim to finger food size, season to taste, and bake. Also, learn to keep your party safe with the food safety tips.
Chicken for a Crowd
Taco Meat Recipe
Easy, from-scratch spicy taco meat with tomato sauce and pantry spices – no packet. Perfect for nachos, tacos, and bowls.
Homemade Taco Meat Recipe
🍓 Desserts and Summer Treats
No party is complete without something sweet. From classic fruit desserts to refreshing treats, these desserts finish the meal with a smile.
Strawberry Pie with Jello (Easy and Reliable Fresh Recipe)
This strawberry pie with Jello is made with fresh berries, a simple homemade glaze, and a ready-made crust. An easy, reliable dessert that’s been a family favorite for nearly 50 years.
Strawberry Jello Pie
Small Batch Apple Crisp (Easy Recipe for Two or More)
Make an easy small batch apple crisp with only 2 or 3 apples and a buttery crumb topping. A perfect old-fashioned dessert for two or more.
Easy Apple Crisp
New York Cheesecake Bars
Rich and creamy New York Cheesecake Bars with a buttery graham cracker crust. This easy small-batch recipe is baked in an 8X8 pan and easily doubles to a 9X13 pan.
Small Batch Cheesecake Bars
Grilled Pineapple Slices with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Glaze
Glazed grilled pineapple slices are an easy delicious summer side dish. With a buttery caramelized brown sugar glaze, it also makes a great dessert when combined with ice cream—Ready in less than 15 minutes.
Grilling Glazed Pineapple
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake and Cheesecake Bars
This easy Chocolate Chip Cheesecake recipe can be made as a whole cheesecake or, as we prefer, impressive Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars. It is simple and almost foolproof, using cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and an Oreo crust. Please try our go-to recipe for parties or take-a-dish occasions.
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake and Cheesecake Bars
Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars with Shortbread Crust
Rich blueberry cream cheese dessert bars baked on a buttery shortbread crust with a crumble top. Cheesecake-style flavor without a water bath or springform pan.
Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars
Food Safety
Let’s keep the fun going and the ER visits at zero. Food-borne illness is preventable—brush up on a few simple rules from the USDA’s food safety guide.
And don’t forget the party animals. Try a homemade treat or two for your four-legged guests with Low Calorie Dog Treats.
Stay safe, stay cool, and enjoy the holiday.
From DrDan
Editor's Note: Originally Published July 1, 2017. Updated yearly for republication.
Ed says
Thanks for the shoutout to Canada, you have a great 4th of July.
Betty Wickett says
As a Canadian, (immigrant), I thank you for acknowledging our special day. Here in Canada we are acknowledging some unpleasant truths about our history while also celebrating this wonderful country. Looking forward to visiting when the borders open up.
Betty Wickett says
As a Canadian I thank you for acknowledging our special day. This year especially we in Canada are facing some unpleasant truths about our history while still celebrating our wonderful country. Looking forward to visiting your country when the borders open up.
Helen Arano says
What Beautiful Dogs, great with kids too.
Have a wonderful 4th.!
Ashley says
Everything looks delicious!!