Advertisement

Back to Basics: Snazz Up Your 4th of July with These Simple Recipe Tweaks

guac

Are you still waking up on Independence Morning, scrambling into your local Ralph’s and grabbing all the pre-made 7-Layer Dips and bacon-wrapped hot dogs you can find? You deserve better and luckily for you, whipping up a vastly improved 4th of July feast isn’t that hard to do. So leave your basic onions, mustards and ketchups at your college roommate’s house and try your hand at any of these gussied-up versions of some of your favorite barbecue staples, compiled by our friends at First We Feast. From chunky cilantro guacamole to spicy Sriracha shrimp skewers, good food doesn’t have to be complicated. It should, however, taste phenomenal.

_______________

Rest Your Bacon Wrapped Hot Dog On a Bed of Bean Sprout Slaw

yumdogs

A more Asian take on the infamous bacon-wrapped Tijuana “Danger Dogs,” all you need is to wash and season some bean sprouts and misc. veggies with salt, pepper, sugar and rice vinegar and then bury them beneath Sriracha mayo and a bacon wrapped dog. Thick-cut applewood is probably best, because moar bacon is always better.

Advertisement

Use Mostly Solid Avocados In Your Guacamole

guac

Store-bought guac can be too bland and mushy, but this version uses only lightly-crushed avocados mixed with chopped cilantro and minced serrano or jalapeno chilies so you can really taste the dip.

Drizzle Your Corn with Lime, Parmesan and Chili

Advertisement

corn

If you’ve never had Mexican corn, what have you been doing with your life. “Creamy, tangy, spicy and sweet all at once,” this roasted recipe will have you never eating regular old buttered corn again.

Marinate Your Shrimp With Sriracha and Sugar

shrimp

Sriracha, olive oil, Worcestershire, sugar and cilantro caramelize over these grilled shrimps for the perfect finger food. Plus it’s shrimp season, so why go back to your typical chicken or beef?

Advertisement

Ditch the Spaghetti and Meatballs For Penne and Herbs

penne

Finally, proof that pasta doesn’t need meat to be delicious. Just toss everything together for a cool upgrade to your aunt’s infamous “spaghetti.”

_______________

Check out the rest of the list over at First We Feast!

Picthx FWF, Food 52