Sooo… we’ve reached the 4th….. That means TWO things: Fourth of July Food and we’re half way thru the summer! Amazing. Where did it go? Where DID it go?
When I think about the 4th, I remember days past with red, white and blue all over the backyard, matching plates, silverware, and balloons with the aniticipation of everyone arriving and kids running around everywhere. Hamburgers, hot dogs (two things I rarely eat these days), BBQ Chicken, macaroni salad, coleslaw, pickles, corn on the cob and watermelon.
Well, the kids are grown and gone, the husband of 30 years is now an ‘ex’, and I am gathering a small number of friends to enjoy barbecue. And food is now the focus and where my excitement comes from.
I marinated chicken in hoisin and ginger, sticking bits of sliced garlic under the skin yesterday. Talk about juicy flavorful chicken. Then at the end if you want to slap on some barbecue sauce like ‘Bone Suckin’ Sauce’, (my personal favorite), have at it! And what about that corn, cooking low and slow all day with a combo of garlic salt and a pinch or two of cane sugar? SWEET!
But what I would really like to share with you is my salad. It’s not macaroni. It’s not coleslaw. It’s a Mac Slaw Salad!
Mmmmmmmm. Cabbage, carrots, macaroni pieces, celery, mayo, dijon, vinegar, chopped chives, chopped cilantro, 3 pinches of cane sugar, 3 pinches of salt, a sprinking of red chili powder…. mix….. more red chili powder…….. and you too can ‘Rock the casbah, ROCK the casbah’!
And how about making ratatouille (pronouned rat -a-two-eeee) a day or two before, and layering: ratatouille, grilled eggplant, more ratatouille, pasta then topped with parmesan/mozarella cheese ? 
Want a Date?
You will, when it’s stuffed with bleu cheese!
(Hey! Where’s my martini)? lol
And for those of us who eat very little cow, how about some very tiny rolls for sliders? Yeah baby. It’s all good it the hood!”
And don’t forget to join me Sunday for Class 2 – Food and Rick I, the LinkedIn Guy talking about Social Media. You can attend that event by logging onto San Diego Foodies.
Ciao for now,
Chef Marian