WEEKLY MENU 06.30.24
Huge Birthday during the Weekly Menu 06.30.24 ~ plus easy meals all week!
The United States of America celebrates the 248th anniversary of the publication of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain during the Weekly Menu 06.30.24! The Declaration of Independence was announced on July 4th, although the signing didn’t occur until August 2nd. The colonies voted to accept it on July 2nd. So, the long, extended holiday weekend makes sense!
How about some other fun facts about the big day?
Three American presidents have died on the fourth of July. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day, in 1826, just hours apart. They had been rivals in everything, even about who would live longest. Adams’ last words were about his long-time foe: “Thomas Jefferson lives!” In fact, Jefferson had died just five hours earlier, but Adams hadn’t gotten the message. The two actually became friends in their later years, with extensive correspondence. Their letters to each other are published in several books.
James Monroe is the third president to die on July 4th, but he died in 1831.
Farmers Almanac
Some other slightly obscure but wonderfully fascinating facts about the Fourth:
- Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence.
- John Hancock was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence.
- An estimated 2.5 million people lived in the nation in July 1776.
- The Liberty Bell is tapped 13 times every Independence Day to honor the 13 original states.
- The Liberty Bell hasn’t been rung since 1846.
- There are 33 places in the United States with “liberty” in their names.
- Calvin Coolidge was the only president born on the 4th of July.
- It didn’t become a federal holiday until 1870.
- Americans eat around 150 million hot dogs each Independence Day.
- Our national anthem wasn’t ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ until 1931.
- The One World Trade Center in New York was designed to be 1,776 feet tall.
- There have been 27 different versions of the U.S. flag.
- Coney Island hosts a famous hot dog-eating contest every July 4th. The Nathan’s Famous 4th of July hot dog-eating contest began over a century ago.
We always try to watch the Nathan’s Hot Dog Contest on the Fourth of July. It’s absolutely disgusting, but I can never look away. And I don’t understand the whole “sport” of competitive eating. How do all of these people not weigh about a million pounds? Of course, we enjoy a fabulous lunch of hot dogs while the contest rages in the background. I usually cap it at two, but I’ve been known to go back for a third dog. Hot Dogs on the Blackstone are slightly reminiscent of gas station dogs that run around and around on their rollers, but much, much healthier. At least from a cleanliness and timeliness standpoint.
Joey Chestnut has been banned this year over a disagreement with Nathans (he repped some non-meat burgers, which is a no-no, rightfully so.) According to the New York Post, he’s got another gig instead.
NEW YORK — Competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut will take his hot dog-downing talents to an army base in Texas for America’s Independence Day this year after a falling out with organizers of the event that made him famous, the annual 4th of July eating contest in Brooklyn’s Coney Island.
Chestnut, of Indiana, will compete against soldiers in Fort Bliss, in El Paso, in a 5-minute hot dog eating contest. That’s instead of the 10-minute Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest, where he competed against the world’s top competitive eaters since 2005 and hadn’t lost since 2015. In 2021 he set the current record of 76 hot dogs, in 10 minutes.
New York Post
I like the idea of a battle between a competitive eater and soldiers, so I’ll probably watch that this year instead of Nathan’s Contest. It will still be completely repulsive, but anything can happen.
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Weekly Menu 06.30.24
We’re starting the Weekly Menu 06.30.24 with a little deconstructed Italian meal. It’s not even vaguely authentic, but it is tasty. Bert will grill chicken breasts and top with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese slices. I’ll toast some panko in olive oil in a cast iron skillet, then toss in some parmesan cheese once the crumbs cool down. We’ll sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the chicken for some crunch.
Of course, we’re starting out with the always fabulous Baked Fontina. It’s so easy and satisfying it’s tough not to include it.
We’ll get the crockpot fired up on Tuesday for the pork chops we didn’t make last week. Summertime absolutely means dinner is more fluid than not around here. Do your plans change constantly during the summer too? We’re actually celebrating the Fourth of July on the 4th of July this year, which is a nice switch. Of course, we’ll have hot dogs for lunch, so they’re off the dinner menu.
Smoked Beef Tenderloin sliders are the star of July 4th dinner, a nice upgrade from regular picnic food. Don’t worry – we’ll have some boxed burgers on Friday night to make up for it.
Pie is all American
Well, it is in my book. The cutely named Red, White, and Blueberry Cream Pie sounds delish, and it looks divine. I’m not going to lie: I’m an old hand at making pie crust, but I’ll probably buy one for Thursday. I’m a fan of making things easy on myself when we have a big dinner planned.
Corn on the cob isn’t in season yet here in beautiful Erieland, so we’re adding a vegetarian “burger” to the menu with some corn fritter sandwiches. A nice avocado crema will round them out nicely.
We’re using our fabulous Creamy Parmesan Dressing on corkscrew pasta and adding chopped romaine to make the Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad. The chicken? Rottiserie, of course.
I recently got myself a new blender, and I adore it. The July 4th drink of the day is a slushie, so we can use it then. I bought the blender to make green smoothies, and it is masterful. Don’t worry, though. I’m not adding anything green to the celebratory smoothies.
WEEKLY MENU 06.30.24
RECIPE LINKS
BAKED FONTINA
ALMOND BARS
SLOPPY JOES
PORK SALSA VERDE TACOS
BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALAD
DECONSTRUCTED STUFFED PEPPER BOWLS
ROSEMARY CHERRY LIMEADE VODKA SLUSHIES
CHEX MIX
HORSERADISH SAUCE
HONEY MUSTARD
CORN FRITTER SANDWICHES
AVOCADO CREMA
BROCCOLI SALAD
HERBED POTATO SALAD
CAESAR DRESSING
RED WHITE AND BLUEBERRY CREAM PIE
JULY 4TH MENUS FROM PRIOR YEARS:
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
There are multiple outdoorsy games on these party menus, but we got a fabulous corn hole set last year, and it’s completely taken over. We’re talking tournaments full of mostly mediocre players holding a beer in one hand and a beanie in the other. Good times.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, USA!
