4th Of July Fun

After wrapping up the The Darling Derby Party shoot with several of my entrepreneur friends a few months ago, we immediately started planning our next collaboration. We had the most fun putting together this outdoor 4th of July inspired shoot, and we hope that you enjoy it! Thanks to Betsey and Abby from The Finery Jackson for the table settings, Jeannie with Blair’s Designs for the amazing embroidery and gifts, Mallory with Lavish Fleur for the stunning floral design, and Abe Draper for the spectacular photos. Let’s talk Red, White and Blue!

For the table, we knew we wanted to create a fun, casual setting perfect for outdoor entertaining. Jeannie, with Blair’s Gifts created these custom star embroidered napkins, which looked amazing paired with the Juliska Berry & Thread Chambray Melamine place settings from The Finery. Berry & Thread is my personal everyday china pattern, so I was very excited when they released this melamine line, perfect for any occasion.

One of my favorite additions to this table setting are the rechargeable table lamps. These lamps are from The Finery, and are cute and functional and look amazing on any table! You can shop these lamps and their beautiful selections in store or online here. Mallory, with Lavish Fleur created the most gorgeous centerpiece filled with pops of blue and white, along with fresh green apples and limes. Lavish Fleur is a specialty florist located in Jackson, Mississippi, and you can order from her through her Instagram page @lavish_fleur.

The Menu

Pulled Pork Sliders

Caprese Skewers

Corn Dip

Red White and Blue Charcuterie

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

The Menu Details

I don’t know about you guys, but when I am planning a party, I need the easiest recipes ever, and that is exactly what I did for this 4th of July spread. You do not need elaborate recipes to make a party delicious and fun.

Pulled Pork sliders are so festive and probably one of the easiest things you can serve at a party. We have an amazing Barbecue restaurant in town that lets you buy pulled pork by the pint, so that is exactly what I did. I grabbed some King’s Hawaiian rolls from the grocery store, added their delicious pulled pork and called it a day.

Did someone say caprese skewers? Grab some fresh basil, grape tomatoes, mozzarella pearls, and balsamic glaze, and you are basically done with this one. Skewer one of everything and drizzle with the balsamic glaze on top. Get the kids to help, and knock the time in half! I will say this – splurge for the cute bamboo skewers with the loop at the end. They are like $.50 more and make a huge difference to me in presentation. I found mine at my local grocery store, but you can also order them from Amazon here.

Another Summertime favorite? Corn Dip. Mix 2 cans of drained, sweet corn, with 1/2 cup mayo, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup green onions, chopped, 2 tsp Tony Chachere’s Cajun seasoning, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. You just mix and refrigerate until ready to serve with some delicious corn or tortilla chips.

Did you hear? Charcuterie boards are BACK, and I am so here for this one. The beauty of a charcuterie board, is that you can put whatever you want on it. Here are some of my favorite Red, White and Blue ideas for the perfect, festive charcuterie board: Salami, prosciutto, pepperoni, red grapes, strawberries, salsa, watermelon, raspberries, provolone, white cheddar cheese, mozzarella pearls, Baby Bell cheese, sea salt crackers, blue corn tortilla chips, blueberries and blackberries. I got some cheap star cookie cutters from my local grocery store and cut out some provolone slices for a little festive flare. Cheese stars are always a good idea, in my opinion.

For something sweet, I decided to make these AMAZING Strawberry Cheesecake Bites. To make, wash your strawberries, and cut off the tops and slice in half lengthwise. Using a mixer, whip 1 block cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Using a spoon, scoop the cheesecake mixture onto the strawberry halves and top with fresh blueberries. These are the most festive and delicious dessert for the 4th, and could not be any easier! Helpful Tip: Use a sharp paring knife to cut the strawberry bumps off the back so that they lay flat.

My friend, Jen, at Cathead Distillery, sent me the most delicious cocktail recipe that is perfect for summer. This Honeysuckle Vodka Strawberry Limeade is so refreshing and a little bit dangerous. To make: combine 1.25 oz Cathead Honeysuckle Vodka, .5 oz squeezed lime juice and .25 oz Monin Strawberry Syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake 8-10 times and pour over ice in a cup. Finish off with 2 oz of Sprite and serve cold. I used some mediocre math skills to make this a batch cocktail and just multiplied everything by 20 using an entire bottle of the Honeysuckle vodka and it was SO good! Instead of squeezing a million limes, a bottle of pure (no sugar added) lime juice works great! This cocktail was served in American Flag cups from Blair’s Gifts, and you can order them directly from her website, along with these fun American Flag cocktail napkins and guest towels featured in the photos.

I hope that you enjoyed this beautiful 4th of July spread and please let me know if you make anything from it. To purchase any of the items, please follow the links provided, or see below for contact information.

The Team

Food by The Dinner Darling – Follow @thedinnerdarling on Instagram – www.thedinnerdarling.com

Custom Embroidery and Gifts by Blair’s Gifts – Follow @blairsgifts on Instagram – www.blairsgifts.com

Table Settings by The Finery – Follow @thefineryjackson on Instagram – www.thefineryjackson.com

Floral Design by Lavish Fleur – Follow @lavish_fleur on Instagram

Photography by Abe Draper Photography – Follow @abe_draper_photo on Instagram

4th Of July Fun

The Menu

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