The Fourth ...Perfect for a Family BBQ with Watermelon Mojitos and Curried Potato Salad

Being home this year for the fourth gave us the opportunity to spend some time with our family cooking and enjoying the weather along with the pleasures of summer. A BBQ had to happen.

My sister and her family came up for the 4th of July eve to kick off the festivities.

We played games, ate & made smore's over the fire...it was a great time.

We started with watermelon mojitos. (recipe below)

G wanted to make his first Beer Can Chicken.

Having our own personal copy of Steven Raichlen's BBQ Bible you'd think we would have made Beer can chicken before now. But you know there are just so many things to cook and only so much time.

Before everyone arrived G & I got started. He put together the rub for his chicken. Actually last year our friends made dinner for us with their main course being Beer Can Chicken.

G loved it and they gave us our own beer can holder device and a chicken for a gift last year. The kids thought the chicken looked like it was ready to walk once it was on the beer can holder.

While G was working on the chicken I had the opportunity to make Curried Potato Salad a recipe I found in the June Cooking Light issue that I had been wanting to make. I LOVE curry so I thought this was worth making.

I prepared my potatoes then the sauce with curry powder, Greek yogurt and hot pepper sauce.

mixed the potatoes with some chopped green onion, celery, shredded carrots and cashews.

Next it was time to make the Watermelon Mojitos. The watermelon juice is the most time intensive step. Chunking it, pureeing it in the blender and then straining it through a sieve.(The recipe below doesn't call for this step but I add because I'm not a fan of pulp in orange juice or cocktails..you can make it to your liking obviously.)

Time consuming but worth it. Then slicing, juicing and muddling the lime with the fresh mint...

another important step for a great mojito. We picked up this conveinant mojito muddler at ZGallerie in Chicago a few years back. I think of that trip each time I use it.

I like to make the lime, mint and in this case watermelon juice, ahead of time then when someone wants a mojito they can use the juice with the rum and soda water (again not listed in the recipe below but traditional mojitos are made with soda water to give it a little sparkle so I add it to this version as well) and create a fresh drink when they are ready.

 After I set up a mojito bar and we were set to go.

Mojito time.

My sister & Mike made some great ribs..

with a Zinfandel Cherry bbq sauce and

 some fantastic baked beans to go with the ribs.

G's chicken was done, beautiful

and ready to be cut up for serving.

We enjoyed a great dinner together. Played some more ladder or lawn golf and then got set up for s'mores by the fire.

The next day, the 4th, was spent on beautiful Lake Cushman on the boat (first boat outing of the summer..now summer is really officially here.)

After a sunny and warm day out on the boat

we went back to my sister's house for a fireworks frenzy hosted by niece, nephew and the neighborhood of kids.

 It was a great weekend. The way a summer holiday should be celebrated.

Recipes for Curried Potato Salad from Cooking Light & Watermelon Mojitos from Food Network:

Curried Potato Salad

YIELD: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Red Bliss potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3/4 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
• 2 teaspoons Madras or regular curry powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, divided
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped unsalted cashews

Preparation

• 1. Place the potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool.
• 2. Combine yogurt and next 3 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk.
• 3. Place cooled potatoes in a large bowl. Add carrots, 5 tablespoons green onions, celery, and yogurt mixture; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons green onions and cashews. Serve chilled.

Susan Russo, Cooking Light JUNE 2011

Watermelon Mojitos

Ingredients

• 30 large fresh mint leaves, coarsely torn by hand
• 3 to 4 thick slices fresh watermelon
• 12 ounces light rum, such as Bacardi
• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
• Sprigs of mint and spears of watermelon, for serving

Directions

Use a mortar and pestle to mash the mint leaves. Remove and discard the rind and seeds of the watermelon. Put the fruit into a food processor fitted with the steel blade and puree. Put the mashed mint into a large pitcher with 2 cups of pureed watermelon, the rum, simple syrup, and lime juice and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into a pitcher for serving.

Place ice cubes in 6 glasses and pour the mojito mixture into the glasses. Garnish with sprigs of fresh mint and spears of watermelon. Serve ice cold