8 Great 4th of July Party Food Ideas

Cut the eggs lengthwise in half. Remove the yolks to a medium bowl. Set 24 of the white halves on a plate. Finely chop the remaining four white halves and set aside.

Mash the yolks with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice and pepper. Mix well until smooth. Add the chopped egg whites, bacon, cheese and chives. Mix well.

Spoon the yolk mixture evenly among each egg-white half. Refrigerate, covered, to blend flavors. Sprinkle with paprika just before serving, if desired.

Chop the peeled and deveined shrimp into ½-inch pieces.

Pour the lime, orange, and lemon juices over the shrimp and allow to marinate 20 minutes. Add the chilies, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, garlic, cilantro, and olive oil. Stir to combine, then allow to sit 10 minutes.

Place the ceviche in a serving bowl and pair with a basket of crispy blue/purple potato chips. Any potato chips (or tortilla chips) can be subbed, however, the colorful potato chips make the dish visually stunning.

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat (400°F). In a bowl using your hands, mix together the ground chuck, salt, and pepper.

Gently form four patties of equal size, each about 3/4 inch thick.

With your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of the patties to prevent them from forming a dome as they cook.

Grill the patties over direct medium-high heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to medium doneness (160ºF), 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice.

Turn them only when enough crust has developed on the surface of meat that that patties release easily from the grate, without sticking.

During the final minute of grilling time, place a slice cheese on each patty to melt.

Toast the buns, cut side down, over direct heat.

In large deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat and add onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, until very soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add beer and brown sugar and cook over medium high heat until liquid evaporates, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Continue cooking until the onion turns a golden brown, stirring constantly. Stir in bacon, pickles and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare a medium hot fire in grill. Grill bratwurst directly over heat, turning, until evenly browned, about 5-7 minutes and to an internal temperature of 160°F. Remove from grill and top with onion relish.

Note: The onion relish can be made ahead and reheated. Store it in the refrigerator. Serve it warm or at room temperature.

Wash potatoes, and cut into quarters. Boil potatoes over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until fork tender. Drain potatoes, and place in a large mixing bowl. Set potatoes aside until completely cool, or place in the refrigerator for one hour.

In a separate small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and blue cheese together until combined. When the potatoes are cooled, stir in mayonnaise mixture until evenly coated. Gently stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs and salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley to garnish. Serve immediately, and enjoy.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cook bacon in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat until it starts to release its fat.

Add olive oil and onions and cook until translucent and soft, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, sugar, molasses, chile powder, mustard and vinegar until well combined and cook for 1 minute.

Add beans, broth, salt and pepper and stir gently to combine. Cover skillet tightly with a lid or foil and bake for 1 hour.

Remove lid, add more broth if needed to moisten beans and continue to bake, uncovered, until top is browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes more. Serve hot.

Preheat oven to 350º F.

On an ungreased medium baking sheet, smooth the refrigerated sugar cookie dough into a single layer approximately 1/4 inch thick. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned and center is no longer doughy.

In a medium bowl, blend the marshmallow creme and cream cheese. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust.

Arrange with assortment of fresh fruit of your choice on top. Chill until ready to serve.

Tear bread into medium pieces. Add sugar and cinnamon. Mix milk, lightly beaten eggs and vanilla. Add to bread mixture. Place half of the mix in a casserole dish. Layer pecans and raisins, if used. Top with the rest of the mix. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

To make sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil for one minute. Serve warm with warm bread pudding.