It’s a holiday week and I had the best gift today – the gift of time with my husband. My daughter had camp, so he and I ate breakfast together, went out to lunch, and spent the afternoon enjoying one another’s company before picking Carla up. (And she gets the biggest kick out of having her dad pick her up from camp – or school. It’s adorable.) We almost never have time just the two of us, so it has been really nice. And tomorrow, no camp!
I am not a big fan of July Fourth. The fireworks started in my neighborhood a few weeks ago, and keep my daughter awake. (Partly because they are loud, partly because she is worrying about the neighbor’s dog, who hates fireworks.) Plus, the weather has been AWFUL here lately. At least the wildfire smoke seems to have bypassed us for now, but it’s hot and humid with thunderstorms rolling in almost daily. No thank you.
But the holiday will be over tomorrow, and hopefully that means fireworks season will be done… in a few weeks.
Dinners for Week of July 3 – 10
- Hamburgers & Hot Dogs: We are having our favorite Fourth of July foods tonight! The weather is crummy though, so I think we’ll make the burgers in the instant pot instead of on the grill. (I am not eating a hot dog this year, so my husband is on his own for cooking his.) Because my basil plant is flourishing, I am making my favorite chickpea salad to go alongside my burger, and look forward to eating leftovers for lunches this week. We are also having sliced strawberries with mascarpone cheese for dessert. Yum!
- Ham & Potato Salad: We are having dinner with my parents tomorrow! I am just so delighted that this is an option! Growing up, my mom always made the same foods for specific holidays, and ham and potato salad were our July Fourth fare. Have I raved about my mother’s potato salad on this blog before? It is a mustard-based potato salad, but I think it’s the best. The potatoes are so tender. There are tiny chunks of pickle throughout. The sauce/dressing is just the tiniest bit spicy. It’s one of my favorite foods. It is especially delicious for breakfast, and she makes an enormous vat of it because she knows I’ll have a bowl for breakfast as long as it lasts. War practically breaks out when my brother and I are both in the vicinity of the potato salad at the same time, because we feel we have equal claim. (We don’t; I have greater claim because I am the oldest.) My mom has been making it for me pretty much every time I’ve gone to visit her since I left home at age eighteen, and I never get tired of it. Last time I visited my parents’ house, during our epic Road Trip!, she made potato salad and then sent me home with a to-go container. This is all to say: I am excited for my mom’s potato salad tomorrow. I can take or leave ham. But the potato salad!
- One-Pot Penne with Creamy Garlic Basil Sauce: This recipe sounds so easy and so delicious.
- Sheet Pan Cuban Chicken: I am sure I will be in the mood for something spicy after eating all this rich creamy food, so sheet pan Cuban chicken it is!
- Veggie Stir Fry: Let’s round out the week with a veggie packed stir fry. I am all about the zucchini and broccoli right now. YUM.
Do you have a favorite childhood food that you still eat as an adult?
I haven’t talked about this on my blog, so I’m hijacking your comments to talk about it. Fourth of July is a TERRIBLE holiday. I don’t think I used to feel this way, but my dog is a shaking mess from the time the sun sets until it rises in the morning because of firecrackers. Because our state has dumb, lax rules, these firecrackers are going to be going off at irregular intervals until the snow flies. I don’t know how to help or reassure her and I’m so sick of firecrackers! That is all. Hugs to everyone else with a neurotic dog who hates summer.
To actually answer your question, my mom makes this orange Jello mandarin salad with chunks of cream cheese in it that sounds horrible, but is So. Good. I know that midwestern Jello salads aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but when that shizz is around me, I can’t control myself. I will eat it all. Right now. I feel like this was a summer potluck treat that was brought to Memorial Day and 4th of July parties.
Preach! I agree wholeheartedly about the firecracker frustration.
And a good Midwestern salad is so fun.
I love homemade strawberry shortcake, which I shared on my blog last week. I’ll be making it again this week.
I don’t like the Fourth of July either. For the reasons you mentioned, and also because celebrating our country feels so blech right now.
Yum! Strawberry shortcake!
I love July 4th because it’s the anniversary of when I met my stepsons and we always have a huge family party at my SILs.
I’m bringing chips and guac and chocolate chip cookies, so easy stuff with a big payoff.
Oh that’s so special, Beckett! What a good reason to love this holiday!
I have complicated feelings about democracy and citizenship in 2023, so this 4th does not feel amazing to me. Also SO HOT. I am planning to fail tonight and feeding the kids at the pool so my house stays cool.
PS: Day dates are my very favorite.
Feeding the kids at the pool sounds SMART.
Yay for having some time alone with your husband! That’s a rare thing and hard to come by. Enjoy your potato salad!
It was so nice, Nicole. 🙂
I used to HATE the 4th of July, when the kids were little. I always felt obligated to take them to see fireworks and it was a nightmare. SO hot, so crowded, and so noisy. Now that they’re older and I don’t have to go anywhere, I kind of like the holiday because I don’t have to work. But I 100% understand how it may not be someone’s favorite.
I’m very intrigued about this potato salad!!! Does your mom by any chance have a recipe?
She does! I will try to find it and post it!
I LOVE day dates (and had one with my husband yesterday).
I have a feeling I would adore that potato salad. I love, love, love potato salad. Yum. And would definitely eat a bowl of it for breakfast.
I still eat a few meals from my childhood; the top one is probably my mom’s meatball recipe which is a huge hit with my kids, too. But also her Cherry Cheesecake, Cinnamon Coffee Cake, “Brown” Stew, and a veggie + hamburger soup.
How nice that you have all these childhood faves that you’ve worked into your adult rotation!
Not a fan of the 4th either or most of those things that you dislike. Parades, yuck. I do as little as possible these days except wait for it to be over, after watching some other people blow a lot of money on fireworks that I look at for free. I love potato salad and would eagerly try some of your mom’s. I too make a mustardy and eggy potato salad but with no pickles. Radishes instead and lots of purple onion.
Radishes in a potato salad! That sounds lovely! I enjoy a nice crunchy radish now and again.
Your mom’s potato salad sounds like the one my mother used to make, that I liked. The Husband’s potato salad is completely different and I like it too; but I’m weird about certain crunchy things (celery comes to mind) in certain foods so I try to eat around it (yes, I am five years old).
Yay for getting some time for just the two you!
One July 4th recipe that I love is my Mom’s cherry-chocolate pie. Mmmm, haven’t had that in ages (my husband and kids have never liked it, which bums me out).
I second the request for your mom’s potato salad recipe!
I do not love the 4th of July either. I could take or leave fireworks especially since they have to take place when it’s dark and it gets dark so late. So I kind of watch them and wonder – when will this be over so I can go to bed? I saw fireworks this year for the first time since 2017 probably! They were fine. But I wouldn’t have been sad to miss them. I let Paul stay up for them and he LOVED THEM. But now we are dealing with the aftermath of him not getting enough sleep. Yeesh.
I would love to try that potato salad! I love my mom’s potato salad. It is my favorite of any potato salad I’ve had. But pickles in potato salad sounds delicious!
Phil and I discussed meal plans last week and then I totally forgot what we agreed on. I saw buns on the counter and said – did I say I’d make hamburgers this week? He was like – yep, that was what we discussed. Huh. No memory of that! So I guess we are making burgers later this week and also shrimp tacos (shrimp and peppers will get cooked in a grill basket on the grill) and last night we had chicken tikka masala. So the least 4th of July type of meal ever.
I’m with you about July 4th. I love the holiday because I love my country, but why the fireworks? Fortunately for us, while we’re in GA, there are zero fireworks in our area…so that is a good thing.
Yay for a great day with your honey! I love that Carla is tickled when her dad picks her up; so sweet.
Very “summery” sounding menu! I love the look of the veggie stirfry. My kids would probably turn their nose up at it- well, one of my kids at least- but it looks so fresh and yummy. I very rarely do stiry frys and I don’t know why!
I love potato salad! This version sounds delicious. Will you share the complete recipe?
I’m wandering along to fourth? tenth? nineteenth? the potato salad recipe request. Please. 🙂
And also – fireworks. Ugh. No dog, and they still drive me bonkers. Plus, we were in a severe drought. Did they stop fireworks? No, so add existential fear of wildfires and brush fires and… no, thank you.