Make-Ahead 4th of July Menu

I love to entertain! And… I love to cook. But I don’t always enjoy doing both at the same time. Sometimes I just want to kick back and enjoy the party like everyone else! And that’s when I throw something in the crock pot or cook something low-and-slow in the oven.

I thought I’d put together a “game plan” for hosting an amazing Fourth of July gathering where you (the host) get to kick back and enjoy the day as much as your guests!

Here’s a 5-Day plan that will make for an amazing feast with minimal effort on the big day!

The Menu!
Crock Pot Pulled Pork with Buzzy’s Butt Rub
Greasy Rice
Southern Style Green Beans and/or Cowboy Beans
Picnic Pasta Salad and/or Southern Style Coleslaw and/or Southern Style Potato Salad
Deviled Eggs
Chocolate Delight
Italian Bakeless Cake

Sunday
Make the Southern Style Green Beans and/or Cowboy Beans, cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate until July 4th. Southern Style Green Beans are meant to be cooked all to hell so precooking and then reheating them is just going to help them break down even more (it’s a good thing!)

Monday
Partially make the Deviled Eggs. Boil and slice the eggs. Place the whites in a zip-top bag and refrigerate. Prepare the filling and spoon into a zip-top bag then refrigerate. When you’re ready to assemble the Deviled Eggs, simply plate the egg whites, snip a small hole in the corner of the filling bag then pipe the filling into the egg whites.

Tuesday
Prepare the Italian Bakeless Cake, Picnic Pasta Salad and/or Southern Style Potato Salad and refrigerate all.

Wednesday
Apply Buzzy’s Butt Rub to pork roast and refrigerate overnight. Prepare the Southern Style Coleslaw and Chocolate Delight and refrigerate. You won't want to make the coleslaw or chocolate delight too much earlier than the day before as the cabbage in the coleslaw will start to put out a good bit of water and the crust on the chocolate delight will get soft.

Thursday, July 4th
Cook the Pulled Pork with Buzzy’s Butt Rub in the crock pot.
Reheat the Southern Style Green Beans and/or Cowboy Beans in a crock pot.
Prepare Greasy Rice per microwave preparation method.
Pipe the filling into the Deviled Eggs

There! How’s THAT for an easy-breezy Fourth of July feast! All you have to do the day-of is crank up the crock pots, throw some rice in the microwave and pipe some eggs!

PRINT THE GAME PLAN

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