"I Think it Was The Fourth of July"

Saturday in the park I think, it was the Fourth of July
Saturday in the park I think, it was the Fourth of July
People dancing, people laughing
A man selling ice cream
Singing Italian songs

[Foreign Content]

Can you dig it? Yes, I can
And I've been waiting such a long time.... for Saturday
Another day in the park
I think, it was the Fourth of July
Another day in the park I think, it was the Fourth of July
People talking, really smiling
A man playing guitar and singing for us all
Will you help him change the world
Can you dig it?
Yes, I can
And I've been waiting such a long time....for today
Slow motion riders, fly the colors of the day
A bronze man, still can tell stories his own way
Listen children all is not lost
All is not lost, oh no, no
Funny days in the park
And every day is the Fourth of July
Funny days in the park
And every day is the Fourth of July
People reaching, people touching
A real celebration
Waiting for us all , if we want it, really want it
Can you dig it? Yes, I can
And I've been waiting such a long time....for the day

Chicago, 1972 - Chicago V

What an appropriate song for a gorgeous Fourth of July Saturday. It also happens to be one of my favorites.

I hope everyone has big plans for today, cookouts, spending time with friends and family, music, fireworks................ and most of all celebrating our Independence.

I haven't done a lot of cooking this week, with the exception of putting up freezer meals. I love to have something I can take out of the freezer and have supper ready in a flash on those days when I have exhausted every brain cell I have left. All that falling out of the bed when I was a kid demolished most of them I'm certain. Those that were left after sticking two bobby pins in a receptacle and being knocked across the room. I was raised by an overly protective mother who would NEVER let me have a coke with my meals except on my birthday and Kool Aid was a big no-no, but somehow covering wall receptacles was unheard of. My parents were/are both intelligent people and I think they assumed they would have a child that possessed the same large amounts of common sense they were so richly blessed with. When I did the dumb things that most children manage to do a puzzled look would pass between them that clearly questioned where this alien child came from.

Now back to the reason I actually write this blog......................

What I did make yesterday was Rosemary Infused Cucumber Lemonade. Wow. We loved it
A few months ago Deb and had lunch at Curras Dom and they had a cucumber lemonade type drink that we enjoyed. We both wanted to try it but were a bit unsure so we ordered tea as well. We didn't drink the tea. Thursday Ragan and I were talking and she was writing an article (she is the entertainment editor at the Hickory Daily Record) about fun drinks for the holiday. She mentioned a cucumber lemonade that a caterer in Hickory makes that gets rave reviews. She had promised to send Ragan the recipe but failed to do so. (Her loss, why pass up free advertising?)
I went on line and found several recipes for cucumber lemonade and combined several to come up with this recipe. I love the rosemary in it, rosemary is my favorite herb.
Give it a try, I promise you will be pleasantly surprised.

Rosemary-Infused Cucumber Lemonade

Makes 4 glasses

3 large cucumbers
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
1 cup Sprite Zero
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 Tbsp. agave syrup

Cut 12 thin slices of cucumber for garnish. Peel and chop the rest of the cucumber; transfer to a food processor, add rosemary and puree. Pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer set over a medium bowl or large measuring cup. Press on the solids to extract all the juice. Add water, lemon juice and agave syrup to the cucumber juice; stir until the agave is dissolved. Divide among 4 ice-filled glasses. Garnish with cucumber slices and rosemary sprigs.

And for after the fireworks....................

Cucumber Mojito

Makes 4 glasses

6 limes
1 cup packed mint leaves, no stems, plus 6 sprigs for garnish
3 large cucumbers - peeled
½ cup sugar
1 1/2 cups vodka, light rum or gin (rum for the mojito purist)
tonic water

Thinly slice 3 limes and place in large (4 cup) glass measuring cup. Juice the rest and add juice. Add mint leaves. Slice 2 cucumbers and add, then add sugar. Muddle ingredients. (Use a wooden spoon with you don't have a muddler) Add vodka, rum or gin. Place in refrigerator to steep 30 minutes or longer.
Peel remaining cucumber and cut lengthwise into 6 spears.
Fill 6 large glasses with ice. Strain mixture into a pitcher. Fill glasses ½ full. Fill glasses with tonic water and stir, garnish each glass with a sprig of mint and a cucumber spear.

My best wishes to all of you and your families for a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

So, until tomorrow..............
S~~~