I'm having a parfait like that for breakfast, surely! For most of my life I resisted the red, white, and blue dessert, but then I had a child and decided: why not? I'm thinking blueberry tarts with strawberry coulis (on a white, cream cheese base) will do the trick this year. I'm keeping it very simple because I'm in no mood to cook all day. We'll be hanging around home, in the parks and playgrounds, probably picnicking. A Michaelada is on the agenda after sundown. And that awesome dip featured here last year: smoky corn and jalapeno, which I will scoop up with Ruffles potato chips. It's so not what I should be eating, but I have designated it as Fourth of July dip, and I am looking forward to it! Other than that, black bean burgers, maybe corn on the cob, cold fruit, perhaps some quick-pickled cukes. Plain and simple and fun and portable if we feel like it.

We go to a friend's house in the country, where at least 100 people gather every year for a cookout, bocce, swimming, diving competition, cornhole, and fireworks. Trouble is, everything ends up spread out on 6-8 six-foot tables and there's no good way to keep hot foods hot or cold foods cold for long. We just eat quickly!

Given the holiday falls mid-week this year, the annual bbq/rib cook-off that our friends host will be on the Saturday before. My husband will be smoking baby back ribs as his entry and I'll be providing my roasted shrimp and orzo pasta salad as a potluck side dish. For the holiday itself, we'll just be getting ready for a camping trip that starts the following day so will probably lay low. I do like the idea of the 4th of July toast...I think my 4yr old will get a kick out of that.

None of my friends have rooftops to have a BBQ on so we're going to a lawn area by the Hudson. Any ideas for portable desserts that aren't too simple? Ideally, it wouldn't require the oven so maybe something like a key lime or banana pie?

@cmcinnyc - I'm loving the red, white and blue tart. Patriotic and sounds tasty!

Okay I'm laying low on the 4th itself. But the Friday after I've taken the day off of work and am going to the County Fair with a friend, my niece, and the niece's roommate. So I suspect beer, lemonade, corn dogs, and funnel cakes are all menu possibilities!

Then Alka-Seltzer.

Working. I'm Canadian. LoL

Usually I am super giddy for the 4th but this year its a tad weird bc it falls on a Wednesday and I fear traffic in LA soooooo I think I am going to stay home and attempt every one of these 4th of July spirited recipes!

Cliff jumping with a BBQ! I'm making cheesecake stuffed strawberries. To make them 4th of July festive, I will be dipping them in white chocolate and blue sprinkles!

Cook out with friends for lunch. I'm making a Blueberry Buckle.

If it doesn't rain in the evening I'll go to the town celebration with band, fireworks on the big screen from Boston (sounds odd, I know) and refreshments, all in the nearby park. Very old fashioned

The day after I'm going to see the Tall Ships visiting Boston and I hope to eat at Back Deck, Paul Sussman's new restaurant in Downtown Crossing.

I'm planning the most ironic 4th of July celebration ever-- we'll grill a steak indoors and eat it as we watch the rain fall, thinking how great it is to be liberated from England.

But there will be red, white and blue in the form of fresh berries and whipped marscapone, so at least there's that....

Working, as I'm Canadian ;)