The 4th of July is a great excuse to have a backyard party, but you could do the same on any sunny, summer afternoon. To make our Independence Day party even more memorable,we used this renovated sailboat bar as our centerpiece. Everything else worked around a traditional red, white and blue theme.

The sailboat bar belongs to my friend, Olympic sailor Billy Allen. If you have an old sailboat that is no longer seaworthy, you can give it a second life by following Billy's lead. He simply sawed out the bottom and set it on a couple of sawhorses. Where the sails once were, he raised festive flags. It can even be moved from location to location on its original trailer. The shelves within the sailboat serve as storage for glasses, ice, liquor and more.

Barstools from your home (or tall director's chairs) can be placed around the boat just like any other bar.The ends of the boat can be used for bowls or baskets of chips, pretzels and other snacks.

Because I always have a large group of people at my parties, I like to spread things out a bit. You can help promote people milling around by having your activities in various locations.We had some people swimming, some playing volleyball and some playing horseshoes. (I didn't want anyone to trip on anything like croquet equipment or bocce ball, but if you're having a smaller group these would be fun, too.) Just be sure to have a wide variety so everyone can take part.

The most exciting part of any 4th of July activity is the fireworks. We gathered all of the children together and had them sit at a safe distance while we launched our own fireworks. Even though our fireworks display is smaller than those at the big festivals in town, it seemed more exciting because it was so close. (Be sure to check that this is legal in your area.)

The color scheme on the 4th of July is, of course, red, white, and blue, but you can choose other colors during the rest of the summer. I throw a party on the 4th each year so I decided to invest in some themed tin plates instead of paper. They hold the food better and they can go in the dishwasher.  You could play it safe by choosing a solid color, enabling you to use them for other occasions as well. Always be sure to cover your table with lots of color from tablecloths, towels, napkins, flowers, dishes and anything else that fits your color scheme.

Your menu needn't be a huge one, as long as everything is good. The items I chose for our backyard party are not only delicious, but you can make them ahead of time. It's always nice when you can really be a part of the event, visiting with guests, taking part in activities and enjoying yourself, instead of slaving in the kitchen.

I had snacks placed throughout the party: a spinach coleslaw, southwestern potato salad and baby back ribs (be sure to check out these recipes; they are variations on the traditional dishes and are very good!). These were all bursting with flavor so I followed them with a refreshing mint ice cream dessert. It was a wonderful way to top off this special day!

Southwestern Potato Salad

• 2 lbs. new potatoes (16-20 small)*
• 2 c. mayonnaise
• 1/4 c. Dijon mustard
• 2 T. Stonewall Kitchen onion and jalapeno mustard
• 2 T. fresh lime juice
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3 T. cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 t. chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

*Be sure to use the smallest new potatoes you can find for a creamier texture.

In a large pot, boil potatoes over high heat until thoroughly cooked, about 12-15 minutes. Drain. When they are cool enough to handle, slice into large pieces. While potatoes are still warm, pour dressing mixture over them and mix well. (Slicing and mixing potatoes while they are still warm will allow them to absorb the flavors of the dressing.) Add salt and pepper to taste.

Dressing Mixture

Combine mayonnaise, mustards, lime juice, green and red onions, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, salt and pepper.

**Potato salad can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated to allow all flavors to marry.

Baby Back Ribs

Prepare the day before serving.

Arrange a full slab of ribs vertically in a baking dish. Add two inches of water, sprinkle with whole cloves, seasoned salt, and pepper. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 7 hours.

Chill overnight (or until completely chilled).

Cut into two rib sections. Add K.C. Masterpiece sauce to taste, cover with foil, bake an additional hour and serve.

Chocomint Medley

• 1/2 c. butter
• 2 c. powdered sugar
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 packages pre-melted Choco Bake (unsweetened)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 t. vanilla
• 3 egg whites, whipped
• 20 Oreo cookies, crushed
• 1/2-gallon peppermint ice cream

Cream butter and sugar; add egg yolks, melted Choco Bake, salt and vanilla. Beat 2 minutes. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Cover 9x13x2-inch pan bottom with 2/3 of the crushed Oreos. Spread chocolate mixture over crumbs and freeze.

Soften ice cream and spread over frozen mixture. Sprinkle remaining crushed cookies on top. Freeze overnight. Serves 16-18. Ice cream flavors such as coffee and maple nut may be used instead of peppermint.

Our thanks to:

Antiquity Rose for the Chocomint Medley signature dessert recipe.

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By Teri Bennett