Just in time for our Fourth of July celebration here in the tree, we decided to put our heads together and come up with everybody’s favorite recipes. That way we all get our old favorites, and maybe we will find some new ones as well. Being human, we use all our senses to recall those special times we cherish. The sights of fireworks, sounds of music from the marching band – and oh, those yummy smells. Hamburgers grilling, Grandmother’s lemonade, fresh apple pie. They take us back to those wonderful memories of summers past, when we never wore shoes, sprang from our bunk beds at the crack of dawn, excited to get this new day started, and finished our long day chasing fireflies and dodging Mom’s call for bathtime. Those days may be gone, but we have our memories, and I’ll just bet we have quite a few of those cherished family recipes as well.
I’ll start us of with a couple of my favorites. First is my own potato salad recipe, and my husband’s grandmother’s lemonade, the most wonderful thirst quencher ever. Don’t be shy, share with your neighbors. If there are any special requests, maybe another treeper can provide us with a tried and true recipe.
Here’s to America’s birthday, and to all who love her. Our share of this continent is beautiful indeed, but America is more than her land mass. America is a heritage of her people, past, present, and future. A small part of that heritage is how we come together to give thanks, to celebrate, to enjoy our families and friends. From all who share the tree, we wish you a wonderful Fourth.
Potato Salad                                                                   
Two pounds of redskin or yukon gold potatoes
One stalk of celery, chopped
One vidalia onion, chopped
Eight hardboiled eggs, chopped
One cup chopped pickles, sweet or dill (use your preference)
Two cups mayonnaise
Two thirds cup sour cream
One half cup chopped green onion, including the green part
Sea salt, pepper, celery salt, lemon pepper, paprika, and fresh chopped rosemary
I cut my potatoes up in chunks, then boil and cool. Mix mayo, sour cream, pickles. Add potatoes, onion and celery. Add spices to taste. Top with green onion and serve cold. I also like to use Everglades seasoning now. When I do that I cut down on the salt and eliminate the celery salt and paprika. The rosemary is a whim, just because I like it.
Grandmother’s Lemonade                                                                   

Eight to ten lemons per gallon, depending on size and tartness
Three to four cups sugar, add water in saucepan and heat until sugar is disolved to make a syrup
One lemon and one lime, frozen for garnish
Juice eight lemons, add the syrup and water to make one gallon. Add additional lemons and sugar to taste. Slice frozen lemon and lime and add to pitcher for garnish. Tart lemons may require more sugar.
Here’s the link for a shoepeg corn and tomato salad we really like. In my opinion it has too much dressing, so I decrease the mayo and sour cream, or increase other ingredients. I also prefer to make it with onion rather than cucumber.
Please, do not put political comments on this post.