If you know me, you know that the 4th of July is my most favoritest holiday! Low pressure, lots of fun, and of course, FIREWORKS! It’s just a great time to spend time with friends or family and relax, have fun, and blow stuff up — safely, of course!
Since the Fourth is looming, you know what that means, right?
It’s time to announce the winner of our Great American Cookout Giveaway! We had almost 1,000 entries and…
*Drum Roll Please*
Congratulations to Chris McCulley of Lock Haven! Chris is getting all set up with a new grill courtesy of Elery Nau Hardware; they’ll also have everything they need for a Fourth of July BBQ with a gift card to Rupert’s Specialty Meats and another to Frosty Beverage. What more could a person need to celebrate Independence Day?
As mentioned, my favorite part of the Fourth of July is fireworks. I absolutely LOVE fireworks. I don’t know why, but they are my fav. That being said, not everyone shares my love, so remember to respect our neighbors this time of year. Enjoy shooting off a few bottle rockets and sparklers, but there is no need to be setting off M80s in your backyard at 3 a.m.
I can’t speak for every town, borough, and township, but at least within Williamsport city limits, there is a firework ordinance that reads as follows, “Consumer Fireworks shall be approved for use starting the weekend before July 4th and be permitted for use through the following calendar weekend. For purposes of this provision, the weekend starts on Friday and then would conclude the following Sunday. Times for approved Consumer Fireworks shall be 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.” I think that this is a fair approach, so please respect this ordinance.
This is just a reminder that more pets disappear this time of year than any other, so as the weekend approaches, look around your yard for any place your pet can escape, and be sure they have their ID tags and that their microchips are up to date. And honestly, just keep them inside. It may seem fun to take them to the parents’ BBQ until your scared pet takes off in unfamiliar territory. I promise they will be happier at home in their safe place with their favorite toys and treats.
Lastly, please be safe this weekend: no drinking and driving, no drinking and firework-ing. Let’s keep each other safe and our limbs intact. No one wants a trip to the ER, jail, or both. The 4th is on a Tuesday, my friends, remember you have to go to work the next day, and you don’t recover like you did in your twenties.
Now that we’ve had our safety briefing let’s talk about the second-best part of the 4th of July — food!
Much like how you should never return a plate or dish empty, I think it’s polite to send our Great American Cookout Giveaway winner off with a recipe to try on their new grill.
Glazed Chicken and Pineapple
Ingredients:
• 1/4 cup canned pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 4 6- to 8-oz. bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 jalapeño, chopped (optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• Cooking spray for grill grates
• 4 1-in.-thick rings fresh pineapple (from 1 peeled and cored pineapple)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• Steamed rice, for serving
Directions:
Stir together pineapple juice, tamari, ketchup, honey, and mirin in a small bowl. Place chicken thighs in a large bowl; add jalapeño (if using), garlic, and half the pineapple sauce and toss to coat. Reserve remaining pineapple sauce for serving. Let chicken marinate for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat grill to medium-high (400°F to 450°F). Lightly coat grates with cooking spray. Grill pineapple, uncovered, flipping once, until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes per side. Cut each ring in half.
Reduce grill heat to medium (350°F to 400°F). Lightly coat grates with cooking spray. Remove chicken from marinade (reserving marinade) and season with salt. Add chicken to grill, skin side down. Grill, turning often and basting with reserved marinade, until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of thighs registers 165°F, about 20 minutes. (Discard any remaining marinade.)
Top chicken with scallions, sesame seeds, and reserved pineapple sauce. Serve with grilled pineapple and rice.
I hope you all have a safe and Happy Fourth of July! And if you are looking for fun things to do this weekend, Lou has all the details on page 6!
