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TIP 1 -- I had to start with the most mouth-watering dish... pulled pork sandwiches with Asian slaw. Since our grill still isn't hooked up, I wanted to come up with an alternative to typical July 4th BBQ food that was equally fun and equally delicious. That's why I thought of pulled pork! Who doesn't like pulled pork?! :)

You will find the recipes at the end of the post. The pork and slaw are both very easy to make, but the pork does take 6-8 hours to cook, so plan ahead if you're considering it.

TIP 2 -- Another recommendation for July 4th is to serve some delicious red, white, and blue strawberry shortcake. I posted this recipe a few months ago. It is so light and fresh and simple to make.

My tip is to set it up as a strawberry shortcake bar, putting out the cakes, whipped cream, and fruit separately, and letting your guests create their own.

TIP 3 -- For centerpieces I have two ideas. My first is candy skewers. I used wooden skewers, picked out red, white, and blue candies at the local candy store, and had a lot of fun putting them together.

My daughter went nuts over these and almost came to tears when I told her she couldn't eat them until I took pictures.

The second idea is to buy some red, white, and blue flowers and arrange them in simple vases or tin cans. I don't like my flowers to look too styled, so I used a simple cylindrical vase and made them look like fresh picked wildflowers (by placing them at varied heights and using lots of green leaves) rather than flowers I bought at the grocery store. :)

TIP 4 -- Anyone who knows our site knows what a huge fan I am of free party printables. That's why we give so many away.

For those of you who don't know, party printables are files you download, print, cut out, and use to decorate. You can really get creative with them, and you can never run out because you can always print more.

Take a look at the 6 full collections of July 4th party printables we're giving away this year! There's bound to be a style that speaks to you.

So those are my tips for throwing a fantastic 4th, and as promised, here are the pulled pork and Asian slaw recipes:

PULLED PORK

Ingredients:

• 1 bone-in pork butt (6 to 8 pounds)
• 1/3 cup kosher salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

Directions:

Prepare the rub by mixing together the brown sugar, salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and dry mustard.

Cut through the fat on the top of the shoulder in a 1 inch crosshatch pattern. Cut through the fat, but try not to cut into the meat.

Rub the mixed seasoning on the entire shoulder and into the cuts on the top.

Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator over night (at least 12 hours). We put ours on a cookie sheet to catch any drippings.

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 325 degrees and lower the rack to its lowest position.

Unwrap the shoulder, and wipe of any excess rub off that hasn't been absorbed into the meat. Place the shoulder on a greased rack in a roasting pan with 3-4 cups of water in the bottom to keep the drippings from burning.

You can baste the shoulder a few times with the liquid during the cooking process. We refilled the water once about half way through.

Cook until the internal temp is at least 190 degrees. If you take it out too soon, the meat won't be tender. A probe thermometer is very helpful as the cooking time can vary depending on the size of the shoulder and the over. Our 7lb. shoulder took 8 hours to reach 190 degrees.

Here it is right out of the oven.

Let the shoulder rest for an hour, then use two forks to pull it apart. It should shred easily.

SPICY ASIAN SLAW

Ingredients:

Slaw

• 2 cups napa cabbage (about half a head)
• 2 cups radicchio (about half a head)
• 1 grated carrot
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Dressing

• 2 teaspoons dry Chinese or English (Coleman's) mustard
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoons light sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon chili oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Quarter the cabbage and radicchio, and cut out the hearts. Slice thinly and mix with the onions, cilantro, and carrots.

Mix together the dressing ingredients.

Add the dressing to the chopped vegetables.

Toss with the sesame seeds to taste.

And here's the final product again... Yum!!

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