Fresh fruit is always a perfect summertime treat, and with a little creativity, it can be easy to dress up for your summer celebration. Plus, we also really like food on skewers (so do kids!) In honor of the 4^th, we put together a festive medley of red, white and blue fruit with a side of Watkins Vanilla-infused yogurt dip.

Here’s the how to:

 Ingredients:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Bananas 
• 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1 tsp. Watkins Vanilla Extract
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• Wooden skewers

Instructions:

Wash fruit. Slice bananas and cut tops off of strawberries. Skewer fruit in the pattern of your choice (note: fruit types can be substituted).

Dip: Mix yogurt, vanilla and powdered sugar with a hand mixer until blended and smooth. Chill and serve.  

Lucky for us, our weekend weather WAS nice. We enjoyed chopping, grilling and feasting with friends and family. Check out our drool worthy photos—just looking at them makes me full.

Banh Mi sandwich on the rooftop at Joe’s Garage to kick off the long weekend.

Backyard BBQ with the family. Chicken tacos with a side of grilled asparagus. 

My go-to refreshing drink of the weekend: basil lemonade.

Cheese curds from the Cannon Falls county fair. 

My Fourth of July was spent doing two things: lounging in the yard with friends and family, and cooking up a tasty picnic feast. On the plate (and yes, I got seconds): pulled pork sandwich with homemade bread & butter pickels, kale and white bean salad, cauliflower au gratin, and potato salad. 

What’s a holiday weekend without watermelon? We definitely ate our fair share. Did you know watermelon is high in lycopene, making it a healthy and sweet snack!

We’re gearing up for the long weekend and couldn’t be more excited—according to weather.com, we have a sunny one coming our way!

Since we live in the land of 10,000 lakes, but also have our share of brutally cold winters, we Minnesotans really take advantage of being out on the water whenever we get the chance—whether it be boating, swimming, fishing, or just lounging on the beach, you’ll know where to find us on the Fourth of July. And of course, just like any celebration, good food is a must. Our go-to summer meal? Fish tacos! If we’re lucky, we catch the fish ourselves. Check out our recipe below:

Ingredients

1 tbsp/15mL Watkins Citrus Cilantro Grapeseed Oil

3 tbsp/45mL Lime juice

3/4 tsp Watkins Garlic Powder

3/4 tsp Watkins Cumin

1/2 tsp Watkins Chili Powder

1/4 tsp Watkins Oregano

1/4 tsp Salt

1 pound tilapia, cod, or halibut fillets

1 Package tortillas

Toppings

Chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and onions

Grated queso fresco or Feta cheese

Directions

Combine spices in a small bowl. Rub both sides of fish with spice mixture and squeeze with lime juice. Allow the fish to marinate for at least 30 minutes. While the fish is marinating, prepare all the necessary toppings and set aside. Cook fish in a frying pan over medium heat with Watkins Citrus Cilantro Oil. Cook until fish is cooked through and tender, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Assemble tacos and enjoy!