July 4th Picnic-All Grown Up

Orzo Pasta Salad with Fresh Baby Spinach

Blueberry Ketchup

Eager to experience a recent gift of Applewood-Smoke Bacon Burgers from Pine Street Market, I saw a chance to create a few of our family favorites. Ron loves blueberry ketchup and I adore Orzo Pasta Salad with Baby Spinach and vine-ripened tomato.

My fiery blueberry ketchup with minced garlic and shallot added wonderful texture to the pork with a little heat and sweet! The smokey pork burger was lean and flavorful but called for a strong, sweet flavor! The smooth orzo with mild flavors and fabulous texture kept everything grounded and well-balanced!

The final side that put it all over the top was a light summer salad of sweet, juicy Valencia orange slices with paper-thin slices of red onion and a homemade blueberry vinaigrette with a nod to the traditional by use of a scant teaspoon of stone ground mustard.

All in all, a perfectly grown-up July 4th picnic menu! Happy Fourth of July, y'all! Stay safe!