If you are having friends and family over for the 4th of July, and they are staying through the neighborhood fireworks display, set up an after dinner dessert table.  It doesn't need to be elaborate though.  Here are a few tips.

The table I used is our upstairs hallway table, although it isn't a rich blue, I thought I could bring more of that color into the dessert table so it wouldn't stand out so much with the basic red, blue, and white.

I hung a simple banner above the table that can be re-used for other patriotic events and used a white wooden crate to lift the beverage tub up off the ground a little to make it easier for guests to reach it.

I made simple desserts.  First up, a double layered chocolate cake, covered in white icing and sprinkled with patriotic colored cake decorations.   No need to go out and purchase a new cake stand if you don't have one to match.  I simply turned over a red souffle dish and added a small piece of wood on top, with a doily underneath the cake. Tip: place the wood on a level surface before cutting the cake.

I also made delicious patriotic brownie and fruit kabobs.  I wish I could claim these as my own idea, but I found them on Pinterest, they were made by Mel's Kitchen Cafe. 

For one last food option I chose cookies.  Who doesn't love cookies and milk to finish off their evening.

For beverages, there is chilled water, in a jug I have Starbucks^® Indivisible Blend^TM iced coffee, and of course there is milk and half & half.  All beverages are being kept cold in a tub of ice.  Tip:  If you have plastic elactisized covers for cans and jars, these are perfect for keeping bugs out of your milk bottles, or you can make little covers such as the ones I made for the twins party). As you probably all know by now I love my Keurig, and this was the first time we made a regular (as in didn't use a box of K-CUPS) coffee in it, but all we needed was a coffee grinder and a MY K-CUP® reusable filter.  Perfect.   I need to use this reusable filter more often now.

On the lower shelf of the table I added plastic cups, with lids, red and white paper straws, and fun patriotic ice cubes in a bowl for guests to pop into their drinks to keep them cool.

Don't forget a fun patriotic painted rock to hold down those napkins from blowing away.

Note:  Beginning June 12, Starbucks^® are making a donation for each purchase of Indivisible Blend^TM to the Opportunity Finance Network^® to the Create Jobs for a USA Fund.  $5 from each 1lb bag of whole bean sold will help to create and sustain jobs in undeserved communities throughout the U.S.  You can find out more in the Starbucks Newsroom.

Here is how you can make the perfect iced coffee (tips courtesy of Starbucks^®)

1. Brew coffee at double strength in a coffee press (obviously I did not follow this instruction): 4 Tbsp. (20 g) ground coffee for every 6 fl. oz. (180 ml) of filtered water.
2. After brewing is complete, pour the coffee into a large pitcher.  Add three cups of ice and let it cool.
3. Serve the chilled coffee in a tall glass over ice, add milk if desired and sweeten to taste.

Disclosure: I was sent a package of goodies from Starbucks and they made a donation to Create Jobs for USA Fund on my behalf.