Want to throw an Independence Day bash that will really wow family and friends? By getting your child involved in every step of the planning and execution, you'll get a lot more help when it comes time to clean, pick up the yard and set up picnic tables. Why? When your child participates in the project from the very start - has that personal investment - he or she will probably be as committed as you are to making the party a terrific success!

First, start with a family meeting to talk about a guest list. Your children may have particular friends they'd like to invite. Remind them that July 4th tends to be a family day, so some of their friends might not be able to come because they'll be busy with their own families.

Your children can also help with the invitations by filling out the ones for their friends. Or you and the kids can make invitations out of colored construction paper in the shape of stars.

Decorations are a great way to the kids involved in the party. Here's an idea that can act as a center pieces for tables, line a sidewalk, pool edge or whatever needs a little extra pizzazz.

You'll need:

1. Several tall bunches of dried grasses, weeds or flowers (tan or natural color)
2. Spray cans of bright red, blue, white, gold and silver paint (any mix of these colors works - whatever you think will be pretty)
3. Brown paper bags, lunch size.
4. Red, white and blue balloons
5. Curling ribbon

Directions:

1. Using red, blue, silver and gold crayons or markers, let your children decorate the paper bags with stars, flags, drawn firework bursts and anything else they can imagine to fit with the Independence Day theme.
2. Divide the grasses, weeds and flowers into groups and spray paint each group a different color. Turn over to coat all sides. Let dry.
3. Fill the bottom of each decorated paper bag with sand, dirt or small pebbles — enough to weight it down so the wind won't blow it away.
4. Stick the stems of the painted grasses, weeds or flowers into the sand and arrange them as you like.
5. Blow up balloons and with curly ribbon tie one to either a grass or flower stem or to the bag itself.
6. Set on tables or around patio or porch and enjoy!

Note: For a more permanent decoration, use flowerpots in place of paper bags and have your children paint them. A quick coat of outdoor strength varnish/sealer, and you can keep the pots as a reminder of your children's artistic talents through the years.

The next dilemma is what to serve at your party. Below are some tasty, colorful recipes that can help liven up your event, and are kid-friendly! Here's the menu:

• New Potatoes with Chive Cream
• Fruited Tea with Berry Stained-Glass Ice
• Avocado Deviled Eggs
• Teriyaki Skewers
• Very Berry Cheesecake Napoleons

Get the recipes right here!

New Potatoes with Chive Cream
A neat finger food to take to an Independence Day picnic, it's also a recipe the kids can help with. Little hands can scoop the potato using a melonballer, or they can fill the potato cups with the chive mixture.

Ingredients:
20 (about 2-ounces each) golf ball-sized red or white new potatoes, washed, unpeeled
2 tablespoons crème fraiche or sour cream
1-1/2 tablespoons lowfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Pinch of fresh ground black pepper
Dash of paprika

Directions:

1. Fill a large saucepan with three inches of water and bring to a boil. Place potatoes in a steamer basket and set over boiling water. Cover saucepan and steam until potatoes are fork tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. Remove steamer from saucepan and set potatoes on a stack of paper towels to cool.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together crème fraiche, yogurt, 1 teaspoon chives and black pepper.
3. When potatoes are cool, cut a thin slice off one end of each potato to give it a flat base to stand. Cut a slightly larger slice off the top of each potato and use a small spoon or the small end of a melon baller to slightly hollow out the top of each potato. Fill each with a 1/2 teaspoon of chive cream.
4. Place potatoes on a serving platter and sprinkle with remaining chives and dash with paprika.

Note: Reserve unused pieces of potatoes to mix with vegetables or meat or poultry as fillings for omelets.

Makes 20 appetizers. Per appetizer: 35 calories, 3 calories from fat, less than 1g fat, less than 1g saturated fat, cholesterol trace, 6g carbs, 1g fiber, 1g protein, 2mg sodium, 6mg calcium, trace iron.

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