Plenty of us will be entertaining family and friends this coming weekend for July Fourth celebrations. As the dog days of summer proceed, boat parties and poolside gatherings will take over, as quick dips in the water are de rigueur for outside entertaining.

Come August, my pool is more like bathwater than an invigorating swim, but it's still a nice retreat from the heat. Each summer when my husband's off on a weekend adventure, I like to invite my girlfriends over for a girls-only party. We don't have to worry about flabby thighs or mascara dripping.

And it's a chance for to me to forget the grill and burgers and make "girl" food -- chicken salad, chilled copper pennies, peach daiquiris. I love the change.

Before long, a bumper crop of cucumbers will be coming in, and here's another recipe I always make. The thing I like about this and other cucumber dip recipes is the versatility. I can snip some chives from my herb garden, along with some fresh basil and add it to the mix. But most often, I'll add finely chopped sweet onion and dill. I serve it alongside a combination of chopped tomatoes, basil, onion and garlic, surrounded by slices of toasted ciabatta from Niedlov's. It's a colorful duo of dips.

Creamy Cucumber Dip

1 cucumber, unpeeled, coarsely grated or diced

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

Salt to taste

Black pepper

Soak cucumber in salt water for one hour, then rinse and pat dry. Add remaining ingredients. Serve with your favorite toasted bread, crackers, chips or toasted pita triangles.

Note: May add onion, dill or your favorite herbs.

My friend and fellow Kansas City Barbecue Society certified judge Ardie Davis has two new cookbooks out. They're small but packed with the power of the grill, along with the knowledge that Ardie has gained through years of judging and perfecting his own skills. He knows how to channel the grilling gods to create one heck of a good piece of meat.

The two books, "Techniques for Smoking" and "Techniques for Grilling," are companion pieces and a must for anyone wanting to learn the tricks of the grill.

Here's his quick and simple method for smoking chicken legs and thighs, two very economical cuts for feeding your July Fourth crowd.

Apple-Smoked Chicken Thighs

2 cups apple juice

2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

4 large bone-in chicken thighs or thigh/leg combination), rinsed and patted dry

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup wood chips, soaked in apple juice and drained

For apple spray: Put juice and sugar in stainless-steel saucepan over medium heat, and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Cool to room temperature and pour into a plastic spray bottle.

Sprinkle the chicken with pepper and salt; set aside while you prepare the grill. When coals are ready, spread them evenly across half the grill; scatter wood chips over hot coals. Place chicken over indirect-heat side of grill (not directly over coals) and spray with apple juice. When smoke starts to rise, close the lid. Place a candy thermometer in the grill vent. Smoke chicken at 225 F to 250 F for 1 hour, spraying chicken every 20 minutes. After 1 hour, spray chicken again, then transfer to direct heat over hot coals for 2 minutes, turning as necessary, or until the skin has crisped all over.

E-mail Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.