For two months now, the “Cook of the Week” has explored some delicious dishes. This week is no exception. A complete outdoor meal is in order for the Independence Day holiday. It's a day for friends, family, food and freedom.

This most special day in the life of the United States calls for a most special meal and B. G. Woody who is living at the river this summer is most kind to share two days early his plan to feed his band, Big Woody and the Splinters, when they arrive to play the 4th of July bash at Georgia Veterans Memorial State Park.

As a bachelor living alone, Woody says, "I tried to learn to cook as much on the grill outside as I could. I love the outdoors and especially being on the water. I fix dinner for the band when they come in for rehearsals."

B. G., 52, was born and raised in Columbus, and graduated from Columbus High School. After a short career as a drummer in a Nashville artist's band, he moved back to Georgia and went to work for the phone company. About 10 years ago he put the Big Woody band together and started playing dates all over the south on weekends.

The Fourth of July holiday meal consists of four dishes: barbecue ribs, spicy cole slaw, cowboy potatoes and fresh grilled in the shuck corn.

"I always try to use as many fresh ingredients as possible and this is a great time of year for that," says Woody as he displays the ribs on his 25-year-old backyard smoker.

"The secret of the ribs is the simple rub I put together. Take about a quarter-cup of chili powder and add a teaspoon each of the following: cumin, cayenne pepper, dried mustard, dried oregano, salt and black pepper. Then mix in a quarter-cup of brown sugar. That's it. Rub your ribs down and cook them up any way you want. I like to wrap them in foil and smoke them on my old Brinkman smoker until they're nice and tender. I like to use hickory chips for the smoke, but sometimes I use mesquite, too for a southwestern flavor," explains Woody.

"While the ribs are smoking it's time to put the cowboy potatoes together. I take some russet potatoes and cut them in quarters and then slice them up evenly with the skin still on and mix them together with a chopped white onion, two chopped jalapeno peppers, a quarter stick of real butter, a little olive oil, some salt and pepper and a couple of slices of uncooked bacon. I wrap it all up in some heavy foil and put it on the grill and let them cook for about three hours while the ribs are smoking. When they're done I sprinkle some grated cheese on top and let it melt before I serve them up," continues Woody.

He said that you can toss anything into the potatoes that you want. Sometimes he adds chopped tomatoes to the mixture for color and more flavor.

Next comes the corn on the cob. No 4th of July cook-out is complete without the fresh corn that's filling the fields around Sumter County.

"I figure two ears a person," says Woody, "I know I can eat two."

"Here's how you do it. Preheat the grill. Peel back the shucks on the fresh corn and pull all the silk out and then fold the shuck back over the ears. Soak them in a pot of cold water for about a half-hour and then shake out the excess and put them on the grill for 15 to 20 minutes. When they're done, peel back the shuck and take it off and coat them with melted butter. Sometimes I put a little cheese on the corn, too," adds Woody.

"For the spicy cole slaw chop up a head of nice green cabbage and mix a couple of grated carrots, two chopped jalapeno peppers, cleaned and deveined in a large bowl. Then in another bowl mix together a half-cup of mayonnaise, a quarter-cup of local honey, two tablespoons of vinegar, a half-teaspoon each of salt, dry mustard, celery seed and black pepper. Then combine the two and toss the mixture until its well mixed. That's all there is to it," he says.

This entire Independence Day barbecue can be put together in four or five hours. You need a grill and a small smoker; you could just as easily cook the ribs and the cowboy potatoes in the oven, but it's a lot more fun outside in the backyard surrounded by friends and family.

Happy birthday America!