Start a revolution in your kitchen. Let the guests, including kids, put together their own Independence Dinners, which can cook while you watch fireworks.

1. Mince the onion and garlic. Combine with hamburger, crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and mix well. Divide the mixture into 8 patties or 16 balls.

2. Clean and halve the potatoes and carrots. Clean and trim the asparagus and yellow peppers; cut into 4-inch lengths.

3. Cut 8 1-foot lengths of heavy-duty aluminum foil (or double thickness of standard aluminum foil). In the center of each foil square, put one portion: 1 patty (or 2 balls) of meat mixture, 2 potatoes, 3 carrots, some asparagus, some pepper slices, and 2 cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and fold edges to seal.

4. Arrange on a trivet or rack in the slow cooker. Pour water around the base of the trivet.

5. Cover and heat on a high setting for 3 to 4 hours.

A Chemistry Trick

If your vegetables are giving off too much odor while you cook, simmer a small pan of vinegar on top of the stove at the same time, or immediately afterward. The vinegar fumes will help neutralize odors in the air.