Fourth of July food prices!
Celebrate the birth of our great nation this holiday with food that celebrates the red, white and blue!!
Red, white and blue pasta salad
1 (8-ounce) package pasta
1/2 cup roasted or sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup artichoke hearts
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup light olive oil
1 spoon of honey or sugar
1 packet Hot Italian Dressing Mix
In a large bowl, mix the pasta, tomatoes, artichoke hearts and olives. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Stir until well combined, then pour over the pasta. Serve immediately.
Ideal in combination with grilled chicken, pork or shrimp.
Grilled chicken with red and blue (berry) salsa
4 (6 oz) chicken breasts, pounded to a uniform thickness
Olive oil (for roasting the chicken)
Salt and pepper
Red and blue (berry) salsa:
1/2 c fresh blueberries, chopped
1/2 c fresh whole blueberries
1/2 red bell pepper, peeled and diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)
3 TB fresh minced parsley
2 TB freshly ground mint (optional)
1 TB lemon juice
Pinch of salt
Combine all salsa ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use
Brush both sides of the chicken breasts lightly with olive oil, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until it’s cooked through (it shouldn’t be pink).
Serve the grilled chicken topped with salsa with couscous or rice.
Firecracker Cupcakes
(Many steps..but worth the effect!!)2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter 1-1/4 cups sugar 8 egg yolks 2 teaspoons vanilla, divided 1 cup milk 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles 2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup powdered sugar About 3/4 cup blueberries, for garnish About 3/4 cup raspberries, for garnish Lots of Pop Rocks Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 muffin tins with baking paper cups.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then set aside. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until the mixture is fluffy, greatly increased in volume, and lighter in color, about 3 minutes.
In another large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with clean paddles, beat egg yolks and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and pale, about four minutes.
Add the beaten egg yolks to the butter-sugar mixture and stir to combine. With the mixer on, add a third of the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. When mixing, add half of the milk and then another third of the flour. Once well mixed, add the remaining milk, stir, then add the remaining flour. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula to make sure all the ingredients are mixed. Gently fold in the sprinkles. Fill the prepared muffin tins with the batter. Cook until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes. Do not overcook. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Just before serving, combine heavy cream, powdered sugar and remaining vanilla in a large bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat until thick. Place the whipped cream on top of each cake, then decorate with blueberries and raspberries. Generously sprinkle each cookie with POP ROCKS. This gives groups lots of fun!!
Easy No-Bake Berry Cheesecake Bars
(Adapted from a recipe for good eating)
7 ounces graham crackers, broken into large pieces
½ cup toasted pecans
¼ teaspoon of salt
1/3 cup canola oil
2 8-ounce packages, cream cheese, softened
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon of lemon peel
1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice is best
5 cups of fresh berries, for the holiday, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries
Pulse the graham crackers, pecans, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. With the engine running, drizzle in the oil, then pulse to combine. Press into a 9- to 13-inch baking dish.
Add the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a food processor. Puree until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture over the crust, then spread it gently in an even layer. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
To serve, top with berries and cut into 16 squares.
Serves 16, each serving contains; Calories 245, Protein 6 g., Carbohydrates 23 g., Fat 15 g., Fiber 2.5 g., Sodium 224 mg.
American Flag Vegetable Bowl
1 large cookie sheet
Square container for dipping
A small star-shaped cookie or fondant cutter, or a small star-shaped serving container
3 cucumbers
10-15 radishes
cauliflower
Grape Tomatoes
2 red peppers
For Dip
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
8 oz. Light cream cheese
1 tablespoon of fresh dill, ground
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon of dried minced onion
1 teaspoon of salt
6-10 drops of blue food coloring
Slice the vegetables and arrange them on the cookie sheet in rows of white and red.
Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Gradually add a few drops of food coloring until you get the desired blue color.
Add the sauce to a low square dish, like a plastic sandwich, and place in the upper left side of the cookie sheet. Thinly slice the radish and cut into stars, then arrange in rows on top of the sauce. Or a simpler option could be to find a star shaped container and paint it dipped blue, it would give a similar effect!!
Serve with grilled pizza and fruit for a fun and easy 4th of July dinner!
Watermelon, blueberry and feta salad with fresh mint
2 ounces of olive oil
1 ounce balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
8 cups diced watermelon
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
In a large bowl, whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and diced red onion.
Add the diced watermelon, blueberries, mint and feta cheese to the bowl. Toss lightly on the coat.