Recipe(tried): 4th of July Bash 2006 Menu and Recipes: Celebrate America!

Hello Everyone!

It is almost time to celebrate America and all her beauty...all over this nation of ours, families will be coming together to feast on many delicious dishes, and toasting our beautiful country.

I brought home some delicious peaches that are so juicy and sweet...if I had only known, I would have brought more! I plan to make a cobbler with them to serve with vanilla ice cream.

Here is my menu for the 4th of July this year. Some of the recipes come from two of my very favorite new cookbooks this year; The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather. She is the owner of Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe in the Texas Hill Country and the other book is Under the Magnolias, A Tasteful Tour of Athens. This one is put out by the Athens Academy Parent Service Organization in Athens, Georgia. All of the recipes in both of these books are incredible! I highly recommend getting them! You will not be disappointed with the contents and stories!!

Happy and safe 4th of July to all my friends! Gina

---

The Menu...

SPECIAL DRINKS:
Watermelon Lemonade
Hill Country Guanabana Margaritas

APPETIZERS:
Poppa Alex's Salsa Dip
Pear, Walnut & Gorgonzola Cheese Appetizer
Garlic Hummus & Pita Chips
Hot Crab & Almond Dip
Peach Salsa & Tortilla Chips

ENTREES:
Cheeseburgers
Hot Dogs
Honey Glazed Chicken Kebobs

SIDES:
Classic Potato Salad
Cole Slaw
Baked Beans

DESSERTS:
Peach Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream
Martha Stewart's 4th of July Flag Cake
Jumbo Fudgy Frosted Brownies

---

The Recipes...

POPPA ALEX'S SALSA DIP

This is incredibly simple but delicious! I got the recipe while visiting friends in Georgia! Quite addicting!!!

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 to 1 cup thick and chunky salsa

Combine the ingredients in a blender, pour into a serving dish and serve with Tostitos Scoops.

---

PEAR, WALNUT AND GORGONZOLA APPETIZER

1 container Connoisseur Gorgonzola cheese spread
1 pkg. of your favorite crackers or bagel chips
2 to 3 slightly ripened pears, thinly sliced
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Place 1 tsp. Gorgonzola cheese spread on each cracker or chip. Add two pear slices and top with walnuts.

---

GARLIC HUMMUS AND PITA CHIPS

I use SABRA brand hummus found at Publix. It is "to-die-for"!!

---

HOT CRAB AND ALMOND DIP
Adapted from source: Under the Magnolia, A Tasteful Tour of Athens by Athens Academy
Makes 2 cups

1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
7 3/4 oz. can crabmeat, undrained
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. curry powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread almonds in a shallow pan. Bake for 4 minutes. Set aside.

Beat cream cheese, undrained crabmeat, lemon juice, and curry powder until well blended. Stir in half of the almonds and pour into a baking dish. Sprinkle remaining almonds on top.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Serve hot with raw vegetables or crackers.

---

PEACH SALSA AND TORTILLA CHIPS
Servings: 10-12

6 to 8 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 fresh, ripe peaches, skinned, pitted and chopped
1/4 cup seeded and chopped cucumbers
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 to 4 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro or parsley
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Tortilla chips (to serve)

Combine all ingredients except tortilla chips. Cover and chill overnight before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips.

---

HONEY GLAZED CHICKEN KEBOBS
Adapted from source: Under the Magnolia, A Tasteful Tour of Athens by Athens Academy
Servings: 4

1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 oz. mushrooms
3 green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
8 oz. bacon, sliced

Combine marmalade, soy sauce, honey, ginger, salt and garlic in a bowl. Mix well. Add chicken, mushrooms and onions. Stir to coat; set aside.

Cook bacon just until limp. Drain and cut bacon slices in half.

Wrap each chicken piece with a piece of bacon. Thread onto skewers in the following order: chicken, mushroom and onion. Repeat.

Place skewers on a grill over medium coals and cook 15 minutes or until done. Baste occasionally with marinade.

Pour remaining marinade into a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until reduced by half and slightly thickened.

---

BEST BARBEQUE COLE SLAW
Servings: 8-10

2 pkgs. (10 oz. each) finely shredded cabbage
1 carrot, shredded
FOR THE DRESSING:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. white vinegar

Combine cabbage and carrot in a large bowl.

Whisk together the sugar and next 7 ingredients for the dressing till nicely blended. Toss with the cabbage and carrot. Cover and chill 2 hours.

---

CLASSIC POTATO SALAD
Servings: 8

FOR THE DRESSING:
1 cup Hellmann's mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. black pepper
FOR THE SALAD:
6 medium potatoes, peeled, cubed, and cooked
6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped gherkin pickles
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

Combine ingredients for the dressing in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in remaining ingredients for the salad and toss gently but thoroughly to coat with sauce. Cover and chill overnight.

---

SWEET BOURBON BAKED BEANS
Servings: 8-10

1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 cans (16 oz. each) baked beans
1 (15 oz.) kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup chili sauce
1/3 cup bourbon
2 Tbsp. dark molasses
2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook bacon till crisp, drain. Set aside. Saute onions in drippings.

In a bowl, mix the beans together with the onions, chili sauce, bourbon, mustard, molasses, sugar, and cinnamon. Add the bacon bits and fold in gently. Pour into a 2 quart bean pot or casserole.

Cover and bake in 350 degree F for 40 minutes, let stand 15 minutes before serving.

---

4TH OF JULY FLAG CAKE
Adapted from source: Martha Stewart Magazine, July 2001 issue, cake recipe by Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa
Servings: 20-25

FOR THE CAKE:
2 1/4 sticks (1 1/8 cup) butter, room temperature (plus more for pan)
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
3 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
1 lb. (2 cups) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 lbs. (3 pkg. 8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature
1 lb. confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
FOR DECORATING:
1 half pint blueberries
3 half pints raspberries

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 18x12x1-inch rimmed baking pan. If you use parchment paper, butter pan, line, then butter parchment paper.

Place 2 1/4 sticks butter and sugar in the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on high till light and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and add eggs two at a time. Add sour cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and zest and beat till just incorporated; set aside.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Reduce speed to low and add to butter mixture till just combined. Pour into pan and smooth out to level.

Bake for 25-35 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Unmold and transfer to serving platter to decorate.

TO MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
Place 1 lb. butter and cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high till fluffy. Reduce speed; add confectioner's sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and beat until combined.

TO DECORATE THE CAKE:
Spread 3/4 of frosting over top of cooled cake with spatula. Place remaining frosting in large pastry bag fitted with large star tip.

Outline a flag on cake with toothpick. Fill upper left-hand corner with a layer of blueberries. Place two rows of raspberries across top of cake to form first red stripe. Pipe two rows of stars just below raspberries to create first white stripe. Repeat with remaining raspberries and frosting until all stripes are formed. Pipe stars on on blueberries; serve.

---

HILL COUNTRY PEACH COBBLER
Adapted from source: The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe by Rebecca Rather
Servings: 6-8

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
3/4 cup milk (low-fat works)
3 cups sliced fresh peaches, peels left on
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a medium saute pan set over medium-high heat until it bubbles and turns a nut-brown color. Watch the butter closely, as it can go from browned to burned in a few seconds. Pour the butter into an 8-inch square baking dish; set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, baking powder, and milk. Pour the milk mixture on top of the browned butter. DO NOT STIR. Without mixing, arrange the peach slices on top of the batter. Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar over the cobbler.

Bake the cobbler for 40-45 minutes, until the top turns a golden brown. Miraculously, the batter will migrate from the bottom of the pan to cover the peach slices partially.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

---

JUMBO FUDGY FROSTED BROWNIES
Servings: 16

I use two boxes of Pillsbury Fudge Brownie mix baked in a 9x13-inch baking pan. When cooled, I frost them with chocolate fudge frosting and cut into jumbo squares. Delicious!!!

---

HILL COUNTRY GUANABANA MARGARITAS
Adapted from source: The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather
Servings: 4

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 cup Cuervo Gold Tequila
3 Tbsp. Grand Marnier
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/4 cup guanabana nectar (Goya brand found in the Latin aisle of grocer's)
1 cup crushed ice
TO SERVE:
coarse sugar, for coating the rims of the glasses
1 lime wedge

Mix the lime juice, lemon juice, tequila, Grand Marnier, sugar, and guanabana nectar in a large cocktail shaker. Add the crushed ice and shake until cold.

Pour coarse sugar onto a small plate. Rub the edge of 4 cocktail glasses with the lime wedge and dip in the coarse sugar.

Use a cocktail strainer to pour the drinks into the glasses. Serve immediately.

---

WATERMELON LEMONADE
Adapted from source: The Pastry Queen by Rebecca Rather
Servings: 12

This looks great in a large glass pitcher or in one of those large glass containers...

FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP:
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
FOR THE LEMONADE:
2 cups water
2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
4 cups ice cubes
2 cups diced watermelon
Mixed diced fruit of your choice (such as apples, pears or strawberries)
1 orange sliced into rounds
1 lemon sliced into rounds
1 lime sliced into rounds

TO MAKE THE SUGAR SYRUP:
Combine water and sugar in a medium saucepan. Turn the heat to medium-high and boil for 10 minutes. If you are planning to make the lemonade immediately, place 2 cups of the simple syrup in the freezer or refrigerator while you do the rest of the prep work. (The recipe makes 2 cups syrup. When stored in a tightly sealed glass jar, sugar syrup keeps indefinitely in the fridge.)

TO MAKE THE LEMONADE:
Mix the 2 cups chilled sugar syrup, water, lemon juice, and lime juice in a big bowl or a big pitcher. Add the ice cubes and diced watermelon and other fruit. Add the orange, lemon and lime slices. Stir well and chill until icy cold.