Yankee Doodle Dandy Pasta

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) box medium pasta shells
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1/3 cup hamburger dills, chopped
1/4 cup sweet onions, chopped
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 teaspoon season salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 (8 ounce) package shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain well. Place the pasta in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs, chopped hamburger dills and chopped onion. In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise, celery seeds, season salt and pepper. Fold in the cheddar cheese. Pour mixture over pasta and stir well. Be sure all the pasta, eggs, pickles and onions are covered well with the mayonnaise mixture. Cover and place in the refrigerator for one hour or in the freezer 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Stars and Stripes Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen strawberries
4 teaspoons sugar

Instructions:

Place the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Mix a little to combine ingredients. Make a well in the center of the ingredients. In a separate bowl mix the milk, oil and eggs together. Slowly add to the dry ingredients place the liquid into the well made in the dry ingredients. Carefully fold together until dry ingredients are just moistened through. Divide batter into two bowls. Add the blueberries to one and the strawberries to the other. Mix them in well. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease 12 muffin tin cups or use baking cups. Fill each full with batter. Six blueberry muffins and six strawberry muffins. Sprinkle the tops with the 4 teaspoons of sugar. Bake 23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. The tops should be light brown. Remove from tin immediately and cool on a wire rack.

Refreshing 4th July Watermelon Lemonade

Ingredients:
6 cups watermelon, peeled, seeds removed and cubed
1 cup water
1/3 cup granulated sugar
½ cup lemon juice
Handful of strawberries or raspberries
Mint leaves

Instructions:
Place all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Chill in the fridge for about an hour and serve, sprinkled with fresh mint leaves.

A delicious and refreshing summertime drink!

Grand Ole American Pie

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pound Golden Delicious apples, cored, cut into 1/2 inch slices (6 cups)
1 pound Granny Smith apples, cored, cut into 1/2 inch slices (6 cups)
1 (15 ounce 2 crust) package refrigerator piecrust
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
1 (12 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping

Instructions:

Combine butter and cinnamon together in a large mixing bowl. Add both types of apples and toss to coat. Line two large baking pans with aluminum foil. Heat oven to 475 degrees. Roast apples one pan at a time for 5 minutes turning once while roasting. The apples should just start to brown around the edges. Allow the apples to cool right in the pans. Reduce oven heat to 375. Bring piecrust dough to room temperature. Place one crust in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. In a mixing bowl combine the brown sugar, flour and salt. Place the roasted apples, both pans juice included into the bowl with the brown sugar mixture. Coat the apples well. Place the apples in the pie plate. Flour a flat surface and roll the second dough out to a 14 inch circle. Cut 4 slits in the dough. Place the dough over the top of the apples. Cut dough to 1/2 inch beyond plate. Crimp edges. Place the lightly beaten egg in a bowl. Add the water and mix together. Brush the top of the pie with the egg mixture. Place aluminum foil around the edge of the pie to keep the crust from browning too much and becoming hard. Bake 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil from the edges and bake 35 minutes longer. The top should be a golden brown and the filling bubbly. Drizzle with the caramel topping as soon as you take the pie from the oven. Cool.

Grand Old Flag Fudge

Ingredients:

12 ounces good quality white chocolate
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried blueberries
1 tablespoon grated orange peel

Instructions:

In a large microwave bowl place the white chocolate and milk together. Microwave on high for about 2 minutes. Chocolate should be almost melted. Remove from microwave and stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in the almonds. Carefully fold in the blueberries and cranberries. Add the orange peel and mix well. Place foil into an 8 inch square pan. Be sure the foil extends over the top of the pan so you can use it as handles when removing the fudge. Spread the mixture into the pan evenly with a rubber spatula. Place in the refrigerator until firm. This usually takes about 3 hours. When fudge is firm remove from pan by lifting the foil by the extended area. Cut and store tightly in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Steaks With a Firecracker Bang

Ingredients:

4 boneless beef sirloin steaks or rib eye steaks, 3/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon garlic pepper seasoning
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh chives, snipped

Instructions:

Cover both sides of the steaks well with the garlic pepper seasoning. Gill uncovered until done to your liking. In the meantime stir together the sour cream, mustard and chives. You can add a little extra garlic seasoning to this if you would like. Be sure to mix well. Pour over the top of the steaks before serving.

Booming Fourth of July Cake

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
20 caramels
1/4 cup butter, cubed
10 cups popped popcorn
1 1/2 cups salted peanuts
1 cup M&Ms plain chocolate candies (the red, white and blue ones if you can find them)

Instructions:

Place the marshmallows, caramels and butter into a large saucepan. Place pan over low heat and cook until all the ingredients have melted and is smooth. Place the popcorn in a 9X13 cake pan. Pour the marshmallow mixture over the popcorn. Use a rubber spatula to mix all together being sure to coat the popcorn well. You will have to do this quickly before the caramels start to harden again. Add the peanuts and M&M’s. Spread out evenly. Cool until firm.

Baked Fourth of July Salad

Ingredients:

1 (28 ounce) package O’Brien potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounce package of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard
1/3 cup bacon, cooked and crumbled

Instructions:

Place the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Heat until oil is hot. Add potatoes. Cook until lightly brown on both sides about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a large rectangle baking dish with butter. Place the potatoes, 1/2 the bag of cheese, the mayonnaise and mustard into a large mixing bowl. Add the bacon and stir until mixed together well. Place in the prepared baking dish. Top with the other 1/2 bag of cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.

4th of July Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
1 can (14.5oz) chopped tomatoes
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
¼ cup white wine
1.5 pounds ground turkey (you can also use ground beef if you prefer)
1 package (1.25oz) chili seasoning mix
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/3 cup bottled steak sauce
5 slices bacon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (15oz) kidney beans, drained
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Combine tomatoes, tomato paste, carrot, onion, celery, pepper flakes, peppers, steak sauce and wine in a large heavy pot and simmer over low heat.

In a separately large frying pan cook the bacon slices until crisp and put on paper towels to drain. Cook the ground turkey in the bacon drippings until browned. Then drain. Stir the chili seasoning into the ground turkey.

Add the turkey to the tomato mixture and add the cumin and bacon. Keep simmering until the vegetables are tender. Then stir in beans, cilantro and parsley. Heat through and season well.

Serve immediately with grated cheese and crusty bread.

4th of July Corn Muffins

Ingredients:
(makes 12 muffins)
1 can (14.5oz) creamed corn
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
8 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 ½ tsp salt

Method:
Preheat oven to 450F and heat up a 12-cup muffin tin in the hot oven while making the muffin mix.

In a medium saucepan, heat the creamed corn and then stir in 1 cup of the cornmeal. The mixture should be very thick and stiff. Whisk in the buttermilk, then add the eggs. Again, whisk thoroughly, then add the melted butter.

In a medium bowl, mix the remaining cornmeal with the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir carefully until just combined.

Take the muffin tin out of the oven and either use muffin cases or lightly grease the tin. Fill the muffin mix evenly into the muffin cups and bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove muffins and place on a wire rack to cool.

Serve with any soup or a delicious chili.

Next Page »