Tag

July 4th

Browsing

12 foods you should definitely not serve at your cookout

What’s a backyard cookout without burgers, dogs, and fresh fruit salad? While we welcome these summer staples, there are a few dishes that just don’t belong outside for long periods of time. If you’re planning an outdoor feast or the 4th or any other hot summer day, you should probably skip these 15 foods: Fried Foods Enjoy your burger and fry combo another day. Outdoor cookouts are no place for fried foods like French fries, onion rings, or mozzarella sticks. They’re all delicious finger foods, but they’re best eaten hot and fresh. Let them sit outside on the buffet table, and they’ll just get cold and soggy. Chocolate There is really no way around this one. Anything chocolate is going to melt and make a mess. Cheese plate Cheese plates are an elegant appetizer for a dinner party, so save it for that type of event. Your summer barbecue is…

Star-Spangled Sangria

This popular Spanish drink gets a red, white, and blue makeover in this Star-Spangled Sangria recipe. Enjoy this festive drink on the 4th of July or any day this summer when you want something refreshing to sip. Star-Spangled Sangria Ingredients 2 bottles of Pinot Grigio 6 ounces blueberries, rinsed and stems removed 6 ounces raspberries, rinsed 8 ounces strawberries, rinsed and sliced 1 red apple, (1 half chopped, and 1 half cut into stars) 4 tbsp Grand Marnier 1 tbsp granulated sugar ice (optional) Directions Pour wine into a pitcher and add fruit. Let mixture sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. When ready to serve, remove from fridge and add in Grand Mariner and sugar. Stir well. Serve immediately over ice. Also see, why you should always store your wine bottles horizontally.    Follow us on Instagram.

Star spangled ice cream sandwiches

Ice cream sandwiches already scream summer, but with a little makeover, they can be the coolest Fourth of July treat at the table. Okay, this “recipe” is basically cheating. But if you want to add a little fun to your Fourth of July without any effort — literally, like zero effort — then you’ll love this simple trick. Buy a pack of ice cream sandwiches from the grocery store — or ice cream truck! I went for the mini sandwiches since there are always so many delicious treats at picnics. Smaller sizes mean you can sample more sweets. They also mean less mess, since they won’t have as much time to melt.  Pour some sprinkles in a bowl, and get rolling. Just like an ice cream cone with sprinkles, the extra taste and texture is delicious — and way more fun! Happy Fourth of July! Star spangled ice cream sandwiches Ingredients 1 dozen ice cream…

Festive fruit kabobs perfect for patriotic holidays

Some people can pull off elaborate cakes that look like perfect American flags. Those works of art are inspiring, but hardly practical. For the party host who wants to add patriotic flair to the table, without staying up too late the night before, here is a simple recipe solution. These fruit and pound cake kabobs make for a cute and tasty table-topper. Just wash some berries, cube your favorite white cake (vanilla cake, angel food cake, etc.) and skewer away! To make this even easier, I used a store-bought vanilla pound cake. You can also use blueberries and strawberries instead if you prefer. Happy summer holidays! American Flag fruit kabobs Makes 10 kabobs Ingredients Approx. 50 raspberries, washed and dried Approx. blackberries, washed and dried 10 long skewers 1 half loaf of poundcake or angel food cake, cut in 3/4″ cubes Directions Starting with a red raspberry, alternate red raspberries…