Independence Day Dishes and Treats

 

Whatever you choose as your main dish, here are some sides and dessert recipe to make it a real feast! 

Sides: 

Baked Beans

1 large or 2 small cans Pork-n-beans

1/2 cup ketchup

1 Tbsp mustard

1/2 cup brown sugar

1-2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce

2-3 strips of cooked bacon (crumbled)

1/4 cup diced onion

Combine all ingredients and pour into a square glass baking dish.  Bake for 30 min at 350 degree

Deviled Eggs

1.     Steam 6 eggs for 12 min. then cool in a bowl of ice water

2.     Cut eggs in half lengthwise and carefully remove the yolks into a bowl

3.     Mash the yolks with a fork and add ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp dry mustard, 3 Tbsp miracle whip and 1 Tbsp vinegar

4.     Mix until well combined

5.     Scoop some filling into each egg and sprinkle with paprika.

Creamy Classic Mac-n-Cheese

1. In a saucepan over medium heat melt 1/2 stick of butter. 

2. Add 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese and stir until melted and gooey

3. Add 1 can of condensed cheddar cheese soup, 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper.

4. Stir until creamy smooth and set aside

** This makes 2 small 8x8 pans or 1 large 9x13 (I freezes well, so you can save the other half for later)

5. Prepare your favorite pasta to al dente and place in you baking dish

6. Pour on the cheese mixture and stir well

7. Crush some cracker crumbs and sprinkle over the top, drizzle with melted butter 

8. Bake at 350 for 30 min. 

Hash-brown Casserole 

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup diced onion

1 can cream of cheddar cheese soup

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

1 lb hash browns

Topping - 1/4 stick melted butter 

2 or more cups frosted corn flakes

1. Mix together sour cream, onion, soup, salt, pepper

2. In a 9x13 glass baking dish spread 1/2 of the hash browns

top with 1/2 soup mixture and 1 cup cheese

3. Make a second layer with all steps

4. Sprinkle with frosted corn flakes and pour over melted butter

Bake at 350 for 45 min - 1 hour until heated through and cheese is melted. 

Red, White and Blue Salad

1. Combine 1/2 cup oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1/3 cup sugar

    1/2 Tbsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp dry mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds

    in a blender and blend for 30 sec. 

2. Put lettuce, sliced strawberries, Provel (or other white cheese) and fresh blueberries. 

3. Pour over dressing and toss.

Creamy Cole Slaw

1. Shred 1/2 cabbage

2. In a jar mix 2 Tbsp vinegar, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp celery salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/2 cup mayo, until smooth

3. Pour over cabbage and serve

Dessert

Star Spangled Ice cream Sandwich Cake

1. Put a layer of 5 1/2 ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a square glass dish

2. Spread a layer of hot fudge over the sandwiches

3. Sprinkle a layer of Heath Toffee bits over the fudge

4. Put another layer of 5 1/2 ice cream sandwiches 

5. Spread a layer of caramel topping over the sandwiches

6. Sprinkle another layer of Heath bits

7. Top with whipped cream and more Heath bits and drizzle with fudge and caramel

Store in the freezer and let stand 5-10 min before serving. 

Pie Crust

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp shortening

 

1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix with fork

2. Add cold water (up to 5 Tbsp), mix until loosely combined

3. Form into a ball with hands

4. Spank to combine

5. Flatten and form into crust

Makes 2 crusts

 

Tart Cherry pie

2 pie crusts (one for top, one for bottom)

1 package thawed tart red cherries

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

½ tsp almond ext.

2 Tbsp butter (for dotting)

1. preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Combine sugar, cherries, flour, and almond in a bowl

3. Pour into bottom pie crust

4. Dot with butter

5. Add top crust

6. Bake 35 min

 

 

Peach Pie

2 pie crusts

1-2 packages thawed peach slices

2/3 cup sugar

2-3 Tbsp flour

¼ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ginger

Preheat oven to 400

1. Combine sugar, peaches, flour and spices in a bowl

2. Pour into bottom crust

3. Dot with butter

4. Add top crust

5. Bake 40-50 min

 

Apple Pie

2 pie crusts

6 granny smith apples (peeled, cored & thinly sliced)

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Combine sugar, apples, flour and spices in a bowl

3. Pour into bottom crust

4. Dot with butter

5. Add top crust

6. Bake 40-50 min

Pie Tips

**Cut a few slits in the crust (in an ascetically pleasing pattern) to allow air to escape while baking

**Brush the top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar before baking.  This gives your crust a sheen and a light crispiness. 

**Bake with a crust cover (make one our of foil if you don't have one) for the first 35min then remove for the last 10-15.  This keeps the crust from getting burnt. 

Homemade Ice Cream

2 cups half-n-half

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 Vanilla bean (split and scraped) or 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and heat over medium/low heat. Allow to simmer but not boil, (no bubbles, just steam)

2. Remove from heat and allow to cool.  

3. Remove vanilla bean and put mixture in an airtight container in the fridge overnight. 

4. Freeze using an ice cream maker, then put in the freezer for at least an hour to harden up before serving. 

Blueberry Hill - Fresh Blueberry Recipes

Blueberry Cobbler

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Combine 3 cups of rinsed blueberries with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup lemon juice, then spread out in an oblong baking dish.
3. For the dough: cream together 1 stick of softened butter and 1/2 cup sugar.
4. Beat in 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
5. Sift in 2/3 cup flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder and a pinch (1/8 tsp) of salt and mix to combine
6. Spoon the dough over the berries and bake for 35-45 min
Serve warm with ice cream!

Blueberry Syrup

1. Combine 2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries and 1/2 cup of sugar in a sauce pan
2. Turn heat to medium, bring to a boil and let simmer, stir occasionally.
3. The berries will break down and the liquid will start to evaporate. The sauce will reduce to a thickened syrup.

Blueberry Muffins

(Well turns out I couldn't get the box mix so I had to make from scratch) 

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

1 tsp vanilla

Streusel topping

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

(A little lemon zest would be nice too ;0) 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 400 degree

1. Mix oil and egg until well combine

2. Add milk and mix

3. Add sugar, vanilla, salt and baking powder and mix

4. Add flour and mix

5. Fold in blueberries and fill muffin cups with 1/4 cup batter

6. Make streusel by mixing all ingredients in a bowl until butter is incorporated. 

7. Evenly spoon streusel over muffins and bake for 20 min. 

8. Let cool and enjoy.