Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Forth of July Recipes!

Fire it up and then cool it off this Forth of July with my favorite recipes!

4th of July Cherry Bombs Recipe


Ingredients:
  • 12 fresh habenero peppers
  • 4 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1/2 package dry onion soup mix
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried red bell pepper flakes
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 10 Ritz crackers, pulverized to very fine consistency
Directions:
  • Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper flakes thoroughly. Allow to sit at room temp until you are ready to use.
  • Wearing rubber gloves, slice almost through the top of each pepper, leaving the top as a flap. With a small melon scoop, remove the seeds and white pulp from each pepper. Place cream cheese mixture in a small decorating bag and with a medium 'o' tip pipe mixture into each pepper, mounding slightly at the top. Brush pepper flap with some of the egg and close flap to seal.
  • Refrigerate peppers for 30 minutes. Dip chilled peppers in egg wash and roll in cracker crumbs. Next step is to place peppers in the freezer until hard frozen, about 3 hours.
  • Just before serving, remove peppers from freezer and drop into hot 375 degree oil and fry until golden. Pipe three dollops of cream cheese mixture decoratively on each plate and place one fried pepper in the center of each dollop. Decorate with sliced pickled cherry peppers, and leaf lettuce. Serve hot with a warning and fire extinguisher handy. Top of Form
Cantaloupe Fruit Salad

Ingredients:
  • 2 ea Med. Cantaloupes *
  • 1 ea Large Pineapple **
  • 1 c Raisins
  • 1 c Fresh Shredded Coconut
  • 1 c Finely Chopped Walnuts
  • 1 ea Large Apple ***
  • 1 x Low-fat Yogurt
Directions:
  • *Remove rind and seeds from cantaloupe.
  • **Cored, Peeled, and cut into small chunks.
  • ***Cored and cut into small chunks.
  • Cut the cantaloupes into small chunks and mix with the pineapple, raisins, conconut, and walnuts in a large salad bowl.
  • Scoop yogurt into individual serving bowls and pass the fruit salad. Stir to coat and enjoy. This dessert is wonderful on a hot day.
4th of July Red, White, and Blue Pizza
  • 1 pt Strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 1 pt Blueberries
  • 1T plus 1 t Sugar, divided
  • 1 T Brandy
  • 4 6" Pizza Crusts, homemade or store bought
  • 1 1/2 c Whipped topping, thawed
Directions:
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Combine strawberries, blueberries, 1 teaspoon. of the sugar and the brandy.
  • Sprinkle pizza crust with the remaining sugar.
  • Bake 6-8 minutes on baking sheet; cool slightly.
  • Fill with crust with strawberries and raspberries.
  • Serve with a big dollop of whipped topping.
Alcoholic Beverages

4th of July Lemonade

Ingredients:
  • 1 part Jack Daniel's bourbon
  • 1 part triple sec
  • 1 part sweet-and-sour mix
  • 4 parts lemon-lime soda
Directions:

Combine all ingredients and serve this refreshing drink over ice.

Non-Alcoholic Beverage

Summer Delight Punch

Ingredients:
  • 6 oz Can frozen orange juice
  • 2 1/2 c Pineapple juice
  • 12 oz Can apricot or peach nectar
  • 1 ea Bottle ginger ale, (2 litre)
  • 1 ea Lemon, sliced
Directions:
  • Mix together the lemonade, orange juice, pineapple juice, and nectar and chill.
  • When ready to serve drinks, add the ginger ale. Garnish with lemon slices.
Red, White, and Blueberry Freezee

Ingredients:
  • 1 c Whipping cream
  • 1/2 c Frozen blueberries
  • 1 ds Lemon juice
  • 1 x Sugar to taste
  • Small Strawberries for garnish
Directions:
  • Mix together the whipping cream, blueberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a blender.
  • Top with a few strawberries. This refreshing drink is great on a hot day.