All the Hues of Red, White and Blue
Published July 3, 2022
It's time to kick back, relax, and celebrate with some All-American treats! While these 4th of July recipes fit the red, white, and blue theme, many can be served for any occasion or celebration. Happy fourth weekend, and Happy 19th Birthday Alyssa!
Brie Cake
Not your typical cheese cake, this elegant brie cake will surely impress your guests serving up a fabulous grazing board of apps, snacks and dessert.
1 3-lb Wheel Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor
1 1-lb Wheel Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog
1 8-oz Wheel Brie
1 4-oz Wheel Cypress Grove Little Giant
Blackberries
Strawberries
Raspberries
Rosemary
Salami Rosettes, using Columbia 2.5" Salami rounds.
Stack cheese on a 10" round cake platter. Decorate with berries and secure salami rosettes to cheese wheel using toothpicks. Place cake/cake dish on a large platter and surround with your favorite assorted crackers, chocolates, fruit, honey and/or jams. Cheese wheels can be found at Goldbelly. I used a standard 8 oz brie from the local grocery store.
Very Berry Coconut Parfait
This makes a perfectly refreshing summertime treat that can be prepared a day or two in advance. Serve in your favorite dessert dishes with miniature spoons.
1/4 cup Chia Seeds
1 can Light Coconut Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
Strawberries, Blueberries & Blackberries
Mix chia seeds, milk, vanilla and syrup in a small bowl. Chill for 1 hour, or overnight for best results. Fill chilled parfait dishes with quartered strawberries. Spoon parfait into dish. Top with blackberries, blueberries and/or raspberries.
Skewers
Sweet and savory summertime skewers offer the perfect finger food that's easy to assemble and eat!
SWEET:
Blackberries
Ciliegine Mozzarella
Watermelon, cubed
Drizzle of Honey
Sprinkle of Pink Himalayan Salt
Skewer blackberries, mozzarella and watermelon on toothpicks. Drizzle with honey and season with salt.
SAVORY:
Greek Olives
Miniature Cucumber, sliced and halved
Feta Cheese, cubed
Cherry Tomatoes
Skewer olives, cucumber, feta cheese and tomato on toothpicks.
Flag Cheeseboard
Trader Joe's Shopping List:
Blueberries
Strawberries Halved
Cherry Tomatoes
2 Red Peppers Sliced
Savory Thin Mini Crackers
Semi Soft Fontina (Cubed and a Few Thin Slices for the Stars)
Manchego Cheese Sliced
Unexpected White Cheddar Cheese Sliced
Calabrese Salami Sliced
Abruzzese Salami Sliced
Dried Montmorency Cherries
Coconut Cashews
Arrange ingredients in a flag pattern starting with the blueberries.
Cornbread Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
Soft, sweet, and a little nutty, these cornbread cutout cookies make a tasty match for summery berry ice cream fillings. Cornbread cookie sandwiches stay soft enough to bite, even frozen. Recipe by Better Homes and Gardens.
Ingredients:
1½ quart (48 oz.) black cherry, black raspberry chip, blueberry, or any other summer berry ice cream or frozen yogurt, softened in refrigerator 30 minutes
1 cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup fine cornmeal
½ cup buttermilk
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
Directions:
Line the bottom and sides of a 9x9-inch baking pan with plastic wrap. Scoop the softened ice cream into the prepared pan and cover with a second sheet of plastic wrap. Press down on the plastic with your hands to flatten the ice cream into a smooth, even layer. Freeze at least 2 hours before filling the sandwiches to allow the ice cream to become firm.
In a small bowl stir the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and 3/4 tsp. salt.
In a large microwave-safe bowl stir together the cornmeal, buttermilk, oil, and honey. Microwave the mixture 2 minutes on high. The mixture will be hot and slightly thickened and darkened in color, like cooked polenta. Stir in brown sugar until no clumps remain. Spread to an even thickness up the sides of the bowl and let cool about 15 minutes until no longer hot. Transfer to a food processor. Add the egg and the flour mixture. Pulse until the mixture comes together to form a dough.
Roll dough between 2 sheets of parchment or waxed paper into 1/4-inch-thick sheet. Refrigerate dough on a baking sheet at least 2 hours.
Line two baking sheets with parchment. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut dough into 2- to 2 1/2-inch shapes using a square cookie cutter or paring knife. Place cookies onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. If you like, cut shapes out of center of some of the cookies using a 1- to 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Dough scraps may be rerolled to cut additional cookies. Bake 13 to 15 minutes until cookies are just starting to brown at edges. Cool completely on a wire rack before filling.
Remove the top layer of plastic from the ice cream. Using the same-shape cutter as for the cookies, cut out shapes of ice cream; sandwich them between two cookies. Wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and store in the freezer up to 2 weeks until ready to serve.
Tips: Store wrapped ice cream sandwiches in freezer for up to 2 weeks.
Enjoy!
Renée Meuse Lovley