If we had to guess, we would imagine your Independence Day checklist contains at least two (if not all) of the following items: sunglasses, a flag, bare arms (which you have every right to show off), a karaoke rendition of Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the U.S.A” and some pretty killer food.
We’d like to second all of those motions, and add in a few suggestions of our own. So for your dining pleasure, here are some of the Soirée staff’s fave Fourth of July recipes. Enjoy, friends.
Sandra’s pick: Caprese Salad
The Ingredients:
- Arkansas tomatoes
- Mozzarella
- Basil, and lots of it (I’m a huge fan of the lemon basil from Little Rock Urban Farming. I recently picked up a bunch at Hillcrest Farmers Market.)
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic vinger
- Salt and pepper
The Process:
Cut tomatoes and mozzarella into thick slices and layer. I like to julienne the basil and sprinkle over the tomatoes and mozzarella. Then I drizzle a little olive oil and add a dash of salt and pepper. When I want to get fancy, I follow The Pioneer Women’s recipe for the balsamic reduction, which adds a little sweetness.
Alexis’s pick: Sweet and Spicy Bacon Chicken
The Ingredients:
- 4 chicken breasts cut in thirds (12 pieces)
- bacon slices
- salt and pepper to taste
- garlic powder to taste
- chili powder to taste
- brown sugar
- olive oil
The Process:
Cut each breast into three pieces, season all the chicken with the spices. Wrap a bacon slice around each piece, roll in brown sugar and place into an oven safe dish. Make sure you have some olive oil in the bottom of dish, about two or three tablespoons. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and bacon is nice and brown and crispy.
(You can also throw these on the grill, which you know we can’t turn down on the Fourth.)
Jess’ pick: Individual Seven-Layer Dips
via The Girl Who Ate Everything
The Ingredients:
- 1 (16 ounce) can refried beans
- 1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning
- 1 cup guacamole
- 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
- 1 cup chunky salsa or pico de gallo
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
- 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1/2 bunch of green onions, sliced
- 1 (2 1/4 ounce) can of sliced olives, drained
- 8 (9 ounce) plastic tumblers
- tortilla chips
The Process:
In a small bowl mix taco seasoning with refried beans. Layer ingredients into mini-plastic cups starting with beans/taco seasoning, then sour cream, then guacamole, then salsa/pico de gallo, then cheese, then tomatoes, finally adding green onions and olives shortly before serving. Make sure you drain your salsa or pico to get the excess liquid out before you pour it on. Store in the refrigerator until serving and serve with chips. Makes around 8 individual dips.
Tasha’s pick: Classic Fourth of July Flag Cake
The Ingredients:
- yellow cake mix of your choosing
- additional ingredients the brand calls for on box
- two cartons of strawberries
- one carton of blueberries
- one tub of Cool Whip
- vanilla extract
The Process:
Follow the instructions on the cake mix box, but add a capful of vanilla extract for a more flavorful cake. While it bakes, cut the strawberries in half vertically. Let the cake cool, then frost with Cool Whip. Arrange the blueberries as Old Glory’s stars and the strawberries as stripes for a light, patriotic and classically delicious treat!
Amanda’s pick: Patriotic Berry Trifle
via The Food Network
The Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup plus 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 premade angel food cake, cut into 1-inch slices
- 1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups heavy cream, at room temperature
- 2 pints blueberries
- 2 pints strawberries, hulled and sliced
The Process:
Heat 1/4 cup sugar, the lemon juice and 1/4 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and stir in the almond extract.
Brush both sides of each slice of cake with the syrup. Cut the slices into 1-inch cubes. Beat the remaining 2/3 cup sugar and the cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and light. Add the cream and beat on medium-high speed until smooth and the consistency of whipped cream. Arrange half of the cake cubes in the bottom of a 13-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of blueberries. Dollop half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently spread. Top with a layer of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then sprinkle with more blueberries and top with the remaining cream mixture. Finish with the remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a decorative pattern. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.