Celebrate 4th of July

Ideas to get the party started 

fruit kabobs

watermelon on a stick

Mini s'more pies

If only my Up North store had carried these mini graham cracker crusts by Keebler! Then this dessert would have been top of my list for our 4th of July BBQ. Kids and adults would love this quintessential summertime dessert. And it's only made with 3 ingredients: mini-graham cracker crusts, Hersheys' chocolate bars and marshmallows. 

Follow this link for easy directions. 
http://iowagirleats.com/2013/09/06/mini-smore-pies/?utm_source=RSS+FEED&utm_campaign=f676fa2895-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_532f8a161f-f676fa2895-84059853

Turn your summer drink into firecrackers. Coat the glass rim with lemon juice and then dip the rims into Pop Rock candies that are in a dish. To get the red-white-blue effect use Tropical punch (blue) add some Pop Rocks candies and then fill glass with any red drink such as pomegranate and cranberry juice adding seltzer.

Cherry  Margaritas

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cherries pitted and mashed or 2 oz fresh cherry puree
• 1 oz. simple syrup
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice
• 3/4 oz cointreau
• 1- 1/2 oz tequila
• Lime wedge for garnish

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients into an ice filled mixing tin. Shake and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.
• Combine the zest of one lime with several teaspoons of rock salt.
• Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass. Dip into the zest salt mixture.
• Fill the glass with ice.
• In a cocktail shaker mash the cherries with the simple syrup and lime juice. Add the other ingredients and shake to combine. If using the puree shake to combine.
• Pour into prepared glass and and garnish with a lime wedge.

Mixed Berries Trifle 

Cook’s notes: Use a glass stemmed compote to showcase the dessert. Make the custard the day before and refrigerate. Assemble the trifle the day it will be served.
Ingredients:

• 1 small pint of raspberries and blueberries 
• 1 quart sliced strawberries 
• optional adding in 1 cup of blackberries 
• 2 tsp. orange-flavored liqueur 
• 1 large prepared angel food cake torn in chunks 

Custard

• 6 large egg yolks 
• ¾ cup sugar 
• ¼ cup flour 
• 2 cups half and half 
• 1 cup of whip cream-whipped 
• ½ tsp. vanilla 
• 2 TB. Amaretto or 1 tsp. almond extract 

Directions:

• Whisk yolks in a saucepan, add in sugar and flour and blend well. 
• Bring half and half to a simmer in another saucepan and then add to yolk mixture. 
• On low heat use a whisk as mixture thickens cook about 1-2 minutes do not let boil or mixture will curdle. 
• Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, almond extract or Amaretto. 
• Run mixture through the blender to make sure it is a smooth consistency. 
• Place in a bowl to cool, fold in whip cream that has been whipped, cover custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate. 

Assemble early in day before serving: 

• Rinse fruit and pat dry on paper towels.
• Add all fruits in a bowl and drizzle with Grand Marnier. 
• Divide torn cake into thirds as well as fruit and custard. 
• Bottom layer of serving glass with 1/3 cake pieces, 1/3 of the custard and 1/3 of the mixed fruit. 
• Repeat two more times, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.