Fourth of July Food Flares

What will you be cookin' up to serve your family and friends for this years big fourth of July bang?! Will it be grilled goods with a variety of fresh sides? Or maybe you'll be pulling out the smoker for some succulent, finger-licking good eats. Either way you can't go wrong. Here are some of my favorite recipes that suit Independence Day perfectly...hence the red, white and blue colors throughout each dish!      

Firecracker Creamy Currant Stuffed Jalapenos with Bacon Crumbles

Serves: 4-6 (2-3 pieces each)

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

6 jalapenos

1/2 c. cream cheese, softened

2 T. dried cranberries

2 T. dried blueberries

2 T. bacon bits

Directions:

Preheat either an oven to 350 degrees or a grill over medium. To prepare jalapenos slice off the stems and cut in half. Using a small spoon scoop out both the seeds and insides unless you want them to be extra spicy, then leave some in.

In a bowl combine cream cheese and dried berries and mix until evenly combined.

Begin stuffing each jalapeno half with the cream cheese mixture then place on a baking sheet if using an oven or straight onto the grill. Cook until jalapenos are tender about 20 minutes.

Let jalapenos rest a few minutes for filling to set then evenly sprinkle each half with bacon crumbles and serve.

* For bacon you can either cook bacon slices in the oven at 375 for about 20 minutes or until crisp, drain on paper towel then chop into bits or use store bought bacon bits.

California Dreamin' Blue Chicken Bake

Serves: 4

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, trimmed and pocketed

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1/4 tsp. cracked pepper

3-4 firm tomatoes, sliced in rounds

2 tbsp. olive oil

½ c. shredded mozzarella

Sauce

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 pieces bacon, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced and pasted

¼ red onion, minced

4 tbsp. unsalted butter

4 tbsp. flour

2 cups milk

¼ c. blue cheese crumbles

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced (garnish)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Trim away any fat from the chicken and create a pocket in each breast, being careful not to cut all the way through. Clean and pat dry chicken breasts, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Place breasts in a lightly oiled 9 x 13
baking dish.

Evenly stuff each breast with the avocado and tomatoes. Drizzle chicken with olive oil, top each breast with 2 tablespoons of mozzarella and bake in pre-heated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

In the meantime add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to medium sauce pan and heat over medium. Add bacon and cook until crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towel and set aside. Pour out enough bacon grease so it just coats the bottom of the pan and add garlic and onion. Let cook 2 to 3 minutes, until translucent also being careful not to burn garlic.

Add butter to sauce and pan let melt. Next add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly while cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Begin adding milk, 1 cup at a time and again whisking constantly to prevent clumps from forming. Bring mixture to a simmer and let cook until thicken 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in blue
cheese crumbles until melted throughout and season with salt and pepper. Return bacon to sauce and serve over baked chicken. Garnish with freshparsley.

Cooling Cranberry Sunflower Broccoli Purple

Cabbage Slaw

Serves: 2-4

Prep: 20 minutes

Chill: 20 minutes or more

Ingredients:

4 c. broccoli stems, grated

4 carrots, peeled and grated

2 c. purple cabbage, grated

1 c. dried cranberries

½ c. sunflower seeds

¼ c. Greek yogurt, honey flavored

2T. vegetable oil

1 T. red wine vinegar

1 T. lemon juice

½ T. sugar, or honey

1/2 t. salt

¼ t. cracked pepper

Directions:

For the dressing in a small bowl combine mayo, oil, lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper; mix well and set aside.

For the slaw in a large bowl combine broccoli, carrot, cabbage, cranberries and sunflower seeds; drizzle in dressing and toss gently to coat evenly.

Let chill 10 to 20 minutes, or for a few hours, before serving for flavors to meld.

Baked Red, White and Blue Potato Chips with Creamy Onion Dip (Published in Taste of Home magazines and cookbooks)

Serves: 3

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 T. vegetable oil

1 1/8 lb. red, gold and purple potatoes, sliced paper thin

2 t. olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 scallions, sliced (green and white separated)

1 ¼ c. Greek yogurt

¼ c. mayo

¾ t. onion powder

¾ t. garlic powder

½ t. salt

¼ t. pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Using a mandolin slice potatoes paper thin and place into a water bath to prevent from turning color. Remove and dry between paper towels. Place potatoes in plastic bag with vegetable oil and toss to coat evenly.

Lay potato slices flat on baking sheets and bake until crisp about 25 minutes, turning half way through cooking. Remove, season with salt and set aside.

In the meantime for the dip heat oil in a small skillet over medium and add onion and the white parts of a scallion. Cook about 3 minutes until tender seasoning with salt to help the process. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a small bowl combine sautéed onion and scallions with remaining ingredients, including green parts of scallion. Mix well and serve with bake rainbow potato chips.

American Cherry, Blueberry and Apple Dessert Pizza with Mint

Makes: 1 mini pizza

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 store-bought mini pizza
crust

1/4 c. mascarpone cheese

1/2 c. fresh red sweet
cherries, pitted and quartered

1/3 c. fresh blueberries

1/4 Granny Smith apple,
peeled, cored and diced

1 T. agave nectar

1/2 T. fresh mint, minced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place pizza crust on a pizza pan or baking sheet and evenly smear with mascarpone cheese. Top with cherries, blueberries and apple. Drizzle with agave nectar and bake about 10 minutes until golden and bubbly.
Remove, sprinkle with mint and let rest about 5 minutes to cool slightly
and for toppings set. Using a pizza
cutter slice and serve!

*Perfect dessert for the kids!

Italian Cranberry-Blueberry Cream Soda

Serves: 1

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: N/A

Ingredients:

ice, as needed

1/2 c. cranberry blueberry juice

1/2 c. sparkling water, or soda water

2 T. heavy cream

2 T. dried blueberries

Directions:

Fill glass with ice. Pour in juice, then sparkling water and top with cream. Add dried blueberries and stir to mix.

O Olive Oil Recipe Contest: Cucumber, Raisin, Almond Salad with Blood Orange Olive Oil Drizzle Topped with a Port Vinegar Soaked Tomato

Cucumber, Raisin, Almond Salad with Blood Orange Olive Oil Drizzle Topped with a Port Vinegar Soaked Tomato

A simple salad perfectly refreshing for a hot summer day...

Serves: 4

Prep: 5 minutes

1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 c. raisins

1/2 c. almonds, crushed

2 T. O Blood Orange Olive Oil

4 slices tomato

O Port Vinegar

Combine cucumber, raisins and almonds in a shallow dish and drizzle with O Blood Orange Olive Oil and toss gently to coat evenly.

Dish out portions into salad bowls, top with a tomato slice splashed with O Port Vinegar.

*For more information about O Olive Oil products visit www.ooliveoil.com!  

O Olive Oil Product Review: Port Vinegar

O Olive Oil Port Vinegar Product Review

O OLIVE OIL is the premier producer of California specialty olive oils and wine vinegars. O was the first in this country to crush organic citrus with olives to produce our signature line of oils. Our products are sold in gourmet, natural food and specialty stores in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Latin America, and China.

Simply splash some O Olive Oil Port Vinegar over sliced tomatoes for tangy treat!

*For more information about O Olive Oil products and recipes visit www.ooliveoil.com



Marx Foods Palm Plate Review

I was one of the lucky ones to get the chance at trying out some PALM PLATES from the Marx Foods website!!! Read on to see how we went about using them up...how would you use them?

 ~Grilled Teriyaki Beef Sirloin Strips~

 ~ No damage done from the beef~

 ~AND THE PLATES ARE BIODEGRADABLE, PUT THEM IN YOUR COMPOST!!!~

~ Perhaps a doggie chew toy?!~

 ~Or maybe not...~

~Makes for a perfect chips and salsa plate~



 ~What fun this PALM PLATE is having while camping...~

 ~ I mean, who doesn't love a cheeseburger?!~

~This amazing plate even held up the camping left-overs!!!~

Share how you would get creative with these unique PALM PLATES!!!

Marx Foods Integrale Gauntlet Recipe Contest: Pesto Shrimp, Yellow Squash and Pea Risotto with Edible Micro Blend Flowers

Pesto Shrimp, Yellow Squash and Pea Risotto with Micro Blend Flowers

One of the coolest gourmet food websites I know of is MarxFoods.com! I'm always super stoked when I get an opportunity to sample some of their fabulous goods...like their authentic Integrale rice...read on to see the recipe I created with it!!!

~without micro blend flowers~

~ with micro blend flowers~

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 35-40 minutes

3 1/2 c. chicken broth

2 T. olive oil, divided

1 c. Marx Foods Integrale rice

1/4 c. sweet onion, finely diced

2 medium yellow squash, diced

cracked black pepper, to taste

4 c. frozen medium shrimp, thawed, deveined and peeled

1 c. frozen peas, thawed

1/2 c. pesto

1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish if desired

1/2 c. micro blend flowers, available on the Marx Foods website! (optional garnish)

In a medium sauce pot bring broth to a simmer, reduce to low and keep warm. In a large skillet heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and add Integrale rice. Stir to coat evenly and continue to cook until slightly golden, stirring often, about 5 minutes.

Begin adding warm broth to the rice a ladle at a time and allow liquid to disolve almost completely before adding more, until the broth is gone.

In the meantime heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in another large skillet and add the onion. Cook until slightly golden about 5 minutes. Add squash, season with pepper and continue to cook about 5 minutes. Remove squash and set aside. In the same skillet at the shrimp and cook until they are just pink about 3 minutes.

 To the risotto add squash, shrimp, peas, pesto and parmesan then toss to mix and coat evenly.

Garnish each portion with additional parmesan cheese and edible micro blend flowers, if desired!

* A public poll for round one (savory risotto) of this contest will take place from May 30th - June 1st on the marxfoods.com website. Thanks in advance for your votes if you're in favor of my recipe!!!

Stonewall Kitchen Mustard Recipe Contest: Super Simple Bourbon Molasses Mustard Grilled Wings

Super Simple Bourbon Molasses Mustard Grilled Wings

It's always fun to be chosen to participate in a recipe contest where you receive free product to create recipes to enter into the contest. I especially enjoyed being a participant in this Stonewall Kitchen mustard recipe contest where I got kreative with Bourbon Molasses Mustard!

Serves: 4-6 (depending if appetizer or entree)

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 35-40 minutes

1 package of party wings

Stonewall Kitchen Bourbon Molasses Mustard, as needed to glaze wings

Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Place wings on grill and cook until golden and no longer pink about 30 minutes. Using a basting brush slather both sides of wings with the Bourbon Molasses Mustard and continue cooking another 5 to 10 minutes to form a crust. Glaze with more mustard if

desired.

Stay tuned to see if my recipe was chosen as one of the top 10 finalists, and if so hopefully you will vote, thanks!

Stonewall Kitchen Mustard Recipe Contest: Classic Provolone Cheeseburger with Bourbon Molasses Mustard

Classic Provolone Cheeseburger with Bourbon Molasses Mustard

I was fortunate to participate in this unique recipe contest where the contestants were able to choose their favorite mustard from Stonewall Kitchen website to create a recipe to enter into the contest. You can't go wrong with a classic cheeseburger, especially when it's paired with a bourbon molasses mustard!!!

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

1 lb. organic grass-fed ground beef

salt and pepper, to taste

6 slices of provolone cheese

6 whole wheat hamburger buns

6 slices of tomato

6 pieces of iceburg lettuce

1/4 c. Stonewall Kitchen Bourbon Molasses Mustard

1/4 c. mayo

Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Divided ground beef into four even balls and form into patties. Season both sides of patties with salt and pepper to taste. Grill burgers until desired temperature is achieved, about 15 minutes total.

Top burgers with cheese the last 5 minutes of cooking to melt and toast burger buns on the edges of the grill until slightly golden. Remove burgers from the grill and let rest a few minutes for juices to redistribute back into the meat.

Assemble burgers by slathering bottom bun with 1 tablespoon of Stonewall Kitchen Bourbon Molasses Mustard, place on burger, tomato and lettuce, smear top bun with 1 tablespoon of mayo and place on top to complete burger.

Stay tuned to see if I am a finalist, and if so then hopefully I will get your votes, thanks!