Patriotic White Chocolate Dipped Cones for the 4th of July

These cute patriotic dipped cones were such an easy way to make the 4th of July more festive last year!  I'm getting excited to do it again.  They are super easy, can be made way ahead of time, and taste so yummy!  I sprinkled pop rocks on the kid's cones, and they thought that was awesome. The perfect dessert for a hot summer night!

Patriotic White Chocolate Dipped Cones for the 4th of July

Author: Mindy

Ingredients

• White Chocolate Chips (I like Guittard best)


• Patriotic Sprinkles


• Sugar or Waffle Cones

Instructions

1. Pour white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.


2. Microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes.  Stir until the bowl is no longer warm.


3. Then microwave at 30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring in between, until fully melted.


4. Dip the cones in the white chocolate to desired depth.


5. Then either spoon the sprinkles onto the cones or dip the cones in the sprinkles.


6. Turn upside down and place on wax paper.


7. Allow to set until firm ~ a few hours.


8. When completely cooled and set, store in cool, dry place.


9. To serve, top with ice cream and sprinkle with pop rocks if desired.  Enjoy!

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4th of July Fruit Platters: Patriotic Fruit Flag and Watermelon Stars

I'll tell you what.  These 4th of July fruit platters were a hit at my house!  I asked my cute 4 year old nephew what I had on the platter, and he rattled off: bananas, watermelon and blueberries.  So then I rephrased my question, "Okay, but what does it look like?"  His little face peered down at the platter for a moment in concentration, then his face lit up and he announced, "A FLAG!!!"  He then thoroughly enjoyed eating that patriotic fruit with just about everyone else at our party.  Whether you have an Independence Day celebration with kiddos or with adults, I guarantee patriotic themed fruit platters will steal the show!  Besides, they're just fun!

Patriotic Fruit Flag

Rectangular Platter
Blueberries (can substitute blackberries)
Watermelon (can substitute strawberries or cherries)
Bananas (can substitute honeydew)

Arrange blueberries in the upper left corner of the platter.  Use the watermelon to form the red stripes and the bananas to form the white stripes on your flag. Enjoy!

Watermelon Stars

Star shaped cookie cutters (or other shapes depending on the holiday/event)
Watermelon, sliced widthwise

Using the cookie cutters, cut the stars out of the watermelon slices.  Arrange on a platter or in a bowl with other fresh fruit.  I think the watermelon stars look the best for the 4th of July with some blue - like blueberries or blackberries.  So cute!

4th of July Strawberries

Aren't these strawberries so cute?  The fourth of July is such a fun holiday with barbecues, family and friends, and lots of parties. So creating great food for it is a blast!  I love holiday themed food.  And apparently my two year old does, too.  He insisted on sitting practically on top of the plate while I took pictures of these little beauties.  As I was snapping away on a close-up, I caught movement out of the corner of my eye... I pulled away from the camera just in time to see a strawberry make its way back to the plate with one small bite gone!  It was so cute I had to laugh.  And by the time I was done with my "photo shoot" there was another strawberry missing a chunk from it's middle and yet another that had gotten a good lick.  As I was laughing at my two year old and my failure to save the strawberries from little hands, I was reminded that this is what it is all about!  All the sisters love to cook, but what we really love the most about it is the way it brings our family together.  Have a fabulous 4th of July!!

4th of July Strawberries
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

Strawberries, washed and dried
White chocolate
Blue sugar, edible glitter, or sprinkles (blue sugar is shown in the picture)

Place blue sugar in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave on 50% power for two minutes.  Stir until the bowl is no longer warm.  Then microwave for 30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring after each, until the chocolate is completely melted. Dip the lower two thirds of the strawberries in the melted white chocolate.  Then, dip the lower third of the strawberries in the blue sugar or spoon it onto the strawberry.  Place on wax paper or Silpat until completely cool.

Recipe source: here, here and here

Layered Drinks

Layered Drinks
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

There is only one word for layered drinks -- FUN!  Kids are crazy about these, and every adult I've served layered drinks to has loved them, too.  Plus, you know me... I love easy, quick ways to make special occasions even more special.  I featured a red, white and blue drink for the Fourth of July, but these drinks are great for baby showers, birthday parties, summer barbecues... you name it!  Have fun and let us all know what combination of drinks turned out well for you.

Directions:
Choose 2-3 drinks with different sugar contents for the layers (for example: 30 g sugar, 15 g sugar, 0 g sugar).  Now fill your cup with ice all the way to the top.  Pour the drink with the highest sugar content into the cup, filling it approximately one third full.  For the second layer, pour the second drink with the lower sugar content slowly through the ice to fill approximately the second third of the glass full.  Finally, pour the sugar-free or lowest sugar drink slowly through the ice until you've reached the top of the glass.  Enjoy!

(4th of July Layered Drink: Sobe Pina Colada, Gatorade Fruit Punch, G2 Blueberry-Pomegranate)

Patriotic Berries and Cream Trifle

Are you having one more little 4th of July Celebration today? If so this is an easy and fun dessert to serve! It was a big hit at our gathering on Friday after my son's baptism.
I served it with a Peanut Butter Chocolate Trifle found here. They were both wonderful! I especially loved that I was able to serve the desserts on my great Grandmothers china plates. Aren't they beautiful? :)

Berries and Cream Triflesubmitted by Melanie

1 recipe for Perfect Pound cake found here OR
2 Sara Lee pound cake loaves found in the freezer section
2-3 cups of Strawberries
2 cups of blueberries
1 5.1 oz instant vanilla or lemon pudding
2 cups heavy cream
2 TB powdered sugar

Bake your pound cake in 2 large loaf pans, or use the Sara Lee pound cake loaves. Cut the cake in half horizontally so it is thin enough to punch our stars with a cookie cutter. Cut out 6-8 stars. I like to use different sizes--but the one pictures just has small ones because I am visiting my Mom and that is all she had:) Cube the rest of the cake. I didn't use all of the perfect pound cake recipe. I put half of one of loaves in the freezer for later use.
Wash your berries and slice your strawberries.
Make pudding according to the package directions. Using your kitchen beaters or mixer whip the cream with the powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Fold the cream into the pudding.
In a trifle bowl, start out with cubes of cake, then put about half of the pudding mixture, and then half of the blueberries and strawberries. After the berries, then carefully put the cut out cake stars upright against the inside of the bowl, nestled into the berries and pudding. Finish off with another layer of cake cubes, pudding, and berries. I like to put a couple of stars on top with the berries in a fun design.
Chill for a couple of hours and serve!

Apple Pie Deluxe

With the 4th of the July just around the corner, what is more patriotic than apple pie?! You can add this pie recipe to your celebration feast... everyone will be raving! This is another fabulous recipe from Grandma Rice. With the fresh crisp apples tossed in sugar and lemon, a buttery crumb topping sprinkled over the apples, and topped with a flaky crust... this pie cannot be beat. It is delicious!! Thanks to Martha Stewart for the idea of the stars and stripes! Cute, isn't it? I just love Independence Day... a celebration of our freedom and the lives of the brave men and women that forged this incredible nation. Thank you! May we all never take it for granted. Have a wonderful 4th of July!!

Apple Pie Deluxe

submitted by Brittany

 

printable recipe here

 

1 double pie crust (click here for Barefoot Contessa's Perfect Pie Crust) *the reason I didn't post Grandma's crust is because it is written to make 5 double pie crusts! Wow - that that is quite the woman thae woman that will make 5 pies at a time! :)

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tb flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp lemon juice

6 cups apples, peeled and sliced (Granny Smith work great)

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 flour

Pour lemon juice over sliced apples. Combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Coat apples with mixture. Put in unbaked pie shell. Mix butter, brown sugar, and flour (cut with pastry blender, two knives or rub with fingers). Sprinkle over apples. Cover with top of pastry - lattice top looks wonderful. If you decide not to do a lattice, make sure you cut out shapes or cut slits in the top so steam can escape. [To do this easily, gently fold top pastry in fourths then cut shapes/slits at the straight edges (like you would to make paper snowflakes). Then place the folded dough on top the pie and unfold over apple filling.] Cut excess dough from around the edge and seal the edges as desired. Bake at 425 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Serve warm or cold with vanilla ice cream.

 

*To make the stars and stripes, simply cut strips of pastry dough with a pizza cutter and star shapes with a cookie cutter. Place over apple filling as desired and bake! There a lots of cute designs you can do with the stars and stripes theme so have fun!