BBQ Ideas

APPETIZER RECIPE: CHIPS & CHEESE DIP!

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/2 cups Cracker Barrel Vermont White Cheddar Cheese shredded
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 3 ounces cream cheese softened
• 1/3 cup diced Vidalia onion
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon herbs de provence
• 1/4 teaspoon creole seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients until mixed thoroughly. Place in baking dish.
2. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling hot!
3. Enjoy with star shaped pita chips!

4^TH OF JULY FIRE CRACKER DOGS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 can refrigerated breadstick dough
• 2 packages -16 hot dogs
• 16 thick slices Colby cheese
• 16 skewers

DIRECTIONS

1. First, take your skewers and stick them all the way through your hot dogs leaving about an inch and a half exposed out of the top of each hot dog. Then take a piece of breadstick dough and carefully wrap it around the hot dog until you get to the top. Place the wrapped dogs on a parchment paper and bake according to the package directions for the breadstick dough. (About 20 minutes at 350).
2. Slice pieces of cheese that are 1/4″-3/8″ Then using a small star cookie cutter cut out your stars.
3. After your dogs have cooled for 2-3 minutes, stick the star through the skewer at the top.
4. Instead of a pail, use your Beachmate bucket with a styrofoam ball hidden by crinkly papers to display them here, which would also be a great way to display them at a gathering. Or, you can also just layer them on top of each other on a plate. Enjoy!

FRUIT SPARKLERS

Healthy Snack for the Kids!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole watermelon
• 16 ounces fresh blueberries
• Bamboo skewers

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut watermelon vertically into 1 inch thick slices. 
2. Use a small star cookie cutter to cut out star shapes from the flesh of each watermelon round.
3. Thread 7-10 blueberries into the center of each bamboo skewer, leaving enough space at the end for someone to be able to comfortably hold it, and a space at the top for the watermelon star.
4. Place the watermelon star on top and set the fruit sparklers on a serving tray. Cover and refrigerate until ready to enjoy.

Drink Ideas

BOOZY SNOW CONES

An adult drink to make you feel like a kid again!

Yields: ½ cup of each syrup, enough for 12 snow cones

Cook time: 12 minutes, plus time to cool

INGREDIENTS

• 1 c sugar
• 1/2 c water
• crushed ice

For red syrup

• 1 c strawberries, halved
• ¼ c white rum

For blue syrup

• juice of 1 lime
• ¼ c blue curacao

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, and then reduce to a simmer, and stirring cook for two minutes.
2. For red syrup: Pour half of the simple syrup - about 1/2 cup - over the strawberries. Allow to macerate for 1 hour, then puree in a blender with the white rum. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and reserve
3. For blue syrup: Combine remaining syrup, lime juice, and curacao. Stir to combine completely. Chill syrups until ready to serve.
4. To make ice: Use a snow cone machine or blend ice in a blender.
5. Scoop crushed ice into glasses, then squirt syrups over packed, crushed ice and enjoy! For a more intense red color, add a drop or two of red food coloring.

RED WHITE AND BLUE SANGRIA

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bottle (750 ml) Pinot Noir wine
• 1-1/2 cups cranberry juice
• 1 cup brandy
• juice from one large orange
• simple syrup
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 6-8 ounces fresh red raspberries
• 6 ounces blackberries
• 1 large apple sliced very thin

DIRECTIONS

1. To a large pitcher add wine, cranberry juice, brandy, orange juice and simple syrup.
2. Add blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and apple. Chill overnight.
3. Fill six glasses 1/2 full of ice and use a slotted spoon to add fruit from the pitcher to each glass. Pour liquid over ice and fruit and serve.
4. For the simple syrup, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until sugar is dissolved. Cool completely.

4^th OF JULY MILKSHAKES
A kid-friendly drink!

INGREDIENTS

• Vanilla ice cream
• Milk
• Red and blue food coloring
• Whipped cream
• Red, white and blue sprinkles

DIRECTIONS

1. Add 2-3 BIG scoops of ice cream, ½ cup of milk, and blue food coloring to a blender. Blend and pour into cold glasses. Place into freezer.
2. Rinse the blender and make a white layer with ice cream and milk. Add to the cold glasses.
3. Rinse and add ice cream, milk, and red food coloring to make the red layer. Top off the glass then add the whipped cream and sprink.es
4. Serve and enjoy!

Dessert Ideas

FIREWORKS SUGAR COOKIE CAKE

INGREDIENTS

COOKIE CAKE:

• 3/4 cup unsalted Challenge Butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup M&Ms (Use patriotic M&Ms for the 4th of July)
• 1/2 sprinkles (use red and white for the 4th of July)

FROSTING:

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream or milk

DIRECTIONS

5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9” round cake-pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Make the cookie cake: Beat butter and sugar with a hand or a stand mixer until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla, then mix in baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Slowly mix in flour. Stir in M&Ms and sprinkles.
7. Press batter into prepared pan, pressing more M&Ms onto the top as desired. Bake for 19-22 minutes or until the edges are just turning a light golden brown. It’s better to under bake this dough than over bake it. The cake will continue cooking a bit as it cools so err on the side of underdone for the best tasting cookie. Let it cool completely before frosting.
8. Make the frosting: beat butter until smooth, then slowly beat in powdered sugar until crumbly. Add salt and vanilla, then add 1 teaspoon of heavy whipping cream. Beat until smooth, adding another teaspoon of heavy whipping cream to get a spreadable texture.
9. To frost: use a 1M tip and a ziplock or piping bag to decorate the cookie cake. Top with more sprinkles and M&Ms.
10. Store loosely covered for up to 2 days.

CHEESECAKE STUFFED STRAWBERRIES

INGREDIENTS

• 24 + large fresh strawberries (1 1/2 to 2 lbs.)
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut the stems from the strawberries, so the strawberries can sit cut-side down.
2. Cut a deep "X" from the tip down, being careful not to cut all the way through.
3. Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with a hand mixer until nice and fluffy.
4. Gently open up each strawberry and pipe the filling inside using a pastry bag or zip-top bag with a star piping tip. Don't have a pastry bag or piping tip? Just cut off the corner of a zip-top bag and squeeze the cheesecake filling inside the strawberries that way.
5. Top each filled strawberry with a blueberry. These are best served after the strawberries have been chilled for at least an hour. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days depending on how firm/soft the strawberries are.

And of course, don’t forget to use our American Flag Turkish Towel as a table topper or flag this 4^th of July!