Patriotic 4th of July recipes you need to try this weekend
For this Fourth of July, bring something special to your cookout with friends and family.
Spice up the drink table with a Firecracker Sangria or add a touch of sweetness for dessert with Puff Pastry Star Cookies. Your friends will love a tasty, simple peach cobbler with homemade whipped cream and will be snacking away on Cornmeal Hushpuppies.
If you’re an adventurous cook in the kitchen, try making the Crab Cake Sliders. They’re a bit of work, but sure to be absolutely delicious and something new and different to serve.
You’ll be sure to make these again as a summer treat.
Puff Pastry Star Cookies
Note: If at any point the dough starts to feel soft during assembly, put it on parchment paper-lined baking sheets and refrigerate until slightly firm, but not stiff. Then proceed.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour, for work surface
- 2 sheets (1 17.3 ounce package) puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup jam, jelly or fruit preserves
- Sanding sugar for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
On a lightly floured work station, roll each sheet of puff pastry into a 10 by 12 inch rectangle. Using a 3 1/2 inch star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 12 stars from each sheet. Transfer to baking sheets.
Brush the tips of the stars with egg and spoon about a teaspoon of jam onto the center of each star. Using a 1 3/4 inch star shaped cookie cutter, cut out smaller star shapes from the centers of the remaining 12 larger stars.
Place stars with the holes over the jam, doing your best to line up the points. Press edges to seal. Brush tops with egg and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake, rotating halfway through, until golden brown or about 10-12 minutes. Cool before serving. Cookies can be made 2 days ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.
Firecracker Sangria
Recipe by Country Living
Makes about 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 2 (750-ml) bottles Vinho Verde or other dry white wine, chilled
- 2 cup white grape juice or apple juice, chilled
- 1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved (quartered if large)
- 1 cup raspberries
- 1 cup blueberries
- Club soda or seltzer, chilled for serving
Directions
Combine wine, juice and fruit in a punch bowl or pitcher. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 6 hours. Serve over ice with a splash of club soda.
Crab Cake Sliders
Recipe by Food Network
Makes about 15 sliders
Ingredients
- 18 mini potato buns
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked through
- 10 strips bacon
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
- Freshly ground pepper
- Diced red onion, sliced tomatoes and lettuce for topping
- Pickles for serving
Directions
Prepare the crab cakes: Tear 3 buns into small pieces to make about 3/4 cup; put in a medium bowl.
Whisk 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, the melted butter, egg, Old Bay, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another bowl.
Add the mayonnaise mixture to the bun pieces and stir to combine; let sit 10 minutes, then gently fold in the crabmeat.
Brush a baking sheet with butter. Tightly pack the crab mixture into 15 small patties and arrange on the prepared baking sheet; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange bacon on rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and bake until slightly crispy or about 20 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, saving 1 tablespoon of drippings.
Break each piece of bacon into thirds, set aside. Combine remaining 1/2 cup mayonnaise, lemon zest and bacon drippings in a bowl; season with salt and pepper.
Preheat the broiler. Arrange the remaining 15 buns cut-side up on a baking sheet; brush with butter and broil until golden.
Transfer the crab cakes to the broiler and cook, rotating the pan as needed, until golden and warmed through, about 6 minutes.
Spread cut sides of buns with lemon mayonnaise. Sprinkle with diced red onion. Serve with tomatoes, lettuce, bacon and pickles.
Mama’s Cornmeal Hushpuppies
Recipe by Food Network
Makes about 48 hushpuppies
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising white cornmeal
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 1 large jalapeno, chopped fine
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 8 cups peanut oil for frying
Directions
In a large bowl, mix the cornmeal, onions, jalapeno and a pinch of salt. Add enough of the buttermilk to make a stiff batter. You may not need the whole 2 cups.
Heat the peanut oil in a deep fryer or a large heavy bottomed pot to 250 degrees F.
Drop the batter into the hot oil by teaspoonfuls. The hushpuppies will turn over in the oil as they cook. They are done when they are brown all over, 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and season with salt. Keep the hushpuppies warm while you fry the remaining batter. Serve hot.
Note: If you can’t find self-rising cornmeal, substitute 2 cups cornmeal plus 3 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Easy Peach Cobbler
Recipe by Food Network
Makes about 8 servings
Ingredients
- Two 15-ounce cans sliced peaches in syrup
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
- 1 cup self-rising flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
For the Homemade Whipped Cream
- 2 cups whipping cream, chilled
- 4 tablespoons sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drain 1 can of peaches; reserve the syrup from the other. Place the butter in a 9- by 12-inch ovenproof baking dish.
Heat the butter on the stove or in the oven until it’s melted. In a medium bowl, mix the flour and sugar. Stir in the milk and the reserved syrup.
Pour the batter over the melted butter in the baking dish. Arrange the peaches over the batter.
Bake for 1 hour. The cobbler is done when the batter rises around the peaches and the crust is thick and golden brown. Serve warm with fresh whipped cream.
For the Homemade Whipped Cream
Chill a large metal mixing bowl and the wire beater attachment in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Pour the chilled cream and sugar into the cold mixing bowl and beat until it forms soft peaks, about 5 minutes.
The mixture should hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Don’t overbeat or you’ll have sweetened butter.
Note: If you don’t have self-rising flour, use 1 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
