Fourth of July Spectacular

The 4th of July is upon us...in case you haven't looked at the calender lately, it's this Friday.  I'm going away again this year, but if I were hosting festivities at home I would want to think outside the same ol' burgers and hot dogs.  Since its a 4th of July weekend, burgers and dogs might get old by Sunday. 

Think outside the box and leave the burgers and hot dogs to the kids! Finish planning your party menu...try something new. I have one stop shopping for you this week: Apps, drinks, main dishes, sides, and deserts, in that order.  Have a happy and safe holiday!

Appetizers

Caprese Salad Kabobs

• 24 grape tomatoes
• 12 cherry-size fresh mozzarella cheese balls (can't find the cheese? Chunk up string cheese)
• 24 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt/Pepper to taste

1. On each of 12 wooden appetizer skewers, alternately thread two tomatoes, one cheese ball and two basil leaves
2. place on a serving plate.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the oil and vinegar;
4. drizzle over kabobs just before serving. Serves 12 

J.J.'s Buffalo Chicken Dip

• ½ lb chicken breast seasoned, cooked, shredded
• 2 [8 ounce]packages cream cheese
• 1 cup Ranch dressing – Must use Hidden Valley for this!
• 3/4 cup red hot sauce – I use Texas Pete Garlic
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (sharp is incredible) or Colby jack or mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350. Place cream cheese in pan and put in oven to get soft. 10 to 15 minutes. When soft mix hot sauce, ranch, and chicken…smooth and top with cheese. Place back in oven serve after everything is warm and bubbly. Serve with Rippled Chips and/or Frito Scoops

Drinks

Raspberry Fizz

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 cups cranberry juice
• 3 cups seltzer
• 1 cup ginger ale
• 1 pint raspberry sorbet

1. In a small saucepan over high heat, combine the sugar and 1/2 cup of water.
2. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and add the lime juice.
4. Let the lime syrup cool to room temperature.
5. In a large pitcher, combine 1/2 cup of lime syrup with the cranberry juice, seltzer, and ginger ale.
6. To serve, pour into glasses
7. top with scoops of raspberry sorbet. Serves 6

Red, White & Blue Sangria

• 2 bottles favorite white wine
• 1 cup triple sec
• 1/2 cup berry-flavored vodka
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 cup simple syrup
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 1/2 cups hulled and sliced strawberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks  

1. Combine all ingredients in a large punch bowl or pitcher
2. Stir well.
3. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
4. Serve well-chilled with a good scoop of fruit floating in each drink
5. serve over ice. 8 – 10 servings

Tip: Freeze some blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries to put in glasses instead of letting ice water it down. 

Main Dishes

Grilled Buttermilk Chicken

• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 8 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 6 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, legs, or quarters (double marinade for quarters)

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, garlic, paprika, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ¾ teaspoon pepper.
2. Divide the buttermilk mixture and chicken between 2 large resealable plastic bags. Let marinate in the refrigerator, turning the bags occasionally, for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
3. Heat grill to medium-low.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard the marinade)
5. Grill, covered, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves 8

J.J.'s Juicy Lucy

• 1 – ½ lbs grand beef, turkey, or chicken
• ½ pouch onion soup mix (Avoiding salt? Use ¼ cup chopped onions or 2 tablespoons dry onions instead )
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 slices Swiss, cheddar, and/or American cheese

1. Gently mix meat with onion and spices.
2. Shape beef into 12 thin patties.
3. Top six patties with a slice of cheddar cheese and Swiss cheese.
4. Top each with another patty and seal edges. Season to taste.
5. Grill beef, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160° and juices run clear.
6. Serve on buns. Serves 6 

J.J.'s Drunk Pork Chops

• 1 cups water
• 3 bottles favorite beer
• 1/8 cup coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup Real maple syrup
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 6 1- to 1 1/4-inch-thick center-cut pork chops
• 7 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 teaspoons chipotle powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons dry mustard

1. Combine 2 cups water, beer, 1/8 cup salt, sugar, and maple in large bowl.
2. Stir until salt and sugar dissolve.
3. Stir in ice.
4. Place pork chops in large resealable plastic bag.
5. Pour beer brine over pork chops; seal bag.
6. Refrigerate 4 hours, turning bag occasionally.
7. Prepare grill (medium-high heat).
8. Remove pork chops from beer brine
9. Pat dry
10. Mix garlic, chipotle, 2 teaspoons salt, and mustard in small bowl.
11. Rub garlic mixture over both sides of pork chops.
12. Grill pork chops until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of chops registers 145°F to 150°F, about 10 minutes per side, occasionally moving chops to cooler part of rack if burning.
13. Transfer chops to platter
14. Cover with foil
15. let stand 5 minutes. Serves 6

Sides

I love my Mom's beans. Mom is well known for great baked beans. Often requested, almost always the first thing to run out at gatherings. I had to take her recipe and make it my own of course. The significant other who claims not to like baked beans will eat these.  

J.J.'s Not Quite Mama's Baked Beans

• 2 16 oz cans of Pork and Beans – Van Camps are the best if you can get them in your area.
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard
• ¼ cup chopped onions
• 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 3 slices of bacon, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Mix beans with pork, onions, brown sugar and ketchup together
3. Put in a greased casserole dish.
4. Top with bacon
5. Cover and bake for 3 hours or until thick.

Grilled Cauliflower

• 1 head cauliflower
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons seasoning salt (I use Complete)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Remove stem& leaves from cauliflower.
2. Wash& pat dry.
3. Spread the oil over the cauliflower.
4. Sprinkle with seasoned salt& cheese.
5. Wrap head of cauliflower in heavy duty aluminum foil.
6. Grill over medium heat about 40 minutes or until desired tenderness (test with toothpick).

Deserts

Strawberry Ice Cream Cake

• 2 pints vanilla ice cream
• 20 small strawberries, hulled and cut into small pieces (2 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon sugar

1. Line the bottom of a 9-inch spring-form pan with parchment paper or foil.
2. Place the pan in freezer to chill, about 10 minutes.
3. Scoop the ice cream into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with a paddle attachment until it's soft but still holds its shape, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the strawberries and beat until the ice cream is pink and the berries start to break down, about 1 more minute.
5. Transfer to the chilled pan and spread to smooth the surface.
6. Freeze until firm, 2 hours or overnight (if overnight, wrap in plastic to prevent freezer burn).
7. Whip the heavy cream and sugar in a clean bowl to form soft peaks. (make it an adult cake...add a couple of tablespoons of spiced rum in with the cream as you whip it)
8. Remove the cake from the spring-form ring, running a knife around the edge, if necessary.
9. Spread the cream over the cake.
10. Use a hot chef's knife to slice the cake into wedges. Serves 8

Lemon Fruit Dip

• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• Assorted fresh fruits

1. In a small bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick).
2. Whisk in sour cream.
3. Chill until serving.
4. Serve with fruit. Makes 1-2/3 cups.

Have a cupcake and drink it too!

Today is National Blueberry Popover Day!

In today's issue...

• Blueberry Popovers
• Vodka!

 Blueberry Popovers

In honor of today being national blueberry popover day!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 equal-sized pieces
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or you could use blueberry vodka!
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, or to taste
• 1 lemon, halved

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.    Put a piece of butter into each of 6 large muffin cups.
3.      Put muffin tin in preheated oven until butter melts, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
4.      Beat milk, eggs, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla together in a large bowl. Whisk flour into the milk mixture until you have a batter. Divide batter between muffin cups. Drop even amounts of blueberries into each batter portion. Stir 1 tablespoon sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over the batter portions.
5.   Bake in preheated oven for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until popovers are no longer moist in the center, about 25 minutes. Dust tops of popovers with confectioners' sugar. Squeeze lemon juice over popovers. Serve warm.

 Yield: 6

I remember ages (and I do mean ages) ago when I turned 21 there was one type of vodka or one type I knew about...the plain old kind.   Then around 1999 Absolut came out with Mandrin and it just exploded from there. I wasn't much interested in flavored vodkas until I was introduced the the adult cherry Coke made with cherry flavored vodka or the delicious cotton candy vodka by Pinnacle.  

Cupcake Martini

Ingredients

• 1 1/2oz Cake Vodka
• 1 1/2oz Whipped Cream Vodka
• 1 1/2oz White Creme de Cacao
• 1/2oz Amaretto 
• 1/2oz White Chocolate Liqueur
• 1oz Heavy Whipping Cream
• Ice
• White Icing
• Sprinkles

Directions

1. Place ice in martini glasses to chill the glass.
   
2. Place sprinkles on a shallow plate that is a little larger than the mouth of your martini glass.
3. In another shallow plate, cover bottom with white icing.
4. Dump ice out of glass.
5. Dip the rim of the martini glass in icing.
6. Dip glass into sprinkles to rim the edges.
7. Combine remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for about 30 seconds.
8. Strain into martini glasses and drink!

Make ahead: For a big party, mix up a big batch of these and store in a large pitcher in the fridge. Shake a glass at a time over ice whenever ready to serve!

Adult Cherry Coke 

  Ingredients

• 1 1/2oz  Cherry Vodka
• 3 floz Cola
• 1/2oz Grenadine 
• Maraschino Cherries

Directions

1.   Fill glass with ice. 
2. Add Cherry Vodka, cola, and grenadine. 
3. Stir well. 
4. Garnish with cherry.

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is probably my second favorite holiday. My ex and I used to have a huge Halloween party every year...I tried it the last couple years by myself with a huge failing.  I skipped it this year and even though its a little late, I decided to share some of my favorite recipes from these parties.

Kitty Litter Cake

• 1 box German chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare
• 1 box  white cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare
• 2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 package vanilla sandwich cookies
• 3 drops green food coloring
• 1 package (12 ounce size) tootsie rolls

Prepare cake mixes and bake according to package directions (any size pan). Prepare pudding according to package directions and chill until ready to assemble.

Crumble sandwich cookies in small batches in a food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup add a few drops of green food coloring and mix.

When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl. Toss with 1/2 of the remaining cookie crumbs, and the chilled pudding. You probably won't need all of the pudding, you want the cake to be just moist, not soggy. Line a clean, new kitty litter box with a kitty litter liner.

Put cake mixture into box. Put half of the unwrapped tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until softened. Shape the ends so that they are no longer blunt, and curve the tootsie rolls slightly. Bury tootsie rolls randomly in the cake and sprinkle with half of the remaining cookie crumbs.

Sprinkle a small amount of the green colored cookie crumbs lightly over the top. Heat 3 or 4 of the tootsie rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake and sprinkle lightly with some of the green cookie crumbs. Heat the remaining tootsie rolls until pliable and shape as before. Spread all but one randomly over top of cake mixture. Sprinkle with any remaining cookie crumbs. Hang the remaining tootsie roll over side of litter box and sprinkle with a few green cookie crumbs.

To serve use the clean, new the pooper scooper for a gross Halloween dessert.



Day Old Bathwater Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 can (12 ounce size) frozen lemonade
• 1 can (12 ounce size) frozen pink lemonade
• 1 can (12 ounce size) frozen limeade
• 1/2 gallon rainbow sherbet

PREPARATION:

About 45 minutes before serving time, set cans of lemon and limeade and the container of sherbet out to thaw. After 15 minutes, scoop out half of the sherbet's containers contents and place it into a brownish color. Place the remaining sherbet back in.

Prepare lemon and limeades according to the package directions and pour into the punch bowl.

Carefully float spoonfuls of the brown blended sherbet on top of the lemonade mixture, spreading it around to look like dirty brown suds. Do not stir. Use a ladle to serve punch in cups.

Sicko serving suggestion: Float a handful of green, yellow and white tiny after dinner mints (tiny bars of soap), on top of your scummy punch.

Chunky Cat Barf

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 large spaghetti squash
• 8 ounces cottage cheese
• 16 ounces Mozzarella cheese (grated)
• 8 ounces Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 quart spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

PREPARATION:

Cook squash. Fork out insides into a giant casserole dish. Add cottage cheese, spaghetti sauce, peppers, and half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Mix until it looks like cat barf.
Top with the remaining cheeses.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 45 minutes.


Melted Fingers Pizzas

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 red bell pepper
• 12 sticks (1 ounce each) mozzarella
• 8 small (about 5" diam.) baked pizza crusts
• 1 cup purchased pizza sauce

PREPARATION:

Core, stem and seed pepper; cut lengthwise into 1"-wide strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 1/2" pieces (fingernails). Round corners on one end of each piece.

Cut each cheese stick in half crosswise. On rounded end of each stick (finger), cut out a 1/2"-square notch into which a pepper piece will fit to make a nail.
Lay crusts slightly apart on 3 baking sheets, each 12x15". Spread 2 Tbsp. sauce evenly over each crust. Lay 3 cheese fingers well apart on each crust: fit a red pepper nail onto each. Bake in a 450 degrees F oven until cheese just begins to melt, about 8 minutes.

Vampire's Kiss

 

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1/2 oz. dry gin
•  1/2 oz. dry vermouth
•  1 tbsp. tequila
•  Pinch of salt
• 2 oz. tomato juice

 Old Fashioned glass, shake with ice, strain over ice.