Fresh Fourth of July Recipes

CL ladies – planning or heading to a Fourth of July party this year? Try these delicious recipes; they are sure to be a hit!

Appetizers: Finger foods are always winners.

Asparagus Wraps – I read this recipe in a cooking magazine last summer, lost the magazine, but the recipe stuck. Why?  Because you can barely tell you are eating asparagus!

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 small jar pimentos

1 onion, cut in half

1 lb. asparagus

2 packages Pillsbury crescent rolls

Bread crumbs

Butter

Salt

Pepper

1. Soften cream cheese.
2. Put half of the onion in a plastic bag and store in refrigerator. Put other half and the pimentos in a blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend until onions and pimentos are very fine. Stir mixture into cream cheese.

3.    Fill a casserole dish with 2 inches of water and put in asparagus. Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes or until tender (to test, poke with a fork – if the fork goes in easily, the asparagus is done).

4.     Cut asparagus into one-inch pieces.

5.     Spread cream cheese, onion and pimento mix onto crescent rolls. Add three pieces of asparagus to each.

6.     Roll crescent rolls and pinch edges so cream cheese does not spill out.

7.     Melt butter and pour over rolls. Sprinkle bread crumbs.

8.     Heat according to Pillsbury crescent roll directions on a cookie sheet.

Spinach Dip – Dip is always a quick and easy party pleaser. Try this one from finger-food-recipes.com.

1 packet vegetable soup mix

1 16 oz. container sour cream

1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained

1 loaf of round bread

1. “In a medium bowl, blend spinach, sour cream and dry vegetable soup mix.

2. Cut off top of bread loaf and pinch out pieces from center, creating a bread bowl. Keep the bread pieces.

3. Spoon the mixture into the bread bowl.”

“Serve with crackers and the bread pieces you removed from the center.”

Drinks: Try these simple syrups from Cooking Light.

Mint-Lime Syrup Iced Tea – Iced tea is a great way to cool off in the summer heat – the mint and lime make it even cooler!

“Place ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves in a small bowl. Add 3 (2-inch) stripes of lime ring and hot Simple Syrup; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Strain mixtures through a sieve; discard solids.”

Raspberry-Chambord Syrup Iced Tea – Great while raspberries are in season!

“Place 1 cup fresh raspberries in a small bowl; mash with a fork. Add hot Simple Syrup and 2 tablespoons Chambord; cover and let stand 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve; discard solids.”

 

Main Courses – Meat lover or vegetarian, we have one for you!

Cheesy Stuffed Burges – Try this modern take on hamburgers from Gwyneth Paltrow’s new cookbook My Father’s Daughter.

1 Tsp extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup peeled and finely minced yellow onion

1 Tbsp very finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 lb ground turkey (or ground beef chuck)

½ tsp coarse salt

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ cup coarsely grated cheese of your choice

4 sprouted grain or whole-wheat burger buns

1. “Heat oil in a small skillet over low heat. Add onion and rosemary; cook until soft and sweet, about 10 minutes. Let onion mixture cool a bit, and put it in a large mixing bowl, with turkey, salt, and pepper.

2.   Combine ingredients with a wooden spoon or with your hands. Divide mixture into quarters. Cut each quarter in half and form into 2 patties. Place 2 Tbsp cheese on one patty; place other patty on top, pinching edges together. Repeat with remaining patties.

3.   Preheat grill to high. Cook burgers 5 minutes on one side; flip then cook until burgers are browned and firm, about 4 minutes.

4.   Serve on buns with all your favorite fixings.”

An Ode to Rachael Ray’s Brown Butter and Balsamic Ravioli – I learned this Rachael Ray recipe a few years ago, but it is a bit time-consuming; here is a simpler, quicker version I have discovered.

 1 bag cheese or mushroom ravioli

1 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp fig-infused, white wine or regular balsamic vinegar

1 tsp dried basil

1 Tbsp fresh basil

1 box strawberries, sliced

Salt

Pepper

Parmesan cheese

1. Boil a pot of water and cook ravioli until al dente. Strain and put into bowl.

2.    Melt butter in microwave. Pour over ravioli.

3.   Add vinegar and dried basil to bowl. Stir.

4.   Add salt and pepper to ravioli mixture to taste.

5.   Put ravioli on serving plate. Chop fresh basil and sprinkle onto ravioli, along with parmesan cheese.

6.   Slice strawberries. Add as garnish.

Deserts – Chocolate or fruit lover, we have you covered!

Easy Oreo Truffles – Easy to prepare and totally tasty! Found on the back of a coupon.

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

1 1 lb 2 oz. package of Oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 4 ½ cups), divided

2 packages of chocolate chips

1. “Mix cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended. 
2. Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.”

An Ode to Sweet Treat’s Strawberries and Mascarpone Bars - The original recipe is delicious, but expensive and time consuming. Try this version that is lighter on the CL girl’s budget.

1 box strawberries, sliced

1 Pillsbury pastry sheet

1 8-oz. container cream cheese

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted.

1. Bake Pillsbury pastry sheet according to directions. Let cool.
2. Soften cream cheese.
3. Slice strawberries and stir into cream cheese. Spread strawberry and cream cheese mixture over pastry sheet.
4. Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler and drizzle melted chocolate over pastry.

Debra Schreiber is a senior at Duquesne University where she studies journalism and Spanish. She loves cake decorating, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the television show So You Think You Can Dance, hitting the gym, and her lovely Alpha Sigma Tau sisters!