Independence Day

In July of 1776, bells rang out over Philadelphia signaling the approval of Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress.

Betsy Ross would often tell her children, grandchildren and friends of the fateful day in May, 1776 when a secret committee from the Continental Congress asked her to sew the first flag.

In June of 1776, in anticipation of a vote for independence, the Continental Congress appointed a committee to compose a document declaring the colonies' independence from Britain. That committee then delegated the task to Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence in Congressionally imposed secrecy.

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

The National Anthem of the United States of America, written by Francis Scott Key, is a song that stirs emotion in many a citizen.

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER
By Francis Scott Key

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

The Statue of Liberty!!

The Statue of Liberty National Monument officially celebrated her 100th birthday on October 28, 1986. The people of France gave the Statue to the people of the United States over one hundred years ago in recognition of the friendship established during the American Revolution. Over the years, the Statue of Liberty has grown to include freedom and democracy as well as this international friendship.

The giant sculpture, designed by the French sculptor Frederick Auguste Bartholdi, was given by France to the United States to commemorate the centennial of US independence and Bartholdi`s intention was to honor the idea of liberty.

Many people believed Charlotte Bartholdi (1801-1891) was the model for the statue. Others thought it was based on her son's early drawings for a never-commissioned statue in Egypt. The sculptor's true inspiration for his masterpiece remains a mystery.

Bartholdi began his career as a painter, but it was as a sculptor that he was to express his true spirit and gain his greatest fame. His first commission for a public monument came to him at the young age of 18. It was for a statue of one of Colmar's native sons, General Jean Rapp, one of Napoleon Bonaparte's generals. Even at 18, Bartholdi loved bigness. The statue of the general was 12 feet tall and was removed from Bartholdi's studio with only one inch to spare. The statue established his reputation as a sculptor of note and led to commissions for similar oversized patriotic works.

A man of his time, Bartholdi wasn't alone in his passion for art on a grand scale. During the 19th century, large-scale public monuments were an especially popular art form. It was an age of ostentation, largely inspired by classical Greek and Roman civilizations. Most monuments reflected either the dress or architecture of these ancient times, so the artistic style of the 19th century came to be known as neoclassical.

However, it was a trip to Egypt that was to shift his artistic perspective from simply grand to colossal. The overwhelming size and mysterious majesty of the Pyramids and the Sphinx were awesome to the enthusiastic young Bartholdi. He wrote, "Their kindly and impassive glance seems to ignore the present and to be fixed upon an unlimited future."

While visiting Egypt, Bartholdi met a fellow Frenchman with ideas as big as his own who was to become his friend for life. Count Ferdinand-Marie de Lesseps dreamed of piercing the desert with a canal that would run from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. While others first laughed at de Lesseps, Bartholdi was inspired by the magnitude of the idea. As a sculptor, he envisioned a giant lighthouse standing at the entrance to de Lesseps's canal. It would be patterned after the Roman goddess Libertas, and twice the size of the Sphinx.

Facts About Miss Liberty!
* Actual Title of Statue: "Liberty Enlightening the World"
* Date Construction of the Statue began in France: 1875
* Date of Final Assembly of statue & pedestal: 1886
* The Statue of Liberty is a 225-ton, steel-reinforced copper female figure, 152 ft. in height, facing the ocean from Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The right hand holds aloft a torch, and the left hand carries a tablet upon, which is inscribed: "July IV MDCCLXXVI."

Our Country; Our Patriotic Herbs

Every country has its own way of celebrating and honoring their patriots, their independence, the bravery of their soldiers, and the remembrance of the sacrifices made for the good of all. What more beautiful way to remember than using herbs and flowers with their symbolic meanings to enhance these celebrations? Although the United States is a young country in comparison to many, we have evolved our own ways of celebrating and honoring. For instance, at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition in 1876 the peony was used to symbolize the American Spirit, ambition and determination to adapt and thrive. Our neighbors, the Canadians, celebrate the Maple as their national emblem especially on July 1st, Canada Day. The emblem itself, although not an exact representation of any one species, is a composite leaf of two of the most common maples in Canada: the sugar maple and the red maple. The maple also symbolizes reserve and familial love in the language of herbs. Canadians sing this patriotic anthem to honor their country and the queen.
The maple leaf our emblem dear
The maple leaf forever,
God save our Queen, and heaven bless
The maple leaf forever.

In the United States we can celebrate the 4th of July by using thyme, which symbolizes the courage and bravery of our fight for Independence. With nasturtiums we celebrate our patriotism and white carnations our democracy. The California laurel symbolizes perseverance and glory in the language of herbs. We place rosemary on the graves of soldiers' honoring their brave deeds with remembrance, fidelity, and devotion. Every year on Memorial Day we wear red poppies or place wreaths of them on soldiers' graves remembering and honoring their ultimate sacrifice made for our country. The symbol of red poppies came from the First World War and the red red fields of poppies that covered Flanders Fields in Belgium where many of our soldiers lost their lives. The red also symbolizes the blood they shed. The poet, John McCrae, immortalized the red poppies symbolism in his 1915 poem, In Flanders Fields.

Part of our rich history and folklore surrounds the story of, John Chapman, born in 1774, a true patriot known as 'Johnny Appleseed.' He was a very eccentric nurseryman, whose life avocation was to raise, plant and distribute apple trees. They say that he gave the trees away, but he actually charged a "flip penny bit" (six cents) for a sapling or sold them for uncollected promissory notes or accepted used clothing as payment. When poor farmers couldn't pay, he gave away his trees.
"Johnny Appleseed" collected the seeds for his trees from cider presses in Pennsylvania and transported them westward by carrying them on his back, horseback and canoe. He is attributed to planting over 35 orchards alone in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Although "Johnny Appleseed" had an uncouth appearance and wore odd clothes, he was a gregarious and generous man who was friendly with the Native Americans and knowledgeable of herbal medicine. After years of wandering and spreading his wealth, his beloved apple trees, he finally died of exposure in Indiana in 1845. The words on his gravestone say it all, "He lived for others."

The Paper Birch was a potent tree and herb used by both Native Americans and early American colonists not only for fashioning strong, light, bark canoes, but as a treatment for many maladies and conditions. One of its most important uses was its effective treatment for skin problems, including eruptions, scurvy, and burns. Decoctions of the leaves healed raw, sore throats, calmed irritations of the stomach and intestines, and reduced fevers. It was also used for kidney and bladder problems. This tree was so valuable to those who explored and settled this great country that it must be named a patriotic herb. The birch is also a singularly beautiful tree and has been designated as the National Memorial Tree for Mothers, and one located in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia has been named the National Mothers' Tree.

New Jersey Tea didn't become famous until after the Boston Tea Party, which occurred on the night of December 16, 1773. Also in December of that year, an English ship named the Greyhound sailed into Greenwich, New Jersey, and offloaded tea, which was stored in a sympathetic Tory, Sam Bowen's basement. Somehow the secret leaked out and the patriots responded on the night of December 22, 1773 when forty young American revolutionaries disguised as Indians stormed Bowen's cellar and burned the tea. The revolutionaries were placed on trial but no one would convict them because patriotic fervor was so high. So it was after the Boston and New Jersey Tea Parties that English tea was patriotically boycotted. The settlers followed the example of the Native Americans and started brewing tea with the dried leaves of a local scrub, called 'pong-pong' by the Indians and New Jersey Tea by the settlers. Although many herbs were brewed as a substitute for English tea, New Jersey tea became the best-known tea alternative of all Native American plants.

Most of our American Elm died, decimated by the fatal Dutch-elm disease, but at one time this stately tree filled our northeastern countryside. Early settlers in New England, after a long winter, found the leaves of the elm a quick source of nourishment, relieving hunger. What more appropriate than the tree under which George Washington officially took command of the Continental Army on July 3, 1775, was an elm.

The strong White Oak became renowned in American legend and history for its timber, which was used for constructing barrels, barns, bridges, buildings, and the decks and keels of ships. In Hartford, Connecticut, The Charter Oak became famous when in 1687 King James II of England tried to unit all the New England colonies under one government. Connecticut's Governor Andros tried to coerce dissidents to turn over their charter and nearly succeeded, but for a patriotic thief, who stole the charter from under their eyes and hid it in the oak. The Mercer Oak in Princeton, New Jersey, is the tree from which General Mercer, though mortally wounded, bravely directed his troops during the Revolutionary War and then died.

During the Revolutionary War feeding our soldiers was a challenge and many foods seasoned with herbs and spices were created or became popular because of it. Our origins showed themselves in a rich diversity of foods that have become symbols of our patriotic fight for freedom.

The Pennsylvania Dutch, renowned for their colonial cooking, invented Pepper Pot Soup to feed the Continental Army. New Jersey had become famous for a sauce made with wild cranberries, created for the whalers to prevent scurvy, helped save the Continental Army.

Gingerbread was hard and would keep for years and became a staple for American soldiers. At the onslaught of the Revolutionary War, the British Army exported our entire rice crop to England, leaving no seeds for future crops. Thomas Jefferson smuggled rice seed from Italy to allow South Carolina to produce the rice they loved so much.

Andrew Jackson, during the war of 1812, led Tennessee backwoodsmen and frontiersmen. They were so impressed with his stamina and courage that they dubbed him 'Old Hickory', after the strong hickory tree, which symbolizes glory in the language of herbs. Voters would show support for 'Old Hickory', during his 1828 election campaign, by erecting hickory posts on their property.

President Reagan signed a proclamation on November 20, 1986 making the Rose our National Floral Emblem. It's not surprising, considering our heritage, that England's national floral emblem is also the rose. Four states adopted the rose as their floral emblem: New York, Georgia, Iowa and North Dakota. The wild rose was engraved on the "silver service" presented to the battleship USS Iowa. Roses symbolize success, which embodies our country like no other in the world.

An so, we in this country have hewn our own history, legends and folklore using herbs to honoring our patriots, our independence, the bravery of our soldiers, and the remembrance of the sacrifices made making this great country what it is today. With nasturtiums we celebrate our patriotism and white carnations our democracy.

Celebrate America's Birthday

Let's Celebrate America's birthday with an old fashion everyone pitches in kind of party. You know the kind that emphasizes fuss free entertaining-leaving everyone free to enjoy the holiday to the fullest.

To get in the mood, decorate the party area with red, white and blue Christmas lights, streamers and balloons.

Here are some fun activities to round out your 4th of July celebration:

1. Have all guests share what they like about America and what they would change.

2. Let the kids parade to marching band music.

3. Have a patriotic sing-a-long. Sing America the Beautiful, It's A grand Old Flag, God Bless America and others.

4. Play volleyball, croquet, horseshoes, lawn darts, badminton, baseball, kickball etc.

5. Spread blankets on the floor and watch the video Independence Day while you eat.

Fourth of July Picnic

Fried Chicken

1 c flour
1/2 c fine dry breadcrumbs
1 t salt
1 t paprika
1/4 t pepper
3 lbs. chicken pieces
vegetable oil or shortening for frying

Combine flour, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and paprika in a plastic bag. Add 2 or 3 pieces of chicken at a time and shake to coat. Place chicken pieces in a heavy skillet in 1/2" of hot oil. Turn with tongs to brown evenly, 15 to 20 minutes. When lightly browned, add 3 tablespoons of water; cover and cook over low heat 45 to 60 minutes or until tender. Uncover for the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking to re-crisp the chicken. Serving Size: 4


Oven Fried Chicken

3/4 c buttermilk
3-lbs. skinless chicken breasts
3/4 c corn flake crumbs
2 t paprika
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 t salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat a shallow metal baking or roasting pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow bowl. Add the chicken, turning to coat. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, turning occasionally.

On a plate, combine the corn flake crumbs, paprika, salt, black pepper and red pepper. One at a time, dip each side of the chicken into the corn flake mixture, pressing firmly to coat. Stir the corn flake mixture occasionally with a fork to keep the seasonings evenly mixed. Place the chicken in the prepared pan.

Spray the chicken with the nonstick cooking spray. Bake, turning the pieces once, for 40 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is crisp, golden brown and the juices run clear when pricked with a sharp knife. Serving Size : 4

NOTES : Can use chicken legs or thighs or a combination.


Ham Surprise Sandwiches

2 eggs, hard-boiled
16 oz. ham -- shredded
16 oz. Swiss cheese -- grated
1 stalk celery -- finely chopped
mustard and mayonnaise -- to taste
2 pkgs Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Rolls

Mix the filling ingredients together. Take 2 crescent roll triangles and pinch together the front and back. Put the filling in the middle (not too much) and fold over, tucking in the ends. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Delicious hot or cold.
Serving Size: 8


All American Potato Salad

2 1/2 lbs small boiling potatoes
3 T cider vinegar, or to taste
5 hard-boiled large eggs
1/8 c mayonnaise
2 T Dijon mustard
1/2 c chopped sweet onion
3 large celery ribs

Boil potatoes. In a large saucepan cover potatoes with salted cold water by 1 inch and simmer, covered, until just tender, about 15 to 30 minutes, depending on size of potatoes. In a colander drain potatoes and cool to warm. With a sharp knife peel warm potatoes and cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices. In a bowl immediately toss potatoes with vinegar. In a bowl mash yolks and stir in mayonnaise, mustard, and onion. Chop whites and celery and gently toss together with potatoes, mayonnaise mixture, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve potato salad chilled or at room temperature.
Serves: 6


Lite Potato Salad

6 medium potatoes
1 c fat-free mayonnaise
1 T white vinegar
1 T brown mustard
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
2 ribs celery -- chopped
1 small onion -- chopped
2 eggs, hard-boiled -- chopped
3 egg whites -- hard-boiled (discard the yokes)

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30-35 minutes, or until the potatoes can easily be pierced with a fork. Drain the potatoes and allow to cool until safe to handle. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir to mix well. Add the potatoes, celery, onion, eggs and egg whites. Stir to mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours to blend the flavors before serving.
Serving Size: 12


Sour Cream Potato Salad

3 c potatoes
2 eggs, hard-boiled -- chopped
1/2 c chopped celery
1 c sour cream
1/3 c sweet pickles -- chopped
2 t salt
1/3 c chopped onion
1/2 c pimiento -- chopped
1 T vinegar
1 T prepared mustard
1/2 t pepper

Cook potatoes and put in the refrigerator until cold. Cut into small pieces. Combine the potatoes with all the other ingredients and chill before serving.
Serving Size: 8


New England Coleslaw

1 c mayonnaise
1/2 c white wine vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
2 t sugar
1 T caraway seed
salt and pepper -- to taste
8 c cabbage -- finely sliced
1 c grated carrots
1 c onion -- finely sliced

Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar and caraway seeds. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the cabbage, carrots and onions in a large bowl. Add the dressing to the vegetables and mix well. Taste for seasoning. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours. The cabbage will become more tender the longer it marinates. Serving Size: 8

NOTES: Use a mixture of green and red cabbage.


Fat Free Coleslaw

1/4 c fat-free mayonnaise
2 T white wine vinegar
1 T sugar
2 t Dijon mustard
1/2 head cabbage -- shredded
1/8 t salt
1/2 small red onion -- finely chopped

In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard and salt. Stir to mix thoroughly.

Add the cabbage and onion. Stir to mix well. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to blend the flavors before serving. Serving Size: 4


Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c oil
1/3 c sugar
3 T balsamic vinegar
1 small cauliflower, head
1 small broccoli -- head
1 red onion
1 c mozzarella cheese
1 c cheddar cheese
1 c bacon bits

Mix mayonnaise, oil, sugar and vinegar together and let stand for 1 hour. Cut up the cauliflower, broccoli, onion and cheeses. Mix together with the bacon bits. Pour the mayonnaise over the cut up vegetables.
Serving Size: 6


Fruit Salad

pineapple slices
orange slices
sliced bananas
grapes
honeydew melon balls
strawberries
blueberries
watermelon balls

Cut a seedless watermelon in half. Using a melon baller, scoop out the inside of one half of the watermelon. Fill the empty watermelon shell with the fruit.


LEMON HONEY DRESSING

1/3 c frozen lemonade or limeade concentrate -- undiluted and thawed
1/3 c honey
1/3 c salad oil
1 t celery seeds

Mix the ingredients for the Lemon Honey Dressing in a small bowl. Beat thoroughly. Makes 1 cup.

Pour the dressing over the fruit and mix gently. Chill.

NOTES : To prevent the banana slices from darkening, dip them in lemon juice. The amount of fruit and dressing depends on the size of the watermelon shell.


Strawberry Pretzel Salad

1 stick butter, melted
1 c pretzels, crushed
3 T sugar
1 c pecans, crushed
1-8 oz cream cheese, softened
1-8 oz non-dairy whipped topping
1 c powdered sugar
1-6 oz pkg strawberry gelatin
1-16 oz. pkg frozen strawberries
2 c hot water

Combine melted butter, pretzels, sugar, and pecans. Pat into bottom of 13x9x2-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes; cool. Beat together cream cheese, whipped topping, and powdered sugar. Spread on top of pretzel mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes, or until completely chilled. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add strawberries; stir until gelatin begins to thicken and cool. Poor over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate, covered, until firm. Before serving, top with additional whipped topping, if desired. Serves: 12-15

Note: Prepare the night before or the day of serving so the pretzel layer will remain crisp. When not using nuts, use 2 cups of pretzels.


Skyrocket Ice Pops

red juice (red raspberry, cherry, cranberry)
red string licorice for fuse
blue juice (blue Kool Aid, Gatorade, blue raspberry) white
3 oz. paper cups
juice (lemonade, coconut juice drink)
Popsicle Sticks

Line up several 3 oz. paper cups on a baking sheet. Pour 2 tablespoons of red juice into each cup. Freeze 2-3 hours until firm slushy. Remove from freezer and poke a Popsicle stick into the center of each cup of juice. Add 2 tablespoons of white juice and freeze 2-3 hours. Remove from freezer. Top off with blue juice and freeze 1-2 hours until slushy. Remove from freezer and insert a 2 or 3-inch string of licorice into each Popsicle. Freeze until hard. Peel off paper cups to serve.


Low Fat Double Chocolate Fudge Brownies

1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 c sugar
1/8 t baking powder
1/3 c chocolate syrup
1/2 t salt
1/3 c light corn syrup
2/3 c plain nonfat yogurt
2 egg whites
1/4 c skim milk
2 t vanilla extract

ICING

2 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1/4 c skim milk
butter flavored cooking spray
1 t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray and wipe with a paper towel to absorb the excess. Dust the pan with flour and shake out the excess. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder and salt. To the dry mixture, add the chocolate syrup, corn syrup, yogurt, egg whites, skim milk and vanilla and mix well. Pour the batter into the pan evenly. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, cocoa, salt, milk and vanilla. Spread the icing evenly over the warm brownies. Cool completely, then cut into squares. Serving Size: 15


Here's a neat idea for ice-cream: Slice a watermelon in half. Scoop out the flesh. (Serve it with a fruit salad). Fill the empty shell with raspberry sherbet and smooth it down. Stick chocolate chips in 2 rows along each side to resemble seeds. Freeze until serving time.


Fourth Of July Punch

In an ice cube tray, pour red fruit-flavored drinks (Kool-Aid) into some cubes and blue-colored fruit-flavored drinks into the remaining cubes. Freeze, then serve with seltzer or clear soda in a clear tumbler. As the cubes melt, they'll release colored swirls into the soda.

Desserts for the Fourth

FUN AMERICAN FLAG CAKE

1 c boiling water
margarine
1/2 c cold water
flour
1 c blueberries, washed
1 c miniature marshmallows
1 pint strawberries, washed and sliced
1 package (4-serving size) JELL-O brand gelatin, any red flavor
3 1/2 c (8-oz. container) Cool Whip brand whipped topping, thawed
1 package (2-layer size) white cake mix (plus ingredients from boxed mix)

Grease 13 x 9 pan with margarine and dust lightly with flour. Prepare, mix and bake cake mix according to package directions. Cool cake for 15 minutes. With large fork, make holes in cake about every 1/2 inch. Pour gelatin into mixing bowl. Add cup of boiling water and use scraper to mix thoroughly until gelatin is completely dissolved. Use measuring cup to pour gelatin over cake. (It will run down into holes, making sliced cake have red stripes.) Chill cake in refrigerator 3 to 4 hours. Cover a large baking sheet or cutting board (larger than the 9x13 pan) with aluminum foil. Put about one inch of warm water in kitchen sink. Take pan out of refrigerator and dip bottom (don't let water come up over sides) into water for about 10 seconds. Put large tray on top of cake, and invert. Frost sides and top with whipped topping. Arrange strawberries and marshmallows in alternating rows for stripes, leaving upper left for field of blueberries. Chill again until time to serve.


RED WHITE and BLUE TRIFLE DESSERT

2 packets of vanilla custard or pudding mix
1 Angel Food cake mix
2 lbs. mix of fresh strawberries (sliced), raspberries and blueberries
1/3 c sugar
1 1/2 c whipped cream topping
1/3 c sherry (optional)
additional fresh fruit for garnish

Prepare cake according to directions on package and let cool completely. Prepare custard or pudding mix according to package instructions and let cool completely. Mix fruit with sherry. If you don't want to use alcohol, use a little water or juice instead. You want the fruit to be sitting, but not swimming, in a bit of sweetened juice. To assemble...Cut the cakes into large chunks and cover the bottom of your dish with a layer of cake. Top with a layer of prepared fruit, then a layer of custard. Repeat the process until you are out of ingredients or the bowl is full. Top with whipped cream and garnish with fresh fruit. Chill until serving time and scoop out servings with a large spoon to get some of each ingredient. Yield: 10-12 Servings

TRIPLE THE FLAVOR

You can create your own favorite trifle by substituting any of these 3 main ingredients...

Low Fat: (yes) angel food cake, fat free pudding and low fat whipped topping
Black Forest Trifle: Chocolate Cake, Cherry Pie Filling and Custard
Tropical Fruit Trifle: Angel Food Cake, Mixed Pineapple, Mangos, Papayas, etc. and either Vanilla or Lemon Pudding, Sprinkle top with Toasted Coconut
Peaches & Cream Trifle: Angel Food Cake, Sliced Peaches with optional Peach Schnapps

Snacks for 4th of July Festivities

Firecracker Mix

1/4 c Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 t salt
4 T margarine or butter, melted
2 T brown sugar
8 c popped corn
4 c corn cereal squares
3 c pretzel sticks
1/2 t cayenne pepper, optional

Mix together Worcestershire, margarine, brown sugar, salt and cayenne pepper. Place popped corn, corn cereal squares and pretzel sticks in 6-quart slow cooker. Pour Worcestershire sauce, softened margarine, brown sugar, salt and cayenne mixture over all and mix thoroughly. Cook on low for 2 to 3 hours. Remove lid for 1 more hour. Pour mixture onto wax paper and allow to cool. Store in storage bags or containers. The mix may be made up to one week in advance. Serves: 12-15


Stars and Stripes Munch Mix

1-14 oz bag potato chips
1-7 oz bag stick pretzels
1-3.25 oz can macadamia nuts
3 T butter
1 T peanut butter
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t sesame oil

Preheat oven at 350°F. In a large pan, mix potato chips, pretzels and macadamia nuts together. Over low heat, melt butter, sesame oil, peanut butter and cinnamon. Stir well. When completely mixed and melted, drizzle over potato chip mixture. Bake for 10 minutes.


Fourth of July "Popcorn Cookies"

3 c popped popcorn, unsalted
2 egg whites
1/4 c sugar
1 t vanilla
1/4 t cinnamon
1/3 c unsweetened shredded coconut

One cup at a time, blend popped popcorn in blender at low speed, until finely ground to about 1-1/2 cups. In medium bowl, beat egg whites on high speed. At a lower speed, add sugar gradually until egg whites are glossy and stiff. Beat in salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Gently fold in the ground popcorn and coconut. Place in rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 325° for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Makes 2 dozen cookies


Patriotic Chip Peanut Champs

2 sticks butter or margarine
1/4 c cola
2 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
2 t vanilla
1 t baking soda
3 c flour
2 c salted peanuts
11/2 c crushed potato chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine first seven ingredients and cream well. Add flour gradually and beat well. Fold in potato chips and peanuts. Spoon a teaspoon size of batter onto cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool. Makes 6 dozen cookies

Fourth of July Crafts

July 4th Poop Poem

M&M's have red, white, and blue out for the holiday, take some and add to a baggie, then attach this cute poem:) These are fun to pass out at a party.

4th of July
It's the birthday of the Red White & Blue
I have a special gift for you!
With a flash and a Bang
and smoke that goes poof!
Here's your bag of
firecracker poop!