4th of July pie

Happy 4th of July pie. Featured in Tastes & Treasures II are fascinating history and pie recipes from Rock Springs Cafe.

Patriotic Fourth of July Taco Salad

Festive Fourth of July Taco Salad







Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1-1/2 cups water
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 envelope taco seasoning
6 cups tortilla or corn chips
4 to 5 cups shredded lettuce
9 to 10 pitted large olives, sliced lengthwise
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the water, tomato paste and taco seasoning. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
Place chips in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Spread beef mixture evenly over the top. Cover with lettuce. For each star, arrange five olive slices together in the upper left corner. To form stripes, add cheese and tomatoes in alternating rows. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.
Editor's Note: If you wish to prepare this salad in advance, omit the layer of chips and serve them with the salad.
Originally published as Patriotic Taco Salad in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2002,

Watermelon Pizza

Talk about refreshing. Imagine this at your 4th of July event!

Want a pretty party presentation or a special treat for the family? Try this delicious dish of fruit. The children will love to help with this one. Also try Yogurt Parfait, page 52, Tastes & Treasures cookbook.


Watermelon Pizza

Ingredients:
Watermelon
Blueberries
Kiwi
Peaches
Grapes
Strawberries
Strawberry jam
Feta Cheese
Coconut
Bananas
Any fresh fruit in season

Directions:
Slice watermelon in 1” thick size. Drain to remove excess moisture.
Add a layer of strawberry jam
Cut into 8 sections.
Arrange fresh fruit on the top
Sprinkle with Feta Cheese, coconut, use your imagination

Refreshing Watermelon Cake for the Fourth of July

Found this lovely recipe on the internet. Can't wait to try it for the 4th of July celebration.

Watermelon Cake

Ingredients:
Whipped cream or Coconut Whipped cream (Paleo Version)
1 Large Watermelon cut in a circle like a cake
Blueberries
Raspberries
Almonds

Directions:
Cut your watermelon according to the photos.
Pat the watermelon down with wipes to dry it.
Frost it with whipped cream.
Add Almonds to the side.
Decorate the top with fresh fruit of your choice. Add an American flag to top it off!

Red White and Blue Trifle

Celebrate the 4th of July with this fabulous dessert. Lower in fat and calories than most trifles, this layered dessert is both beautiful AND delicious -- just right for that Fourth of July cookout!

We also like Desert Picnic Salad (Tastes & Treasures cookbook, page 132) thanks to Historymakers Kax and Bob Herberger's family memories of picnics.

Red, White and Blue Trifle



Ingredients:

One 8-oz. container Cool Whip Free (thawed)

1 sugar-free vanilla pudding snack with 60 calories or less 

Half of a 13-oz. angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups cubed)

2 cups chopped strawberries

2 cups blueberries

2 cups raspberries



Directions:

In a medium-large bowl, thoroughly fold pudding into Cool Whip. 

In a large glass bowl (or trifle dish, if you've got one), evenly layer half of each ingredient: cubed angel food cake, Cool Whip mixture, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. 

Repeat layering with remaining ingredients. Serve, or chill until ready to serve!



MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Thanks to Hungry Girl for reduced fat and calorie recipe.

Neighborhood 4th of July Parade

This year's neighborhood parade was all Red, White and Blue. Complete with Pledge of Allegiance, singing of the National Anthem, hot dogs, watermelon, cookies, balloons, streamers and prizes, it was very patriotic. The Phoenix Fire Dept had 3 trucks but the most popular was the one with the cooling spray. The Historical League was a sponsor donating Tastes & Treasures cookbook and Centennial apron, and representing the AHS Museum.

Red, White and Blue Trifle

Celebrate the Fourth of July with this layered dessert. It is both beautiful and delicious -- just right for that cookout. Plus you can use your elegant trifle dish.

Summer Trifle, page 154 in Tastes & Treasures, is also delicious with the addition of blackberries and orange juice. A few more calories and it is made from scratch - well worth it.

Red, White & Blueberry Trifle

Ingredients:
One 8-oz. container Cool Whip Free (thawed)
1 sugar-free vanilla pudding snack with 60 calories or less (like the kind by Jell-O)
Half of a 13-oz. angel food cake, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups cubed)
2 cups chopped strawberries
2 cups blueberries
2 cups raspberries

Directions:
In a medium-large bowl, thoroughly fold pudding into Cool Whip.

In a large glass bowl (or trifle dish, if you've got one), evenly layer half of each ingredient: cubed angel food cake, Cool Whip mixture, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

Repeat layering with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or chill.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS
Thanks to Hungry Girl for the statistics.
Serving Size: 1/8th of trifle (about 1 cup)
Calories: 170
Fat: 1.5g
Sodium: 133mg
Carbs: 38g
Fiber: 3.5g
Sugars: 20.5g
Protein: 2g

Firehoses, Fun, Food on the Fourth

Pat Faur, Kay Holcombe and I enjoyed the festivities at the Royal Palm neighborhood parade July 4th. The Historical League had a booth to show Tastes & Treasures cookbook, Arizona Recollections and Reflections Centennial book and hand out brochures about the AHS Museum and the Historical League. Granola from page 196 in the cookbook was sampled. Pat also talked about the Children's Holiday Party so we have several interested families.

The Parade is always fun with not one but two fire trucks this year, Veterans on their motorcycles, vintage cars, strollers, bicycles, roller blades, skate boards, Color Guard, flags, songs (Star Spangled Banner led by Claude Mattox) and speeches. Even a submarine replica that drove over two big tubs of ice - ouch. There is always a big crowd starting at 7 am with coffee, donuts, danish and cookies. By 8:30 am when the parade ends, the hot dogs are grilling and the watermelon is sliced and juicy. By 9 am the firemen had turned on their hoses to give the children a gentle cooling spray. All being filmed by Channel 12 News.

Nothing like grass roots America to celebrate the Fourth of July.

4th of July Fruit Tart

Get the kids involved with this easy way to celebrate America's birthday. It becomes a family event when you decorate a basic tarte with blackberries and raspberries.

Another idea is to bake cupcakes and decorate with blueberries and strawberries and whipping cream.



Or try the Blueberry Muffins from Historic La Posada Hotel
page 62 Tastes & Treasures and top with fresh fruit.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup milk
1 cup frozen blueberries, thawed and drained
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Cream the shortening and sugar in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Add the sifted flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until combined after each addition. Fold in the blueberries.
Spoon onto greased muffin cups, filling one-half full. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve warm or cool on a wire rack.
Makes 1 ½ dozen.
Note: We love fresh blueberries if in season.

Celebrate 4th of July with Chocolate Icebox Cake

A Thank You to those men and women who serve in our armed forces as we celebrate Independence Day.

Frozen desserts are very popular ones for a hot 4th in Phoenix. They are cool to eat and you don't heat up the house turning on the oven. Try this recipe from El Chorro Lodge. As an historic venue for the valley, we are happy to report that El Chorro is spruced up and looking wonderful after it's remodeling with new owners.

Chocolate Icebox Cake pg 80 Tastes & Treasures cookbook
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 ¾ pounds semisweet chocolate
7 cups heavy whipping cream
2 ounces (1/2 cup) confectioners’ sugar
7 egg whites
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 ½ tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup hot water
1 cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Process the graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and the butter in a food processor until combined. Press over the bottom of a 9 X 13-inch baking pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven to cool.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water and keep warm. Whip the cream with the confectioners’ sugar and the cream of tartar in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold in the melted chocolate. Add half the whipped cream mixture and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Dissolve the gelatin in the hot water. Add to the remaining whipped cream mixture. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the cooled crust and sprinkle with the walnuts. Freeze, uncovered, for 8 to 10 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve.
Serves 15
Note: Avoid turning on the oven by buying a pre-made graham cracker crust.
We have made it into an Icebox Pie in the past but this time decided to make it into cupcakes, omit the walnuts and top with blueberries and fruit for a 4th of July tribute.