4th of July Recipes

The absolute best thing about the house we live in right now is the neighborhood park that is practically in our backyard. We love it and visit quite often (although if you ask Kora & Logan, we don’t visit enough!). Living near this park in the summertime is wonderfu,l not only for the jungle gyms and swings it offers, but also for it’s incredible fireworks display. It really is one of the best fireworks shows I’ve seen lasting nearly an hour with such variety.

I’ve always wanted to have a big 4th of July party and have relatives over to watch the fireworks without having to leave our backyard. I’m always late in putting the party together though and by the time I do everyone always has plans. But it doesn’t stop me from looking up recipes I would serve at our someday fabulous 4th of July party.

Here’s two recipes I’d love to serve:

SWEET CHILI GLAZED CHICKEN SANDWICHES

Prep Time: 5min.           Cook Time: 10 mins       Makes 4 Servings

4 (5 oz.) boneless skinless chicken breasts
¾ cup FRANK’S® REDHOT® Sweet Heat BBQ Wings Sauce or FRANK’S® REDHOT® Sweet Chili Sauce, divided
4 kaiser or hamburger rolls, split and toasted
4 leaves lettuce
¼ cup sliced red onion (optional)

1.         MARINATE chicken in ½ cup FRANK’S Sauce for 30 min. or up to 3 hours.
2.         GRILL or broil chicken 10 min. or until no longer pink in center, basting with remaining ¼ cup Sweet Chili Sauce.
3.         SERVE chicken on lettuce-lined rolls. Top with red onion slices, if desired.

Flag Cake

Makes 12 Servings
Ingredients:
1 pkg Duncan Hines® Moist Deluxe® Classic White Cake Mix
1 (3 oz) pkg red flavor gelatin
1 (8 oz) container whipped topping
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup cold water
1 pint strawberries
1 cup blueberries
1 cup miniature marshmallows
aluminum foil/fancy foil – color of your choice
star shaped stickers
miniature American candy flags

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease and flour a 13×9-inch pan.
2. Prepare, bake and cool cake according to package directions.
3. Use a large fork to make holes in the cake about every 1/2-inch.
4. Pour gelatin into a large bowl. Add boiling water and mix until gelatin is completely dissolved. Stir in cold water. Pour gelatin over the cake allowing it to run into the holes.
5. Refrigerate cake for 3 to 4 hours before serving.
6. Cover a cake tray with aluminum foil then place on tray to decorate.
7. Frost the sides and top with whipped topping. Then arrange strawberries, blueberries and marshmallows on the cake to create a ‘stars & stripes’ pattern. Use the blueberries to create a blue background in the upper left hand corner.
8. Take your foil stars and miniature American flags and decorate the sides of the cake. Once you have finished decorating the cake, place in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.

What are your 4th of July plans this year? Any favorite recipes?

Thanks to Frank’s Red Hot and Duncan Hines for providing these recipes.