Red White and Blue Potato Salad

1-2 slices of bacon or pancetta (optional)
3 tablespoons mayonnaise, or more if needed
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or more to taste
1 tablespoon tarragon vinegar or distilled white vinegar, or more to taste
1 tablespoon capers with their juices
2 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed, finely chopped (set aside 2 tablespoons scallion greens for garnish)
1 1/2 pounds red, white, and Peruvian blue fingerling potatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Plenty of course salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
You'll also need:
1 cup wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory or oak), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained
An aluminum foil drop pan large enough to hold the potatoes

1. Cut the bacon, if using, into 1/4" slivers, put it in a small nonstick frying pan, and cook over medium heat until lightly browned and the fat is rendered, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to paper towels to drain.
2. Make the salad dressing: Place the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, capers, scallions, and bacon, if using, in a large nonreactive serving bowl and whisk to mix. Set the salad dressing aside.

3. Scrub the potatoes with a brush, but leave the skins on. Place the potatoes in an aluminum foil drip pan. Drizzle with the olive oil and season very generously with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes to mix.

4. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium-high. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium-high.

5. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all the wood chips or chunks on the coals. Place the pan with the potatoes in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the potatoes until tender, about 40 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a metal skewer into a potato; it should pierce it easily. Remove the pan with the potatoes from the grill and let cool.

6. Cut any large potatoes in quarters; cut medium size potatoes in half. Leave small potatoes whole. Add the potatoes to the salad dressing and toss to mix. Taste for seasoning, adding salt, mustard, or vinegar as necessary; the salad should be highly seasoned. If the salad is too dry, add a little more mayonnaise. Sprinkle with the reserved salad greens and serve at once.

Serves 4-6

Source of Recipe: Steve Raichlen

Red, White and Blueberry Pound Cake

10 3/4 oz package of frozen pound cake
8 oz container of whipped cream cheese
3 tbsp powdered sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
Raspberry-Orange Sauce (*recipe below)
:
Slice frozen pound cake lengthwise in three layers; arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet with top layer cut side up. Pierce layers with fork tines. Spread each with 2 tablespoons of the Raspberry-Orange Sauce; let stand 10 to 15 minutes so that the cake absorbs the sauce.

Meanwhile, in a bowl stir together cream cheese, sugar and orange juice
until well blended.

Assemble cake:
Place bottom layer on a serving plate; spread evenly with a third of the cream cheese mixture. Arrange a third of the blueberries evenly over cream cheese.

Drizzle about 1 tablespoon Raspberry-Orange Sauce over blueberries. Repeat with center slice of cake. Place top layer cut side down; spread with remaining cream cheese mixture.

Decorate cake to resemble an American flag using remaining blueberries and strawberries.

Serve with remaining Raspberry-Orange Sauce.

*Raspberry-Orange Sauce:
Stir together until smooth 3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam and 6 tablespoons orange juice.

Red, White & Blue Slaw Salad

12 slices bacon
6 cups shredded cabbage
16 tablespoons coleslaw dressing
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Crumble and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the bacon, cabbage and dressing. Mix well. Sprinkle with sliced cherry tomatoes and blue cheese. Refrigerate and serve chilled.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Red, White and Green Fusili

1 pound fusili
1 red onion -- finely diced
3 cloves garlic -- minced
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups grape tomatoes, -- halved
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups fresh spinach -- coarsely chopped

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 1/2 cups fresh mozzarella diced

Cook pasta, drain and keep warm. Cook onion and garlic in hot oil for 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and cook until tomatoes are cooked through, 3 minutes or so.

Stir in spinach and heat 2 minutes.

Divide pasta between 6-8 bowls. Top with tomato mixture and sprinkle with cheeses.

Ribs with Spicy Fireworks Rub

6 to 8 slabs pork back ribs
(about 12 lb. total)
Spicy Fireworks Rub

Spicy Fireworks Rub

1/2 C. ground cumin
1/2 C. chili powder
4 T. ground coriander
2 T. cayenne
4 T. ground black pepper
2 T. ground cinnamon
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. salt

Pat ribs dry with paper towels. Rub Spicy Fireworks Rub generously over all surfaces of ribs; cover and refrigerate up to 12 hours or cook immediately.

Prepare a medium-hot fire, banking coals in 2 to 3 kettle-style grills. Place ribs, not overlapping, over indirect heat on each grill (rib racks may be helpful in expanding grilling space in each grill). Cover grills and roast ribs not directly over coals for 1 1/2 hours, until ribs are very tender. Remove ribs from grill, wrap securely in heavy aluminum foil. Place foil-wrapped ribs in brown paper bag, close bag and let ribs rest for up to 1 hour.

Put all ingredients into a large jar with a tight-fitting lid. Place lid on jar and shake well until blended thoroughly. Makes 2 cups �?enough to coat 4 slabs of pork back ribs.

Stars & Stripes Dessert

2 boxes strawberry gelatin
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen strawberries, thawed
1/2 C. dairy sour cream
1 1/2 C. miniature marshmallows
1/2 C. heavy cream, whipped
1 C. blueberries (fresh or canned), drained

Dissolve gelatin in 2 cups boiling water; chill until thickened. Mix in thawed strawberries. Pour into 5 cup star mold. Mixture will fill mold about halfway. Chill until set.

Combine sour cream and all but five of the marshmallows. Mix well. Fold in whipped cream. Unmold gelatin. Frost top with marshmallow mixture; cover with blueberries. Garnish with Marshmallow Star. Makes 6 servings.

Marshmallow Star
Dip scissors in water, cut across fat side of a marshmallow to form petals; arrange 5 petals on top of dessert to form star.

Stars 'n Stripes Cookie Squares

1 (18-oz.) pkg. Pillsbury® Refrigerated Sugar Cookies, well chilled
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel
50 blueberries (1/2 cup)
2 cups raspberries
2 tablespoons apple jelly, if desired

Heat oven to 375°F. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil. Slice cookie dough as directed on package. Arrange slices in bottom of foil-lined pan. Using lightly floured fingers, press dough evenly in pan.

Bake at 375°F. for 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled. Carefully remove cookie from foil. Place on serving tray.

In small bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon peel until smooth. Spread over cookie crust. Arrange berries on cream cheese mixture to resemble flag, using 50 blueberries in upper left corner for stars and raspberries arranged in 7 rows to form stripes.

Melt jelly in small saucepan over low heat; brush gently over fruit. Refrigerate until serving time. Cut into squares to serve.

24 servings

Star-Spangled Shortcakes

Shortcake
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into chunks
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Fruit
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled, sliced
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Cream
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in milk with fork until mixture forms a ball.

Knead dough 5 times on lightly floured surface until smooth. Roll out to 9 x 6-inch rectangle, 1/2-inch thick. Cut out 6 shortcakes with 3-inch star-shaped cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet; sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; split in half.

Meanwhile, combine strawberries, blueberries and 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl; set aside.

Beat chilled whipping cream and 1 tablespoon sugar in chilled small mixer bowl until stiff peaks form (2 to 3 minutes). Gently stir orange-flavored liqueur into whipped cream.

To serve, place bottom of shortcake on individual dessert plate, top with 2 tablespoons whipped cream and 1/3 cup fruit. Top with remaining half of shortcake; dollop with whipped cream. Repeat with remaining shortcakes and fruit.

Star Spangled Tart

1 (20 oz.) roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
Coarse sugar
1 (14 oz. can - 1 1/4 cups) sweetened condensed
milk or fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup dairy sour cream or light dairy sour cream
1/2 tsp. finely shredded lemon or lime peel
1 cup lemon or lime juice
1 cup fresh blueberries or blackberries
2 cups fresh red raspberries or
3 cups fresh strawberry halves

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

For crust, generously grease the bottom of an 11 x 8 x 1 1/2-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom or an 11- to 12-inch pizza pan; lightly grease sides. Set aside half of dough. With floured hands, pat remaining dough onto bottom and up sides of pan.

For cookies, on a lightly floured surface roll out remaining dough to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness. Using small star cutters, cut into shapes. Place cutouts on an ungreased baking sheet. Reroll trimmings and recut. Sprinkle half with coarse sugar.

Bake crust and cookies until golden, allowing 4 to 5 minutes for small cookies and 12 minutes for crust. Cool on a wire rack.

For filling, in a mixing bowl combine condensed milk, sour cream, lemon or lime peel, and juice. Stir about 3 minutes or till mixture is thickened. Cover and chill till ready to assemble tart.

To assemble, loosen and remove sides of pan from crust, if desired. Transfer crust to a platter, leaving bottom of pan under crust. Before serving, spread filling onto crust. Top with berries and cookies. Cut into squares.

Makes 12 servings.

Strawberry Firecrackers

For the Sauce

1 cup frozen sweetened strawberries, thawed

2 tsp orange liqueur (or 1 Tbsp orange juice plus 1/2 tsp grated orange zest)

For Strawberry Firecrackers

3 sheets phyllo dough

1/4 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

2 pints whole stemmed strawberries

Sweetened whipped cream, for garnish

Fresh blueberries, for garnish

To make sauce: In blender or food processor, puree thawed strawberries. Stir in orange liqueur or orange juice and zest. Refrigerate, covered, up to 2 days.

To make strawberry firecrackers: Heat oven to 500 degrees (F). Cut phyllo sheets in half to make six 8x12-inch sheets. Cover with damp towel.

In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and sugar.

Lay 1 sheet of phyllo on work surface, keeping remaining pieces covered, and brush with butter. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the bread crumb mixture. Place a row of 4 or 5 strawberries about 2 inches above long edge of sheet, centering the row to leave ends of sheet uncovered. From long edge, carefully roll up; tuck ends of sheet under.

Place seam-side down on ungreased baking sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the bread crumb mixture. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 6 rolls.

Bake phyllo rolls in center of oven for 5 minutes or until crisp and browned.

To serve: Spoon 2 tablespoons of sauce onto each of 6 plates; place 1 roll on each plate (see note) and garnish with a dollop of whipped cream and a few blueberries. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.


Note: Rolls can be cut in half on an angle with a serrated knife. Cut carefully with a light sawing motion; phyllo may crumble.

For advance preparation: Strawberry firecrackers can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Place unbaked firecrackers on baking sheet, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove plastic wrap and bake in preheated 500-degree oven for 5 minutes

Summer Fireworks Pasta Salad

1 pound Radiatore, Rotini or other medium pasta shape, uncooked
Cilantro Pesto (see recipe below)
3 tbsp. Iow-sodium chicken broth
1/2 - 3/4 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut in l-inch pieces
8 plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small red onion, slivered lengthwise
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts

Cilantro Pesto:

2 cups packed cilantro leaves
1 cup flat-leaf parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. toasted pinenuts or walnuts
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish:

Cilantro sprigs
Blue corn chips

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside in large serving bowl. Place ingredients for Cilantro Pesto in a blender or food processor, process until finely chopped.

Heat chicken broth in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and saute 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Add chicken, tomatoes, red onion and pine nuts to pasta.

Toss with all of the  Cilantro Pesto until combined.

Garnish with cilantro sprigs and blue corn chips.

Serves 6 to 8

Uncle Sam Pretzel Candies

10 - ounces white chocolate baking squares or almond bark coating
24 - thin pretzel sticks
24 - dry roasted peanuts
12 - large marshmallows, each cut in half vertically
24 - mini marshmallows
1 - 10-ounce package candy-coated chocolate candies

Cover 2 cookie sheets with waxed paper, set aside. Heat white chocolate or almond bark coating in a microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes on high or until melted. Stir until smooth. Select 24 red candies and 48 blue candies. Set aside remaining candies for another use.

To assemble the "Uncle Sam" faces, place a teaspoon of the melted white chocolate in an oval shape on the waxed paper. Press a marshmallow half on the top of the melted chocolate oval for a hat. Press a pretzel stick (horizontally) directly below it to make a hat brim. Then place 2 blue chocolate candies for eyes, a peanut for the nose and a red chocolate candy for the mouth. Press a mini marshmallow below the mouth for a goatee.

Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 24 Uncle Sams. Allow to harden for a few minutes, then remove candies from waxed paper.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Righteous Ribs

6 racks baby back ribs (4 to 6 lbs.)
12 T. Sweet & Hot Rub
3 C. of your favorite barbecue sauce

Sweet & Hot Rub for Ribs, Chicken

3 T. kosher salt
3 T. black pepper
3 T. paprika
3 T. brown sugar

Stir ingredients together in a mixing bowl.
 

If cooking in oven: Smoke baste of 3 T. butter melted, mixed with 1/2 t. liquid smoke
If cooking on grill: 2 cups wood chips, preferably apple, soaked in 2 cups apple cider or water 1 hour; drained

Remove the thin, papery skin on the back of each rack of ribs, or ask your butcher to do it. (Pull it off in a sheet with your fingers, using a corner of a dish towel for a secure grip.) Sprinkle 2/3 of the rub on both sides of the ribs, patting it in with your fingers. Let rest for 30 minutes, while you light the grill or preheat the oven.

Grill method: Set up grill for indirect grilling. (See instructions below.) Place ribs on a rack in the center of the grill away from the heat and cook for 1 hour.

Oven method: Preheat to 350°F. Brush the ribs with the smoke baste. Arrange the ribs on baking sheets with rims or on large roasting pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Brush ribs with 1/3 of the sauce. Cook 15-30 minutes more. The meat will be very tender and will have pulled back from the ends of the bones. Transfer ribs to a platter. Brush with more sauce. Sprinkle with remaining rub. Serve remaining sauce on the side.

Serves: 8.

Indirect grilling:
The rib and chicken recipes use a technique called indirect grilling. This quick, easy, fail-proof method effectively turns your grill into a smoker/barbecue pit.

For charcoal grill:
Light coals. Wait until they glow red. Rake coals into two piles at opposite sides of the grill  Put an aluminum-foil drip pan in center, between the coals. Install the grate and put food in the center over the drip pan. Toss presoaked, drained wood chips on coals. Cover the grill; adjust vent holes to obtain a 350°F. temperature. After an hour, add 10 fresh coals to each side and leave the grill uncovered until the coals light.

For gas grill:
Two-burner grill: Preheat one side to high; put food on other.
Three-burner grill: Light the front and rear, or right and left, burners and cook food in the center.

Four-burner grill:
Light outside burners; cook food in center.

Using wood chips:
If your grill has a smoker box, follow the manufacturer's instructions. If not, wrap chips in foil, poke holes in the top and place package over a burner. On many gas grills, you must preheat the grill to high to get the chips smoking, then reduce the heat to the desired temperature.