{I Love America...Part 3!}

DAY 3

Food...What is Independence Day without food??

Here are a few of our favorite Salad and BBQ recipes for the 4th.......

Jell-o, what is summer without it?

Red, White, and Blue Ribbon Jell-o


Two 3 ounce boxes red jello

Two 3 ounce boxes blue jello

4 envelopes Knox unflavored gelatin

One 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

boiling water & cold water

1. In a medium bowl, mix one box of red jello with 1/2 envelope of unflavored gelatin. Add 1 cup of boiling water and stir to dissolve. Cool to room temperature and pour into a 9×13-inch glass pan. Refrigerate for 15 minutes (make sure that your refrigerator is level, or your jello will come out uneven-looking).

2. While first layer is setting, prepare white layer. In another bowl, mix sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup of boiling water. In a separate small bowl, sprinkle 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin over ½ cup of cold water. Let stand a few minutes and then add ½ cup of boiling water to dissolve the gelatin. Add to the milk mixture and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature. Pour 1 cup of this milk mixture over the first layer of red jello. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

3. While white layer is setting, prepare blue layer. In a medium bowl, mix one box of blue jello with ½ envelope of unflavored gelatin. Add 1 cup of boiling water and stir to dissolve. Cool to room temperature and pour on top of white layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

4. Repeat with red layer, another cup of of the white layer and then finishing with a blue layer on top. Refrigerate for 15 minutes after adding each layer.

5. Let jello set before cutting. Use a sharp knife to cut, and then use a metal spatula to slide underneath the jello and scoop out jello squares.

Yield: About 40

Hamburgers for the grill

2 pounds lean ground beef
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring

Chopped onion

1 egg
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and then form into 6 burgers and form a well in the middle. Cook the burgers on the grill without smashing them with the spatula. (This is why there is a well in the middle, so that they won't rise so high in the middle that you are tempted to smash them and squeeze out all of the juices. )

Top with bacon, cheese, whatever toppings you like!

Chop Salad

1 rotisserie chicken, white and dark meat, diced. I have actually used canned chicken and it doesn't turn out too bad.

1 lb cooked, crumbled bacon

2 tomatoes, diced

1 8oz block Monterrey Jack cheese, diced

1 cucumber, peeled & diced

1 head iceberg lettuce, diced/chopped

Good Ranch Dressing- we make homemade

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, adding dressing last. Mix well until combined throughout. This would easily feed 6-8 people DINNER, or provide a side salad for 10-12. It's a huge recipe. Enjoy!

And For Dessert........

Step 1. Bake any cake of your choice.......yes, I just use a boxed cake.

Step 2. Prepare the frosting as follows:

Ingredients
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions
Combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan; stir until well blended. Boil slowly without stirring until mixture will spin a long thread when a little is dropped from a spoon (hold the spoon high above saucepan), or reaches 238 - 242 degrees F (114 - 117 degrees C).
In a large bowl, beat egg whites with a mixer until they are stiff, but still moist. Pour hot syrup slowly over egg whites while beating. Continue until mixture is very fluffy, and will hold its shape. Add vanilla, and beat until blended. If icing does not seem stiff enough, beat in 2 or 3 tablespoons confectioners sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff enough to hold its shape. Spread on cake.

Step 3. After allowing the frosting to cool decorate the cake with stawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. You know the design.

Step 4. Enjoy the cake!