All American Roundup

I love Independence day, probably about as much as Christmas! I love the food, the music, the fireworks, BBQ's, time with friends and family, and call me cheesy but I love the colors! Red, White & Blue. I have outfits for every day of the week leading up to this holiday (and yes they all involve those colors. Some even have stars & stripes on them, what? I told you I love it!)

Every year we have a big BBQ (Think Thanksgiving but tell the turkey to wait its turn and add Mr. Cottage's top secret BBQ Sauce- we take our BBQ very seriously), sometimes friends join us other times it's just our family, but we always have a great time. Usually, while everyone else is asleep you can find at least two of our family around the neighborhood hunting out summer blackberries in the woods until our hands are stained purple and our arms are scratched up from an overzealous attempt at a very large berry that simply could not be left behind. If we're lucky no one has fallen in a patch of them and its only starting to get hot. We trudge home baskets full telling the members of our family that happen to have sticky fingers for berries that can't eat them until they've been washed and baked. Yeah, that rule goes right out the window.

You should see some of the strange looks we've gotten, dressed in tall boots, long shirts and pants saved for excursions like this (usually said pants are soaked to our knees because of the dew) trudging down the street with an assortment of buckets, bags and baskets, while "normal" people set out towels, or run to the store for that last minute item they forgot. But hey we're a "balanced" family- or crazy, one or the two and if you asked the neighbors they would probably lean toward the latter. Unless bribed with blackberry crisp... It's delicious!  You know you want some!

Later Mr. Cottage fires up the grill as we prepare side dishes (the ones that weren't complete the night before) And we crank up our favorite patriotic CD (hey it blocks out the horrendous voice on the neighbor's radio bleating out something about a bar, a broken heart or a mother-in-law. Come on! It's the 4th, not mother-in-law day!

Through the day we fluctuate between pool, occasional dance offs (hey the swing music was calling! And when that horn section starts playing how do you say no??) badminton, and croquet (usually right here is where we end up with the sunburn we will triumph for the next week. But when your in the middle of an "intense" game of Marco Polo who has time to dry off and reapply sunscreen! We usually BBQ for lunch and dinner and then all gather on the front steps to watch Mr. Cottage's 4th of July firework show. He loves it - much to Mrs. Cottage's horror and sometimes the rest of us. Like the time the tube holding one of the ones that go up really high and explode tipped and hit the grass. Good thing we had had a wet week. After that one we were done for the year until the memory could fade enough that he was no longer in the dog house. haha! Yeah guess again.

We have an unofficial challenge in our neighborhood of who got the best fireworks. I especially like to sit and watch everyone else's fireworks before we let our own off. Hey its a free show and I love fireworks as much as my dad. And when the air is thick with the smell of them its time for bed- and aloe.

We wanted to share some of our favorite Independence Day recipes with you! Ready?

All American Apple Pie

Dough:
(You will need to make two of these)
1 1/4 Flour
1/2 Teaspoon sea salt ground fine
1/3 Cup Organic Butter
3-4 Tablespoons Cold Water
Mix flour and salt in medium bowl cut in butter until combined. Add ice water, mic until thick. Make a disk out of the dough an refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Filling:
6 Cups Organic Apples Peeled Cooked and Sliced thinly.
1 Cup Organic Raw Sugar
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Tapioca Flour
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Tablespoon Organic Butter
In a sauce pan add apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar and Tapioca flour. Cook on between medium and low until the apples are cooked stirring often.

Roll out the pie dough and cover bottom of a pie pan (I always use my great grandmothers pie pan). Gently poke the crust in a few places. If you want you can go ahead and cook it for a few minutes. Add the apple mixture, and piece of butter around the top. Roll out your second pie crust (if you are going to do anything fancy now would be the time to do it. You can slice it in long strips for a latis work, take a small cookie cutter to it or just make 4 simply slits), place the dough on top of your pie and press edges with a work. Put the pie on a cookie sheet and bake at 375 20 -25 minutes or until golden brown.

All American Burger

Ground pork 
Ground Grassfed beef
Pickles 
BBQ Sauce (of your choice)
Pepper Jack Cheese 
Lettuce
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Himalayan Pink Salt
Mayonnaise 
Uncured Bacon

Buns:
1 1/8 Cup Water
3/4 Tbsp Organic Raw Sugar 
1 1/2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (melted) 
1 1/4 Teaspoons Celtic Sea Salt
3 Cups Organic Flour
2 Teaspoons Dry Yeast
Chopped  canned jalapeno peppers, we used what would probably be 2 peppers but do this to your taste
Red Pepper flakes approx 1/2 tsp or to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheese (we used organic cheddar) 

Put the water, sugar and oil in the bread machine. Follow with flour, salt and yeast. You can either set the bread machine to "French" or "dough" (I use dough that way I can take it out and shape it into a round loaf or a plain loaf or baguettes)

 Choose the dough setting on your bread machine.  Dice up several Jalapenos and put them in your dough.  Add in 1/2 cup of your favorite cheese.   Here you have to choose if you want rolls (or hamburger buns) or a loaf, etc.  After you shape it into the desired shape leave to rise in a warm draft free 
place until it looks like it has doubled in size. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Meat: 
Mix ground pork & beef, add salt, garlic, & onion powder and chopped Pepper Jack. Don't over work the meat, cook on the grill until meat is done. Melt another piece of cheese on top

Burger: 
Spread mayonnaise on the buns, pour a tablespoon or two of BBQ sauce on top. Place burger patty on the bottom bun, top with bacon, lettuce, and the top bun. Secure with a tooth pick.

Texas Cheese Fries

1 bag organic frozen fries
Organic Cheese (We use cheddar or Mexican Cheese mix)
Salt & Pepper
Refined Coconut Oil
Himalayan Pink Salt
4-5 slices of Uncured Bacon

Pour oil in a frying pan, add enough frozen fries to cover the bottom of the pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and flip. When coated and slightly thawed dump onto a cookie sheet. Continue until bag is empty. Place in the oven and follow the cooking instructions on the back of the bag. Meanwhile cook the bacon until crispy pull out and chop. When the fries are finished take them out of the oven and taste test one, if needed add more salt. Cover with cheese and bacon, put cookie sheet back in the oven until cheese is melted.

4th Of July Taco Salad 

Ingredients:

1 Pound Organic Grass Fed Ground Beef 

9 -10 Organic Black Olives (Cut in fourths)

1 Organic Tomato (Chopped)

Organic Blue Corn Chips 

1 Container Organic Sour-Cream

1/2 A Block of Jalapeno Jack Cheese (Shredded) 

1/2 A Head Of Organic Lettuce (Chopped)

Seasonings:

Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning

Himalayan Pink Salt or Celtic Sea Salt

Paprika 

Cayenne Pepper 

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Supplies: 

Pan 

9 x13 Baking Dish

Ziplock bag

Cook the ground beef until brown, (don't over cook) season with Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning, Salt, Cayenne pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder,paprika to taste. Let cool. Place a layer of chips at the bottom of you baking dish. Chop up salad and add on top of your chips. Strain your ground beef well, then add on top of your salad. Put Sour-Cream in a ziplock bag and cut off the end. Use it like and icing bag and pipe in white stripes across your salad. Then add tomatoes for red stripes. Put olives in a square (like the blue part on the flag). Pipe Sour-Cream in small drops in small circles. Add chips around the edges of the pan. Add cheese on top of the chips. 

Berry Trifle

1 Angel Food Cake 

1 Half Container Fresh Strawberries 

1 Container of Fresh Blackberries 

Wipped-cream

Cut up angel food cake and strawberries. Layer Cake, berries, blackberries and whipped-cream. Top off with berries and whipped-cream.

Angel Food Cake 

1 1/2 Cups Powdered Organic Sugar 

1 Cup Organic Sifted Pastry Flour

1 1/2 Cups Free Range Egg Whites (11-12 Large Eggs)

1 1/2 Teaspoons Cream of Tartar 

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Organic Sugar 

1/4 Teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt

Sift together powdered sugar and flour together twice. In a large bowl beat egg whites, cream of tartar, Vanilla and salt until you get soft peaks. Slowly add organic sugar about two tablespoons at a time until stiff peaks appear. Place one quarter of flour mixture back in your sifter and sift over eggs. Fold in by hand gently. Repeat this for the rest of the mix. Pour into an ungreased bunt pan. Bake on your lowest rake at 350 degrees about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and invert pan. Cool completely. Serves 12. 

Whipped-cream

1 Small Container Organic Heavy Cream 

Stevia Drops (to taste)

1 Teaspoon Vanilla

Take beaters and bowl and put it in the freezer until cold. Put Stevia drops into the cream to taste. Put it in bowl and beat on high until stiff peaks appear. 

Ranchero Bread

1 1/8 Cup Water
3/4 Tbsp Organic Raw Sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil (melted)
1 1/4 Teaspoons Celtic Sea Salt
3 Cups Organic Flour
2 Teaspoons Dry Yeast
Chopped  canned jalapeno peppers, we used what would probably be 2 peppers but do this to your taste
Red Pepper flakes approx 1/2 tsp or to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheese (we used organic cheddar)

Bread Machine Way:

Put the water, sugar and oil in the bread machine. Follow with flour, salt and yeast. You can either set the bread machine to "French" or "dough" (I use dough that way I can take it out and shape it into a round loaf or a plain loaf or baguettes)

 Choose the dough setting on your bread machine.  Dice up several Jalapenos and put them in your dough.  Add in 1/2 cup of your favorite cheese.   Here you have to choose if you want rolls (or hamburger buns) or a loaf, etc.  After you shape it into the desired shape leave to rise in a warm draft free
place until it looks like it has doubled in size. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Blackberry Crisp

5-6 cups blackberries
1/4 cup raw sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup Organic flour
1/2 cup oats
8 tablespoons organic butter
Pour berries in a casserole, sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice. In a bowl mix oats & flour cut in butter until crumbly. Cover top of berries. Back at 350 until top is golden.

Stars & Bar Kabobs 
Watermelon
Cantelope

Take a star cookie cutter and cut watermelon. Slice cantelope wedges so the look sort of like bars. Use a long tooth pick and run it through the fruit.

Serve on a fun platter.