The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays in the United States. Growing up in Italy, I would only see it on TV. It was when I moved to the United States that I discovered the fun, energetic and patriotic spirit of the people celebrating Independence Day. What intrigued me even more was the variety of foods available during the celebration. From pies, to pizzas, to pigs in a blanket, everything sounded too delish to be true. As we are about to celebrate the 4th of July for 2013, I thought to share with you some of my favorite recipes that will delight your palate.
On the 4th of July, start your day with a patriotic breakfast.
What better way than using the red, blue and white colors of our flag? Mix your favorite Greek yogurt with blueberries, raspberries and almonds bits. Drizzle with honey and enjoy.
As lunch rolls in, you want to be able to have something easy that requires little work. A sandwich seems a perfect solution. Call it PANINI and you have a winner! Is it finger food? Entree? No matter what, it will delight your taste buds.
You can use your imagination and make any of your favorite combinations. One of my favorite Panini assemblages is grilled bread, fresh tomatoes and basil with mozzarella. Stack of the ingredients and then place in a Panini press. If you don’t have one, just use your pan and press the Panini down with something heavy (i.e. smaller pan). However, your possibilities are infinite. Brie, pears and honey mustard is a perfect ten for a Panini. As a side, you can serve veggies, salads, chips, kale chips, baked veggie etc.
As dinner roll in, the 4th of July screams ground meat! Specifically, burgers and meatballs. Burgers have always the spotlight, so today, we will focus on the underdogs: Meatballs!
If you want to keep it leaner, use ground turkey. Otherwise, you can use ground beef. In a bowl, mix ground meat with your favorite seasoning. I usually use a chipotle based seasoning because of the smoked flavor. Add, one egg, a half a cup of bread crumbs (or panko or oatmeal), fresh herbs (especially sage and rosemary). Mix everything together. With your hands, form small balls and line on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake is oven for 25 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve hot or cold with your favorite sauce.
Of course we cannot forget about dessert. This is the time to indulge. Buy your favorite desserts. The ones that you wish you could eat every day . The ones that make your eyes roll. And enjoy!
HAPPY 4th of JULY!
