3 Summer Recipes Just In Time For The 4th of July!

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE FRUIT SALAD

Cook time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz of Strawberries, washed and cut in half
• 1 pint of blue berries, rinsed
• 3 bananas sliced in thick chunks
• ⅛ cup of honey
• 1 fresh lime

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash and cut all your fruit.
2. Combine in a bowl.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the honey and freshly squeezed lime juice.
4. Here is a hint – microwave your lime for 10 seconds before you cut and squeeze it. You will get more out of it after it was warmed up.
5. Drizzle the honey lime glaze over the fruit and stir slightly to coat.
6. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

LOADED BAKED POTATO SALAD

yield 14-16 servings

INGREDIENTS 

• 6 pounds Russet potatoes
• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 + 1/4 cups mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (plus a few sprinkles more!)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 + 1/2 pounds thick-cut butcher’s bacon, cooked and coarsely chopped
• 5-6 green onions, chopped
• 2 cups medium cheddar cheese, shredded

INSTRUCTIONS 

1. Move oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. With a potato brush, scrub potatoes clean under running water. Dry off potatoes with a dish towel.
3. Using a fork, pierce potatoes 3-4 times on each side and transfer to a baking tray. Brush all sides of the potatoes with olive oil.
4. Bake the potatoes for approximately 45 minutes until tender. You’ll know they’re done when you can run a knife straight through the potatoes without resistance.
5. On the baking tray, cut each potato into four pieces to allow steam to escape. Allow potatoes to cool for 10 minutes. Using a knife and your fingertips, remove the potato skins.
6. Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
7. In a small mixing bowl blend the mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and pepper together with a spatula.
8. Pour wet mixture over the potatoes. Using a spatula gently fold in the mixture.
9. Gently fold in remaining ingredients: bacon, green onions and cheddar cheese.
10. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

THE BEST BBQ CHICKEN KEBABS RECIPE

TOTAL TIME: 55mins | PREP TIME: 40mins

SERVES: 6

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 2-3 slices raw bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Trim chicken of excess fat, then cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the salt. Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
2. Turn all grill burners to high, close lid, and heat for about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on, but turn off other burners.
3. Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine the paprikas and sugar. Place the raw bacon in a food processor and pulse for about 30-45 seconds, until a smooth paste forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl twice throughout. Add the bacon paste and spice mixture to the chicken. Mix with hands or spatula until the ingredients are blended and chicken is coated. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, rolling or folding as needed to maintain 1-inch cubes.
4. Grill the chicken over the primary burner with lid closed, turning one-quarter of a turn every 2 minutes or so, until browned and slightly charred (about 8 minutes total for chicken breast and 10 minutes for thighs). Brush the top of kebabs with BBQ sauce; flip and cook until sauce is browned in spots, about 1 minute. Brush second side with sauce; flip and cook for another minute or so, until cooked through.
5. Remove kebabs from grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve, passing remaining BBQ sauce separately, if desired.

** Side Notes: Reviews of this recipe stated that regular paprika works just fine if you can’t find sweet. Another reviewer used leftover bacon grease rather than the raw bacon paste. And lastly, whole chicken tenders prepared this way were also a hit!