Tasty Tuesday Triple Trouble – 4th of July Menu

Looking for a yummy way to celebrate 4th of July? Look no further, the Bear of Real Estate – Think Melissa Team has put together some delicious items to make your 4th of July extra special!

Blueberry Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
• 6 ounces (1 cup) fresh blueberries
• 8 ounces mozzarella balls (ciliegine or bocconcini), halved or cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn if large
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Combine tomatoes, blueberries, and mozzarella balls in a bowl.
2. Toss with basil leaves, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made a few hours ahead of time, just cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.)

Chicken Ranch Burgers

Ingredients:

• One pound of ground chicken (yields 3 patties)
• One packet of dry ranch dressing
• 1/4 cup of green onion

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients together
2. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side until the center reaches a 175′.

Firecracker Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 box (15.25 oz.) white cake mix
• Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix
• Red food coloring (see note)
• Blue food coloring (see note)
• 1 container (12 oz.) white frosting
• Red, white and blue sprinkles, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven according to cake mix directions. Generously grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan; set aside.
2. Make cake batter as directed on box, using water, oil and egg whites. Pour 1 cup of the batter into a small bowl; stir in red food coloring until well mixed. Pour another cup of the batter into a separate bowl; stir in blue food color until well mixed.
3. Pour red cake batter into the bottom of the pan. Carefully pour the white batter over red batter in pan. Carefully pour blue batter over white batter. (The blue batter does not need to cover the white batter completely). When you add the batter to the pan, do not mix with a spoon. Just pour it in so the colors don’t mix but rather, just rest on top of each other in the pan.
4. Bake, as directed on box or until a toothpick inserted near center, comes out clean. Cool cake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place a cooling rack over cookie sheet. Turn pan upside down onto a cooling rack. Cool cake completely, about 30-45
5. When cake is cool, divide the frosting evenly into 3 microwavable bowls. Microwave 1 bowl of frosting uncovered on HIGH a few seconds until smooth enough to drizzle over cake. With the spoon, drizzle all of the 1st bowls of microwaved frosting all over the cake, back and forth around the cake in a striping pattern. Repeat microwaving the second bowl of frosting until smooth. Stir in a few drops of the blue food coloring until well blended. Drizzle over cake, scattering back and forth. Repeat with remaining frosting and red food coloring, making sure red, white and blue can be seen on the cake. Sprinkle with red, white and blue sprinkles, if desired. Let cake stand at room temperature until frosting is set before serving.
6. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Thank you to all the wonderful blogs that provided these scrumptious recipes:

Blueberry Caprese Salad www.loveandoliveoil.com
Firecracker Cake www.lovebakesgoodcakes.com