Happy 4th of July!

Wishing everyone a happy and safe fourth of July!!!

Dinner this evening:

Mini cheeseburgers, corn on the cob, deviled eggs, red potato salad and spiked raspberry lemonade, yum!

Mini Cheeseburgers

Ingredients:

• King's Sweet Hawaiian dinner rolls (usually found near the deli counter)
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• Steak seasoning
• Worcestershire sauce
• Mixed greens
• Tomatoes, sliced
• Vidalia onion, sliced
• Mayo
• Mustard
• Ketchup
• Tillamook cheddar, sliced
• Sandwich picks

Directions:

1. Sprinkle ground beef with steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Make into 8-9 large meatballs sized patties. Sprinkle each side of the patty with steak seasoning and Worcestershire sauce again.
2. Let meat sit for 15 minutes.
3. While meat is sitting, slice rolls. Spread mayo, mustard and ketchup on the inside of each roll, 8-9 depending on how many patties you've made.
4. Warm grill, broiler or grill pan to medium heat.
5. Cook beef patties until you're desired temp then melt cheese ontop.
6. Once cooked place one pattie on each roll and top with onion, tomoato and mixed greens.
7. Place top part of bun on top of the sandwich and hold together each with a sandwich pick.

Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 2 Tbls. mayonnaise
• 1/2 tsp. mustard powder

Directions:

1. Place eggs in a pot of salted water. Once water comes to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain eggs, and let cool.
2. Peel and cut eggs in half, lengthwise. Remove the egg yolks and mash them together in a small mixing bowl. Mix in the paprika, mayonnaise, and dry mustard.
3. Spoon mixture into a small zip-lock baggie and cut the bottom corner off. Pipe yolk mixture into egg whites; cool and serve.
4. Sprinkle with paprika if desired.

Red Potato Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb unpeeled red potatoes
• 2 eggs, hard-boiled & diced
• 3/4 C. mayonnaise
• 1 Tbls. milk
• 1 Tbls. distilled white vinegar
• 1/3 C. sliced green onions
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp.ground black pepper
• 1/2 C. sliced celery

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add red potatoes, and cook until tender but still firm, about 15-20 minutes. Drain, cool and chop into 1 inch cubes. Place in a medium bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, distilled white vinegar, green onions, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the potatoes, and mix together with the eggs and celery.
3. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator approximately 4 hours before serving.

Spiked Raspberry Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 4 C. water
• 1 pint (about 2 cups) raspberries, plus more for garnish
• 1 3/4 C. sugar
• Classic Lemonade recipe, or 1 quart store-bought lemonade
• Ice, for serving
• 1 bottle (750 milliliters) sparkling water (not mineral water!)
• 2 C. vodka (optional)

Directions:

1. Bring water, raspberries, and sugar to boil in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Strain mixture through a fine sieve, pressing gently on berries to release juices; discard solids.
3. Let syrup cool completely.
4. Combine syrup and lemonade in a large pitcher.
5. Divide among 16 ice-filled glasses. Top each with sparkling water, and vodka if using. (4oz. raspberry lemonade, 1oz vodka, 1oz sparkling water per glass)
6. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Classic Lemonade

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (from about 10 lemons)
• 1 cup superfine sugar
• 2 cups water
  

Directions:

1.  Strain lemon juice through a fine sieve into a pitcher.
2. Add sugar, stirring until it dissolves.
3. Stir in water.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 C. butter, softened
• 2 C. sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy.
2. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar.
3. Store in the refrigerator after use.