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Stars & Stripes Sizzle
Get fired up for a fabulous meal on the Fourth of July! While you sip refreshing cherry margaritas, start the grill for the all-American favorite--thick, juicy beef burgers. When they're grilled to perfection, partner them with a cooling salad brimming with fresh cherries and a splash of honey-lime dressing. For dessert, cupcakes explode with red, white and blue inside and out. Patriotic sprinkles stirred into the batter create interior fireworks while Uncle Sam bobbles atop this special dessert. For more information visit: www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com, www.nwcherries.com, www.wilton.com. Burger Basics --Grill over medium heat. For gas grills, set controls to medium. For charcoal, cautiously hold the palm of your hand above coals at cooking height. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to remove it; about 4 seconds for medium heat. --Turn patties with a spatula. Do not press. Pressing causes loss of juices and results in a dry burger. --Grill to medium doneness (160 F), until no longer pink in center and juices show no pink color. Use an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center of burgers to check temperature. Do not char or overcook. Perfect Burgers Easy, versatile, and with the great taste everyone loves, burgers are the perfect choice for a fabulous Fourth of July celebration or any time you fire up the grill. To make the best burgers, follow these foolproof directions. 1. Gently shape into patties as directed in chart below. Season with herbs or spices, as desired. 2. Prepare grill (charcoal or gas) according to manufacturer's directions for medium heat. Place patties on grill. 3. Grill according to chart, turning occasionally. After cooking season with salt, if desired. Burger Grilling Guidelines Makes 4 burgers Weight/Thickness Using 1 pound ground beef: 1/2-inch thick patties (4 ounces each) CHARCOAL GRILLING (uncovered) Approximate Total Cooking Time to Medium (160 F) 11 to 13 minutes GAS GRILLING (covered) Approximate Total Cooking Time to Medium (160 F) 7 to 8 minutes Using 1 1/2 pounds ground beef: 3/4 inch thick patties (6 ounces each) 13 to 15 minutes 13 to 14 minutes Northwest Cherry Bomb Margaritas 1 1/2 cups pitted fresh dark sweet Northwest Cherries In blender, place pitted cherries, margarita mix, tequila, 1 cup ice and the lime juice; process until smooth. Pour over additional ice into 4 glasses. Garnish with mint leaves and cherries, if desired. Makes 4 servings. Red, White & Blue Cherry Salad 4 cups pitted Northwest Cherries (fresh dark sweet cherries, Rainier or combination) Honey-Lime Dressing: 2 tablespoons olive oil In large bowl, combine cherries, blueberries and apples. In small bowl, combine dressing ingredients; mix well. Pour dressing over fruit; toss gently to coat. Makes 6 servings. Cook's Tip: Fresh blackberries, raspberries or halved strawberries may be substituted for blueberries. Fresh pineapple or orange may be added to salad. Fantastic Fireworks Cupcakes 1 package (18.25 ounces) yellow cake mix Preheat oven to 350 F. Line standard muffin pan with patriotic baking cups. In large bowl, combine cake mix, water, eggs and oil; beat with electric mixer 2 minutes. Fold sprinkle sparks into batter; spoon into baking cups. Bake 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before decorating. Using a spatula or butter knife, ice cupcakes with icing. Or, create an icing swirl using a decorating bag fitted with a 1M Tip. Immediately sprinkle as desired with sprinkles or colored sugar; add topper. Makes 24 cupcakes Celebration Cupcakes! Wilton's new "Cupcake Fun!" book offers dozens of easy ways to make festive cupcakes to celebrate the Fourth! --Decorate iced cupcakes with ready-to-use, star-shaped icing decorations, flag party picks, red and blue cake sparkles or patriotic confetti. --Use tube decorating gel or decorating icing to write a message or draw stars and stripes on iced cupcakes. --Serve red, white and blue iced cupcakes from the Cupcakes 'N More stand.
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