Made In America

Well, the food was, at least. But I have to admit these nifty decorations, which I picked up for a song the day before, were Made in China.

I hope your July 4th was wonderful. Ours was HOT, but I was so grateful that we had power and water. I feel so terrible for the millions of people who went without both after those crazy storms, and for those who STILL ARE!!!  

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Not a lot of pictures, but I have to give you my latest and greatest and ever-so-slightly revamped recipe for White Sangria, which will make your summer...and fall and spring. The biggest change is the pour of Prosecco at the top of each glass, which gives it even more fizz (and alcohol).

White Sangria (serves 4 to 6 heavy drinkers)

Printable recipe here.

2 bottles white wine

1 bottle Prosecco
3 cups of Sprite or 7up (diet or not) 

2 lemons

2 limes

1 orange

and any other fresh fruit you wish – peaches, nectarines, strawberries

½ cup Triple Sec

Chill the white wine, Prosecco and Sprite well. 

Generously cut both ends off the lemons, limes and the orange and squeeze the ends into a large pitcher. You want big pieces, so you get a lot of juice. Cut the middles of the fruit into thin slices. Quarter each lemon and lime slice and add to pitcher. Cut the orange slices into sixths and add to pitcher. Add other fruit as desired, cut into small pieces. (I usually peel the peaches.) 

Pour Triple Sec over fruit and refrigerate until almost ready to serve, up to 3 hours. 

Just before serving, stir in wine and Sprite or 7up.  Fill glasses with ice and spoon in some fruit (from the pitcher). Pour over sangria, filling each glass about three-quarters full. Top with Prosecco.

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A few other things:
Andouille with coarse mustard



Guacamole
Hamburgers
Barbecued Chicken
Baked Beans
Chips
White Cole Slaw
Red Cabbage Cole Slaw with Green Goddess Dressing

This is fine to make a few hours before serving. Cover tightly and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Red Cabbage Slaw with Green Goddess Dressing

Printable recipe here.

1/2 large head red cabbage, quartered, cored, and thinly sliced

3 carrots, shredded
1/2 red pepper, cut into thin strips

2 scallions, sliced thinly

½ cup raisins

In a big bowl, stir together the red cabbage, carrots, red pepper, scallions and raisins. Mix with three-quarters of the Green Goddess Dressing, holding some back to add just before serving if necessary. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Green Goddess Dressing

adapted from Gourmet, March 2002

1 cup mayonnaise
3 anchovy fillets

1 chopped scallion, green and white parts
3 tbls. fresh parsley
4 tbls. fresh chives
1 tbl. fresh thyme

2 tbls. white wine vinegar, plus more if needed

Place ¼ cup of mayonnaise in food processor with rest of ingredients. Process until smooth. Stir into remaining mayonnaise in a small bowl. Taste for seasoning. Add another tablespoon of vinegar if you want more zing.

Note: Add fresh tarragon in addition to, or instead of, some of the other herbs, if you wish. (I hate it.) Also any combination of herbs is fine. You just want to add a lot. 

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Blueberry Cake
Lemon Meringue Cake

That last thing wasn't a formal recipe. I made a lemon pound cake and layered it up with some meringue rectangles and filled it with lemon curd and cream and some raspberries here and there. 


Remember when Giada added lemon rind to her meringues? I tried that and frankly the lemon rind didn't add much flavor AND I used twice what she did. But it was still a pretty yummy cake.