Published: June 30, 2009 03:45 pm      

TASTE THE BEST: Celebrate Fourth of July with a star-spangled menu

's time to once again to fire up those grills. Fourth of July is Saturday, and what better way to celebrate our independence than with a good old-fashioned barbecue?

The Web site www.ehow.com offers these tips to help you host a fabulous celebration:

• Decorations should be all about the red, white, and blue, and don’t be shy about asking everyone to wear their thematic best.

• Be a kid again! Fly kites, throw water balloons and set up classic lawn games like touch football and horseshoes (one of my favorites). When night comes, light some candles, hand out the sparklers and watch the fireworks fly.

• Most importantly, serve up "all-American" foods such as hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, deviled eggs, corn on the cob, watermelon, lemonade and desserts made in patriotic colors.

Here are a few recipes to help you get started. Have a great Fourth of July!

Bacon Wrapped Hamburgers

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1 small onion, chopped

1 egg

1 tbsp. ketchup

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 lb. ground beef

6 slices bacon

6 hamburger buns, split

Preheat a grill for high heat.

In a large bowl, mix together the Cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Crumble in the ground beef, and mix together by hand. Form into 6 patties, and wrap a slice of bacon around each one. Secure bacon with toothpicks.

Place patties on the grill, and cook for 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Remove toothpicks before serving on hamburger buns.

www.allrecipes.com

Southern Potato Salad

4 potatoes

4 eggs

1/2 stalk celery, chopped

1/4 cup sweet relish

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp. prepared mustard

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain and chop.

Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water; peel and chop.

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, celery, sweet relish, garlic, mustard, mayonnaise and salt and pepper. Gently mix together and serve warm.

www.allrecipes.com

Red, White, and Blue Trifle

1 box red velvet cake mix, about 18 oz. (if you can't find red velvet cake use 1 box chocolate cake plus a bottle of red food coloring)

1 (16-oz.) tub whipped topping

2 pints blueberries

1 pint strawberries, tops removed

Bake the red velvet cake mix according to package directions and allow to cool.

Using a serrated knife cut the red velvet cake into 1 inch square pieces and line the bottom of the trifle bowl with half of the cake squares.

Using a spatula, spread about a 2-inch layer of whipped topping on top of the cake squares.

Layer about 1 1/2 pints of the blueberries on top of whipped topping.

Layer the remaining cake pieces on top of the blueberries forming a second layer of cake.

Using a spatula, spread remaining whipped topping over the cakes pieces.

Decorate the perimeter with the strawberries; placing the strawberries cut side down. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries on top of the trifle inside the strawberry perimeter.

www.foodnetwork.com

Missy Wattenbarger can be reached at mwattenbarger@crossville-chronicle.com