The Fourth of July falls on a Saturday this year, which means more time for relaxing, celebrating with friends and family, and most importantly, more time for eating and drinking. Us Weekly rounded up the tastiest and most festive food and cocktail recipes so you can spend the holiday the way our Founding Fathers undoubtedly intended — full of treats and a little buzzed. Eat, drink, and gossip about your favorite celebs.
SVEDKA Firecracker
Ingredients:
1 1/2 parks SVEDKA Vodka
1 part watermelon schnapps
1/2 part cranberry juice
1/2 part lemon juice
1/2 part simple syrup
1/4 part blue Curaçao
soda water
Directions:
1. Build in the glass. Add watermelon schnapps and cranberry juice over ice, then carefully add lemon, simple syrup, and SVEDKA to layer the white layer.
2. VERY carefully layer the blue Curaçao to create the color separation.
3. Gently top with soda.
4. Garnish with fresh watermelon pieces.
Hellmann’s Best Ever Juicy Burgers
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Hellmann’s or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
2 lbs. ground beef [or ground turkey]
8 hamburger buns
Directions:
1. Combine Mayonnaise, bread crumbs, and Soup Mix in bowl.
2. Mix mayonnaise mixture into ground beef; shape into eight patties.
3. Grill or broil until done. Serve burgers on buns.
4. Top with your favorite fixings.
Smart tip: For the Hellmann’s taste you love with the goodness of olive oil, substitute Hellmann’s or Best Foods Mayonnaise Dressing with Olive Oil.
Barbecue Tip: For a delicious creamy barbecue sauce topping, combine 1/4 cup BBQ sauce with 1/2 cup Hellmann’s or Best Foods Real Mayonnaise. Spoon on juicy burgers and enjoy! Tip: If using ground turkey, oil grill or broiler pan before cooking.
Blueberry Sparkler
Ingredients:
2 parts Skinnygirl Bare Naked Vodka
5 muddled blueberries
Dash of grenadine
Splash of club soda
Lemon wedge for garnish
Directions:
1. Muddle blueberries at the bottom of a glass.
2. Add in Skinnygirl Bare Naked Vodka and grenadine.
3. Top off glass with club soda.
4. Garnish with lemon wedge.
Summer Roasted Potato Salad
Ingredients:
2 pounds medium Red Bliss potatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
1 cup Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons smooth (Dijon) mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chopped capers
6 gherkins, quartered lengthwise and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces plus 1 tablespoon of gherkin liquid
1 small bunch chives, minced
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F
2. Arrange the potatoes on a single layer on a baking sheet and place it in the center of the oven.
3. Make the vinaigrette: In a small pot, reduce the Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon over medium heat until there are only about 2 tablespoons of liquid. In a bowl large enough to hold the potatoes, whisk together the red wine vinegar, shallots, mustard, mayonnaise, capers, and gherkins. Whisk in the reduced red wine. Taste for seasoning. When the potatoes are tender and yielding when pierced with the tip of a knife, 30-35 minutes, remove them from the oven. Allow them to cool for a few minutes. Peel half of them. Some potato skin is a nice flavor in the salad.
4. Finish the salad: Place the potatoes (halved or quartered, pending size) in the bowl with the dressing and lightly crush them with the tines of a fork. Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss them in the dressing. Sprinkle with the chives.
Tip: For the rest of your summer BBQing needs, pick up the Woodbridge Wine ‘Cue Sauce!
Raspberry Moji-rita
Ingredients:
8 Perfect Spoonfuls Raspberry Mojito DAVIDsTEA
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) hot water (96°C)
4 oz (125 mL) tequila
2 oz (60 mL) triple sec
1/3 cup (75 mL) lime juice
1 tbsp (15 mL) granulated sugar
10 fresh mint leaves
Ice
4 lime slices
4 fresh mint sprigs (optional)
2 lime wedges
1/4 cup (60 mL) granulated sugar
Directions:
1. Infuse hot water with tea for four to seven minutes; strain and cool to room temperature.
2. Sugar Rim: rim four margarita glasses with lime wedges. Place sugar in shallow dish; dip rim of glasses in sugar to coat. Set aside.
3. Add steeped tea, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, sugar, mint leaves, and ice to shaker; shake to combine.
4. Strain into prepared glasses.
5. Garnish each with slice of lime and sprig of mint (if using).
Tip: Alternatively, prepare and mix drink in a pitcher, adding ice just before serving.