With your day off right in the middle of the week, you’ve probably received Fourth of July barbecue invitations for today, tomorrow, this weekend and more.
A&E has you covered with three easy recipes for all the potlucks you have to attend over the next few days.
Pesto Pasta Salad
No mayo in this pasta salad! You can make your own pesto, but a jar of the prepared sauce will work just fine. You can also add toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, chopped olives, etc.
12 ounces of pasta (we used rotini)
8 ounces of mozzarella pearls
8 ounces of pesto
1 cup of medley tomatoes
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1. Cook pasta and let cool.
2. Slice tomatoes in halves or quarters.
3. Combine all ingredients in bowl.
4. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.
5. Let cool. Keep refrigerated until serving.
Turkey Burgers with Pineapple Salsa
Even if you don’t have a grill, changing up your classic Fourth of July burger’s flavors can make the dish much more exciting.
4 turkey burger patties
Minced onion
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray
1 cup of pineapple chunks
1/2 jalapeno pepper
Finely chopped cilantro, to taste
4 buns
4 slices of provolone cheese (or cheese of choice)
1. Season turkey burgers with salt, pepper and minced onion to taste.
2. Cook or grill turkey burgers until brown and cooked through.
3. Add slices of cheese shortly before removing from heat.
4. Dice pineapple chunks and jalapeno.
5. Chop cilantro into fine pieces and combine with pineapple and jalapeno.
6. Assemble sandwiches, topping the burgers with pineapple salsa.
Homemade Popsicles
If you don’t have a popsicle mold sitting in the back of your cabinet, you can use an ice tray with popsicle sticks (or find one at Target for around $10). You can even experiment with your own flavors, combining your favorite juices, milk or yogurt and frozen fruit.
Mango-jalapeno
Perfect for getting rid of the rest of your jalapeno from the burgers.
1 cup of coconut milk (or the milk of your choice)
1 cup of frozen mango
1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced
1 teaspoon of agave (or your favorite liquid sweetener)
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. Pour into mold and let chill for at least four hours.
3. Keep frozen for as long as possible!
Mixed berry-mint
Cool and refreshing.
1 cup of coconut milk
1 cup of mixed berries (we included strawberries, blueberries and blackberries)
1 teaspoon of agave nectar (or your favorite liquid sweetener)
1/4 cup of mint leaves, finely chopped or torn
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. Pour into mold, and let chill for at least four hours.
3. Keep frozen for as long as possible!
