Holidays like the 4th of July are a great time to check out others creativity in the culinary department. I’m always on the hunt for great tasting new recipes. To celebrate the U.S.A.’s Independence Day, I’ve gathered links to some fabulous ideas. I know I’ll try one or two of them myself.
Greatest, a very informative health and fitness blog, features a blog post of 29 Healthier 4th of July Recipes. Every course of the meal is covered. The Fourth of July Toast, Swirled Cheesecake Bars, and the Watermelon and Feta Flag especially grabbed my attention.
How about Chicken Burgers with Guacamole, Cheddar, and Charred Tomatoes or Grilled Shrimp with Lime, Orange, and Basil Oil? Health.com offers 18 Recipes to Celebrate the Fourth of July.
Looking for holiday festive vegan fare. Healthy.Happy.Life. offers a Vegan Menu for the 4th of July. It covers the WHOLE meal, too.
Eating Bird Food. Doesn’t just the name of this blog immediately make you curious? Their post, Healthy 4th of July BBQ Recipes, features appetizers and snacks for the occasion. I didn’t notice “much” birdseed in the recipes.
Cute Foods for Kids offers some awesomely fun 4th of July Party Foods Ideas sure to please the kids (and maybe even the grown ups as well)!
The cookies on my picnic table in the photo above are a slightly altered version of our family’s favorite oatmeal cookie recipe to fit the 4th of July theme. Here are my changes — one for the 4th and some just because I chose, too.
- We like them very cinnamony. Sometimes I double the amount of cinnamon.
- I’ve substituted dried cranberries and dried blueberries for the raisins normally in them.
- Also, to make them a bit healthier, I used organic ingredients where ever possible, and used fresh milled Kamut flour. (For years I made them with plain old white flour and other non-organic ingredients. It’ll be ok.) Just enjoy!!!
- Serving them up in a basket or on a plate themed for the 4th, of course, just adds to the festiveness!
I’m sharing the recipe below. It’s from For the Love of Cooking (affiliate link) published by Oxmoor House — 1975. This has been one of my most well loved cookbooks over the years. My copy is plenty messy and taped up too, to prove it. It’s rated 5 stars on Amazon. They offer it in price range from $0.27 to $100. 🙂
Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies
1/4 Cup Butter (their recipe says butter or margarine — I always use butter, just like Mom did)
1 Cup Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Cup plus 2 Tbls All-Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/3 Cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 Cup Dried Blueberries
3 Cups Oats (Regular or Quick-Cooking)
Cream butter and sugar together thoroughly. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Add other ingredients. Drop by teaspoonfuls, 1 inch apart, onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Yield: about 4 dozen.
