Fourth of July Parade Food Recipes
Need portable food to feed the troops at the Fourth of July parade? Here is a great collection of recipes to make ahead and take to the parade (or fireworks display) for easy, on-the-go dining and snacking.
Easy Granola Bars
Ingredients
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sweetened condensed milk, butter, coconut, almonds, chocolate chips and cranberries with your hands until well blended. Press flat into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, depending on how crunchy you want them. Lightly browned just around the edges will give you moist, chewy bars. Let cool for 5 minutes, cut into squares then let cool completely before serving.
Taco in a Bag
Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
4 (2.5 ounce) packages corn chips
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 chopped fresh tomato
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup salsa
1/2 cup sour cream
Directions
Place ground beef in a large skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until browned. Drain excess oil. Mix in the taco seasoning and prepare according to the directions on the package.
With the bags unopened, gently crush the corn chips. Snip the corners off the bags using scissors and slit open the bags along the side edge. Spoon equal amounts of the beef mixture, lettuce, tomato, Cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream into the bags on top of the crushed chips. Serve in the bag and eat using a fork.
Sweet Party Mix
Ingredients
1 (12 ounce) package crispy corn and rice cereal
5 ounces slivered almonds
6 ounces toasted, chopped pecans
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
Directions
Preheat oven to 250°. Lightly grease a large roasting pan.
In a large bowl, mix crispy corn and rice cereal, slivered almonds and toasted, chopped pecans.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and mix with dark corn syrup and light brown sugar. Pour the mixture over the crispy corn and rice cereal mixture. Stir and shake to coat all the nuts and cereal.
Pour the coated mixture into the prepared roasting pan. Stirring approximately every 15 minutes, cook 1 hour in the preheated oven. Cool on wax paper, and store in airtight containers.
Fill zip-lock bags with mix for each person.
Jumbo Breakfast Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups white sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups raisins
6 cups toasted oat cereal rings
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375°.
In a very large bowl, mix together the sugar, peanut butter, butter, water, vanilla and eggs until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter. Mix in the oats and raisins, then carefully stir in the cereal. Drop 1/2 cupfuls of dough onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing cookies about 4 inches apart. Flatten cookies to 1 inch thick.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are lightly browned at the edges. Let stand on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Store at room temperature.
Put each cookie into a sandwich bag to grab and eat on the parade route.
Kettle Corn
Ingredients
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions
Place the popcorn and sugar in a large pot with vegetable oil. Over a medium heat, begin to pop the popcorn. Constantly shake the pot to ensure that the popcorn kernels and oil do not burn. Once the popping has slowed, remove the pot from heat.
Once cool, put in zip-lock bags for parade.
All-American Popcorn Balls
Ingredients
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup margarine
2 teaspoons cold water
2 5/8 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup marshmallows
5 quarts plain popped popcorn
Directions
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the corn syrup, margarine, cold water, confectioners' sugar and marshmallows. Heat and stir until the mixture comes to a boil. Carefully combine the hot mixture with the popcorn, coating each kernel.
Grease hands with vegetable shortening and quickly shape the coated popcorn into balls before it cools. Wrap with cellophane or plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
Tortilla Rollups
Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1 (1 ounce) package dry fiesta-style ranch dressing mix
1 cup chunky salsa
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
Directions
In a medium bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, fiesta-style ranch dressing mix, chunky salsa and Cheddar cheese. Spread even amounts of the mixture onto the tortillas. Roll tortillas and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
To serve, slice the chilled, rolled tortillas into 3/4 inch slices and place in zip-lock bags.
Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
Ingredients
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 2 inch pieces
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained
skewers
Directions
In a shallow glass dish, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic powder. Stir the chicken pieces and pineapple into the marinade until well coated. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken and pineapple alternately onto skewers. Grill 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until chicken juices run clear.
Breaded Chicken Fingers
Ingredients
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 quart oil for frying
Directions
Place chicken strips into a large, resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, mix the egg, buttermilk and garlic powder. Pour mixture into bag with chicken. Seal, and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.
In another large, resealable plastic bag, mix together the flour, bread crumbs, salt and baking powder. Remove chicken from refrigerator, and drain, discarding buttermilk mixture. Place chicken in flour mixture bag. Seal, and shake to coat.
Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet to 375°.
Carefully place coated chicken in hot oil. Fry until golden brown and juices run clear. Drain on paper towels.
