Skip to main content

A Berry Happy 4th of July

I know the 4th of July isn't until Monday, but I figured you might need a head start in getting things ready for your big celebrations so I thought I'd bring you the goods a few days beforehand.

When I think of the 4th of July, I think of berries.  And fireworks.  And independence.  But mostly berries.  Is that weird?  Perhaps that fruit flag cake that everyone makes has become an indelible reminder of our nation's independence for me. 

I'm pretty sure Jon would cringe upon reading that, but it's the truth.  The flag cake has become synonymous with the 4th for many of us.  It allows us to partake in a sweet and somewhat healthy food while also "showing our patriotism."  And if we really want to show out, we'll make sure that there are exactly 50 blue berries gracing the upper left-hand corner of our creation.  That means we really appreciate the land of the free.

All kidding aside, the flag cake isn't a bad thing to make for the 4th of July.  After all, what screams Americana more than berries picked from a homegrown farm?  Nothing.

And that's why I'm going to be showing you some my favorite 4th of July berry treats today.  That way, when you show up to and/or host your own party, you'll be able to eat good food while also giving a nod to the good ol' U.S. of A. 

And because you can't eat most foods without utensils...Mason jars and ribbon make for some cute cutlery presentation.

And you can add a little flair to your soiree by making these fabric star medallions using Martha's instructions.

Or add a little detail with these cute mini flags using ribbon and wooden skewers.

And if that fruit drink shown in my berry collage up top has you intrigued, here's the recipe:

Sparkling Fruit Punch Recipe


Ingredients

    • 1 bottle (64 oz) pomegranate-cherry juice or cranberry juice cocktail 
    • 1 quart strawberries, hulled and quartered
    • 1 pint each blueberries and raspberries
    • 1 Gala apple, cored and thinly sliced
    • 1 small cucumber
    • 2 liters sparkling water
    • Ice cubes

Recipe Preparation

    1. In a large pitcher, combine juice with berries and apple slices. Chill for 1 hour. 

    2. To serve, peel cucumber and cut lengthwise in half. Remove seeds and cut into thin slices. Stir cucumber slices and sparkling water into juice mixture. Serve over ice. 

    3. Stir in a few shots of vodka, if desired.

 

post signature

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Canopy Stripes

As I mentioned in a previous post, black and white canopy striped fabric is one of my current obsessions. It's classic, clean and oh so elegant. Not to mention that it can make a bold statement in a room without being too flashy. I normally favor a very neutral color palette with accents of greens and robin's egg blues, and this pattern could be put in any such setting and be beautiful. Here a few of my favorite examples: Is this room spectacular or what? It's modern, classic and sophisticated! There is a large amount of stripes in this room, yet it's not overbearing. And the symmetry and clean lines displayed throughout give the room great balance. I could just plop this room right into my house! This is another example (as shown in a previous entry). If you don't have the money to invest in a rug, buy a few pillows and get the same look in your room for a fraction of the price. Whoever said black and brown don't go together was seriously mistaken. Lo

Guest Room Before and After-Healing Aloe

 Here is a shot of the room in all of its coral glory.  Great for a teenager, not for a soothing guest room. And here is the Healing Aloe after.  Healing Aloe is a color by Benjamin Moore. It was hard to get a good shot of the true color, but it is more of a seafoam than gray. Aside from painting the walls and buying a new white quilt for the bed, everything else in the space we already had--most of which are hand-me-downs (bed and dresser) or thrift store finds (lamp and side table).  It will all be sufficient for now, and hopefully a space that our guests will love. I'm very happy with the outcome and the progress of one more room in the house coming closer to completion.  One down, three to go (at least in the painting department!)

Table Decorating Contest

Jon and I are leaving to spend a long weekend in San Antonio with his parents and his brother (who will be town from Arizona).  But before we go, I wanted to leave you with some pictures from the Officer Spouses Club Table Decorating Contest that was held last night. I called Jon on my way home from base, and he immediately asked "How was the contest?" to which I responded "Victorious." The 32nd FTS, our squadron, took first place! The theme was Silver Screen so we decided to focus on famous quotes from each movie genre. Each place setting featured a different movie. We had a "drive-in" for our center piece where clips of the famous quotes were shown. Welcome to the Jayhawk Drive-In! Wizard of Oz place setting. The glass had a button you could turn on to make the water swirl and look like a tornado inside. Also notice the witch's feet sticking out from under the plate :) A close-up of the yellow brick road I painted. Silence of the Lambs pl