Freedom Fight - Red, White and Blue Recipes!

Strawberry Shortcake with Blueberry Whipped Cream
By: Vanessa Madigan

My memories of the 4th of July are some of my all time favorites.  Every year my family would pack into the car and head out to my great grandfathers house.  We would swim and eat until we were exhausted and then we would head home, run upstairs to my Dads study and watch the fireworks over San Diego bay from our big upstairs window. These memories are some of the best of my life.  I love the 4th of July.  I am a Patriot and I am so proud to be an American, and any time I get to celebrate our beautiful nation I am a very happy girl.  I am so proud to live in such a special place and am so proud of those who sacrifice so much to keep us free.  The land of the free and the home of the brave...indeed.

Ingredients:
6 oz fresh blueberries
16 oz fresh strawberries, cut into halves.
1 Tbs. baking powder
1/2 Tsp. salt
2 Cups all pourpose flour
1 stick of butter, chilled and cubed into about 8 pieces
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk or half and half
1 Tsp good vanilla extract
8 Tsp sugar
2 Cups whipping cream or whipped topping.

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees
• In a large bowl mix flour, salt, baking powder, 3 tablespoons of the sugar and butter. Using your fingers blend the mixture well until the butter is fine and the mixture is crumbly.
• Add the vanilla and very slowly add your milk, stirring constantly with a fork to blend. Be careful not to overwork the dough, or it will become tough and wont be flaky. The dough should just be moist and does not have to hold together well.
• Empty the dough onto a lightly floured board and flip it to coat lightly with the flour to avoid sticking. Knead the dough 3 or 4 times and gently pat the dough into a rectangle roughly 6x12 inches. Using a 3 inch biscuit cutter, cut the dough into 8- 3/4 inch rounds.
• Place your rounds on a cookie sheet and bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Remove your shortcakes from the oven and set aside to cool.
• Place you blueberries and strawberries into 2 seperate small bowls.  Add 3 tablespoons of the sugar to the strawberries and 2 tablespoons of the sugar to the blueberries. Using a fork gently smash the blueberries into the sugar. Let the berries absorb the sugar and sit for about 1 hour.
• Take your blueberries and very gently mix them into your whipped cream. Set aside.
• To asseble, fork split the shortcakes, spoon your blueberry whipped cream on top of the first half of the shortcake and top with the second. Place additional wipped cream on the top and to finish spoon your strawberry mixture over and around your fluffy and delicious shortcakes and whipped cream.

Slow cooked Strawberry/Rhubarb Sauce over Blueberry Ice Cream
By: Andrea Madigan-Wilken

The Fourth of July is a beloved holiday in The American household. Whether your family has been here for generations or the ink isn't yet dry on your citizenship papers. The idea of a day to celebrate our differences through the freedom and independence we inherited that day is liberating. tens of thousands of brave men and women gave their lives so we may declare our principles and convictions without fear of persecution. Although our country is not perfect, I will remain forever grateful I live in a land where we the people can demand accountability and change. God Bless those risking it all to keep it that way. Happy 4th of July America!

Ingredients for sauce: 
6 cups chopped Rhubarb
1 1/4 cups fine sugar
1/2 cup Kearns Strawberry Nectar
1/4 cup water
2 cups sliced strawberries
1 tsp. lemon juice

Ingredients for Blueberry Ice Cream:
1 gallon store bought vanilla ice cream
1 1/2 cups fresh/frozen blueberries

Directions:

• Place chopped rhubarb, sugar, water and nectar in crock pot. Stir well. Cover and cook on low 4-5 hours or until rhubarb is tender.
• Add sliced strawberries and lemon juice and mix gently to combine. Cook 2 more hours on low stirring occasionally.
• Transfer to a hot/cold safe bowl and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.
• 20 min. prior to serving remove ice cream from freezer to soften slightly.
• Once barely softened place ice cream in a large mixing bowl and add blueberries. Gently fold in berries until evenly dispersed throughout.
• If ice cream is too soft place back in freezer 10-15 min. to firm up.
• Scoop ice cream into bowls and top with strawberry/rhubarb sauce.

        It's Delish. Enjoy!