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The Fourth of July is always a time to celebrate. It’s America’s Independence Day, and it’s always a fun time!

Lake days, beaches, parades, friends, family and good food and drinks are a staple of the holiday, and I’m excited for it this year! This is a little early for the 4th column, but with it landing on a Friday, if I waited until next week’s paper, you’d be scrambling on the 3rd of July to get any of these ingredients.

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This first one is so fun, so patriotic and so fitting for the holiday. I promse it will be a hit wherever you serve it because not only does it look like a Fourth of July dessert should, it tastes amazing.

LEMON BERRY 

FIRECRACKER CAKE

Cooking spray

1 (15.25-oz.) box white cake mix

1 (3.4-oz.) pkg. instant lemon pudding mix

4 large eggs

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 c. plus 1 tbsp. (or more) lukewarm water

1/4 c. raspberry jam

7 (or more) drops red gel food coloring, divided

1/4 c. blueberry jam

7 (or more) drops blue gel food coloring, divided

3 c. powdered sugar

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 c. red, white, and blue sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a Bundt pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk cake mix and lemon pudding mix to combine. Add eggs, oil, and 1 cup lukewarm water. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat until smooth, about 1 minute.

Scrape 1 cup lemon batter into a medium bowl. Stir raspberry jam and 5 drops red food coloring into batter until combined. Add more food coloring, a drop at a time, if a deeper red color is desired.

Scrape another 1 cup lemon batter into another medium bowl. Stir blueberry jam and 5 drops blue food coloring into batter until combined. Add more food coloring, a drop at a time, if a deeper blue color is desired.

Pour red batter into bottom of prepared pan. Pour remaining lemon batter over red batter. Pour blue batter over lemon batter.

Bake until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk powdered sugar, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, adding more water drop by drop if necessary, until thick and smooth and mixture is a lava-like consistency.

Scoop a heaping 1/4 cup white glaze into a small bowl and stir in 2 drops red food coloring. Scoop another heaping 1/4 cup white glaze into another small bowl and stir in 2 drops blue food coloring.

Drizzle white, then blue, then red glaze over cake. Scatter sprinkles over top. Let glaze set about 30 minutes before slicing.

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HAWAIIAN HOT DOGS

HOT DOGS

8 King's Hawaiian Original sweet hot dog buns

8 hot dogs, split lengthwise (be careful not to cut all the way through)

PINEAPPLE SALSA

2 c. fresh pineapple, finely chopped

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/2 c. freshly chopped cilantro, plus more for serving

3 tbsp. fresh lime juice

Kosher Salt

FOR THE SPICY MAYO

1/2 c. mayonnaise

1/4 c. Sriracha

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice (optional)

Kosher Salt

Make the pineapple salsa: In a small bowl, toss together pineapple, onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Season with salt and set aside.

Make the spicy mayo: In another small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lime juice, if adding. Season with salt and set aside.

Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Split King's Hawaiian Original Sweet Hot Dog Buns and toast as desired. Set aside.

Place hot dogs on grill or grill pan and cook for about 3 minutes, or until grill marks appear.

Place hot dogs in buns, then top with pineapple salsa, and drizzle with spicy mayo. Garnish with more cilantro before serving.

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NO BAKE STRAWBERRY DELIGHT

For the Crust:

12 graham cracker sheets (about 6 ½ ounces)

1/4 c. light brown sugar

6 Tbsp. salted butter, melted

Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish

For the Filling:

1 1/2 c. heavy cream

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

2 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 (3-ounce) package strawberry gelatin

1/2 c. boiling water

1 lb. strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

For the crust: Process the graham crackers and brown sugar in a food processor until finely ground, about 1 minute. With the processor running, slowly pour in the melted butter. Process the mixture until it is the texture of coarse sand.

Spray a 9-by-9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer the graham cracker mixture to the dish and press the mixture into the bottom, using the flat bottom of a measuring cup to make an even layer (press firmly). Freeze for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 days. 

For the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.

Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in the same bowl used to beat the heavy cream (no need to wipe it clean). Beat on medium-high speed until light, fluffy, and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from the mixer and whisk in a third of the whipped cream by hand, then gently fold in the rest using a rubber spatula. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the graham cracker crust in an even layer.

In a medium bowl, stir together the strawberry gelatin and 1/2 cup boiling water until dissolved, about 2 minutes. 

Beat 1/3 cup of the strawberry gelatin into the remaining cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated. Spread over the top of the plain cream cheese layer.  

Toss the sliced strawberries in the remaining strawberry gelatin to fully coat. Spoon the strawberries over the cream cheese in an even layer. Chill until set, at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours. (If chilling longer than 4 hours, cover with plastic.)

TFD: This thought for the day might seem similar to last year, and that’s because I’m not changing it. It should be followed at any time, but please be thoughtful this holiday weekend and PLEASE drive or boat safe and sober and be mindful of your fellow revelers!

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