Enjoy the summer’s fruit bounty straight, in fruit salads, yogurt, pies, ice cream, smoothies and … green salad.

Strawberries or watermelon salad plus greens and feta or goat cheese are time-honored additions to a green salad.

But you can create your own recipe. For a July 4th salad, how about a red, white and blue green salad with raspberries, blueberries and diced applies? Instead of the apples, use feta or goat cheese for the white component.

The salad in the photo, from Souplantation, combines:

 
You can use a conventional vinaigrette recipe or a berry vinaigrette, adding a tablespoon of puréed berries to the recipe.

In a tasty and fun collaboration, Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi and the West Texas-style BBQ sauce purveyor, Daddy Sam’s, have collaborated on a limited-edition summer barbecue grilling sauce.

Called Woodbridge Wine ‘Cue Sauce, a 19-ounce jar is available for $6.99 on Amazon.com through September 30, 2015.

The Woodbridge Cabernet contributes dark fruit and herbaceous notes. Daddy Sam’s selected a blend of spices that complement the wine’s flavors in the sweet, smoky sauce.

While infused with wine, the Woodbridge Wine ‘Cue Sauce does not contain any residual alcohol and is appropriate for all ages. The all-natural sauce is made in small batches with molasses—no high fructose corn syrup.

Unless you’re committed to beer, drink a bottle of Woodbridge Cabernet Sauvignon with your barbecue, burgers or brats. The SRP is just $6.99 per 750mL bottle, $10.99 per 1.5L bottle.

But don’t dawdle: This sauce will be off the shelves on September 30th. You can buy lots, though; it has a two-year shelf life. Stocking stuffers, anyone?

Crunchy gingersnaps are descendants of Lebkuchen, soft spice cookies that were probably created by Medieval monks in Franconia, Germany (the earliest written records are from 1296). The history of whoopie pies, an American creation, is much more recent—1926!

The ginger snaps themselves are a cross between a cookie and a cake, sandwiched between an easy vanilla buttercream.

This recipe is from The Faux Martha via Go Bold With Butter. Prep time is 20 minutes, cook time is 40 minutes.

RECIPE: GINGERSNAP WHOOPIE PIES

Ingredients For 12 Cookie Sandwiches
 
For The Cookies

Make them for family and friends. Photo courtesy The Faux Martha.

For The Filling

Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. WHISK together the flours, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. CREAM the butter and sugar in a large bowl until evenly combined, using a handheld or stand mixer. Add the molasses and blend until incorporated. Scrape down the the sides of the bowl and mix in the cream, egg and vanilla.

4. MIX the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. The dough will be dry but will still hold together. Using a one-tablespoon scoop, drop 24 cookies onto baking sheets, about an inch apart.

5. BAKE for 10 minutes. The cookies will still be soft but will firm up after cooling. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Meanwhile…

6. MAKE the filling. Using a stand or handheld mixer, whip the butter in a large bowl until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and cream together until well incorporated. Add the cream and vanilla. Continue to beat until the filling light and fluffy.

7. SPREAD a generous amount of filling on the flat side of half of the cooled cookies. Top with the remaining cookies to create sandwiches. Serve or store in airtight container for up to 3 days.

Prep time is 20 minutes, total time is 1 hour 35 minutes.

RECIPE: JULY 4th COOKIE PIZZA

Ingredients For 24 Servings

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Spray a 12-inch pizza pan with cooking spray.

2. CUT the cookie dough into 1/4-inch slices; place in the pan. With floured fingers, press evenly over the bottom to form the crust. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown. Cool completely, about 25 minutes.

3. BEAT the cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon peel in medium bowl until fluffy. Spread over the baked crust. Arrange the raspberries in large star shape in the center. Arrange the blueberries around raspberries.

4. DRIZZLE or brush with the melted jelly. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

[2] When you don’t want patriotic colors, a sliced strawberry makes a lovely garnish. Here’s the recipe (photo © Cooking Classy).

[3] A classic angel food cake (photo © Bhofack2 | Dreamstime).

[4] A slice of angel food cake with strawberry sauce. Here’s the recipe (photo © I Am Baker).

This recipe, from Annalise of Completely Delicious via the folks at GoBoldWithButter.com, spins angel food cake into cupcakes, with a lightened whipped buttercream topping instead of whipped cream.

> National Angel Food Cake Day is October 10th.

> A whole year of cake holidays (55+!).

> The history of angel food cake.

> The history of cake.

> The different types of cake: a photo glossary.
 
 
WHAT IS ANGEL FOOD CAKE?

Angel food cake is a light, flourless cake made with sugar, cream of tartar, salt, vanilla, or almond extract, and a dozen or so egg whites, depending on the recipe. There is no leavening. It’s gluten-free.

Angel food cake is typically baked in a tube pan, and popularly served with berries and whipped cream—although it is just fine either plain or with a dessert sauce (caramel, chocolate, custard, fruit sauce, etc.).

Angel food cake was one of the first cakes to rely solely on whipped egg whites instead of butter or baking powder for its light, airy texture.

Who invented it? Check out the history of angel food cake—these days often abbreviated to angel cake—below.
 
 
RECIPE: ANGEL FOOD CUPCAKES

Ingredients For 12-18 Cupcakes

Prep time is 15 minutes, cook time is 45 minutes.
 
For The Cupcakes

 
For The Whipped Buttercream

 
Garnishes

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

2. SIFT together the powdered sugar and cake flour, three times. Set aside.

3. BEAT the egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt on medium-high speed until foamy, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or with a hand-held mixer. Increase the speed to high and slowly add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, with the mixer running. Beat until glossy and soft peaks form. Then stir in the vanilla.

4. SIFT the dry ingredients over the meringue in 3 additions and gently fold in after each addition. Do not over-mix or the meringue will deflate.

5. SPOON the mixture into the prepared muffin pan, filling the cups all the way to the top. Bake until golden about 18 minutes, until the cupcake tops spring back when touched. Let the cupcakes cool completely.

6. MAKE the frosting in the stand mixer or with the hand-held mixer. Beat the powdered sugar and butter together until smooth. Add the cream, salt, and vanilla and beat on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Frost the cupcakes and top with the berries.

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