Last week we were in love with Bolthouse Watermelon Mint Lemonade. Call us fickle, but this week we’re in love with something new.

Red Jacket Orchards Strawberry Apple Juice tastes like lush strawberry juice, the fresh fruit puréed and blended with the company’s apple juice. Located in the Finger Lakes region of New York State, the company has been growing apples and pressing juice since 1958.

The juices are cold pressed and unfiltered, capturing the freshest flavors and nutrients (heating juice to pasteurize it for shelf stability eliminates some nutrients and flavor).

It’s pretty close to eating strawberries, rich in vitamin C (eight berries contain 140% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance) and polyphenols, powerful antioxidants. Health science research indicates that the polyphenols in strawberries play a major role in helping to regulate blood sugar response—good news for people with type 2 diabetes.

In addition to plain and strawberry-apple juices, Red Jacket Orchards also Blackcurrant Apple, Grape Apple, Raspberry Apple along with Apricot Stomp (pure apricot nectar, no apple juice), Tart Cherry Stomp, Apple Cider and Spiced Apple Cider.

Discover more at RedJacketOrchards.com.
 
  

We love food “craft projects.” Here, turn graham crackers into flag cookies with this fun family recipe from Pillsbury. In fact, as part of your Fourth of July celebration, let your kids make this easy snack craft.

Prep time is just five minutes.

RECIPE: AMERICAN FLAG COOKIES

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. SPREAD one side of graham cracker with frosting.

A food craft project for kids. Photo courtesy Pillsbury.

These dazzlers were created by Chloe Jankowitz, owner of Scoopsies ice cream shop in Somerville, Massachusetts.

They’re really simple and fun to make,” says Chloe.

GLITTER ICE CREAM CONES

Ingredients For 24 Cones

1. LINE a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper.

2. MELT 2 cups of chocolate chips and 1/4 cup whole milk in a saucepan over medium/low heat, stirring frequently. Make sure the chocolate doesn’t burn! Once the chocolate is thick and smooth, turn heat to lowest heat setting. Stir occasionally.

3. DIP the cones in the chocolate an inch or two deep, using a spoon to make sure chocolate is neatly covering the cone. Scrape the inside of the cone with the spoon, getting rid of any excess chocolate. Place the cone on the tray and let cool for a few minutes. Once the cone has cooled down and chocolate is starting to harden…

4. POUR sprinkles on the cone while rotating it. Make sure the chocolate is completely covered in sprinkles. Repeat to finish all cones.

5. PLACE the tray of cones in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and store at room temperature, either in an airtight container or covered with foil.
 
If you enjoy decorating cones, consider extending your repertoire with coconut, mini M&Ms, Oreo crumbs, toffee chips and other confections.
 
Buy edible glitter for July 4th in:

If you need a special house gift for a summer host, consider baking cookies in special shapes. Or, bring the cookie cutters as gifts, along with pre-measured ingredients, as an activity gift.

Most people who bake have cookie cutter circles, flowers and hearts, and perhaps some holiday shapes. But with more than 15,000 listings on Amazon.com, you can find something personal for your friends and family.
For Families With Children

 
For People With Beach Houses

 
For Sports Enthusiasts

A tasty flag! Photo courtesy SecretLifeOfAChefsWife.com.

What a great dessert surprise for July 4th!

This flag cake originated on 17andBak­ing.com, and was reposted on SecretLifeOfAChefsWife.com.

Elissa, who posted the recipe at age 17 (she’s now 21), said at the time:

“While I wish I could claim credit for it, the idea of a flag cake was completely my father’s. It was all a bit of an experiment and when I finally cut the cake open, revealing the familiar red white and blue, I was so surprised to see that it worked.”

You can use any recipe for a three layer white cake. Elissa deliberately made the cake completely white on the outside, with a cream cheese frosting flavored with lime zest. Cutting into a plain cake makes the flag motif an even bigger surprise.

Are you dying to make it? Here’s the recipe.