Try These Fun 4th of July Camping Recipes!

What better way to spend Independence Day than with friends and family in the great outdoors? This week we’re going to offer a few awesome recipes if you’re celebrating America’s freedom in the wilderness. We’ll have some red, white and blue-themed dishes and drinks because as you know, besides fireworks, the staple of Fourth of July is good food.

Red, White and Blue (Berry) Salad

Ingredients (Based on 1 Serving):

2 cups mixed salad greens

¹⁄₄ cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons candied or toasted walnuts

4 strawberries, sliced

¹⁄₄ cup blueberries

Raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Directions:

Lay the greens on the plate.

Pile the feta and walnuts in the middle of the greens.

Scatter the strawberries and blueberries on top.

Serve with the dressing on the side, and not until ready to eat (it wilts the salad).

French Potato Salad (Since they helped during the Revolution)

Ingredients (Serves 8):

6-8 large potatoes, thoroughly scrubbed and cut into bit-sized pieces
Olive oil, about 3/4 c.
Dried or fresh herbs to your taste, such as oregano, basil or parsley
Salt & pepper

Directions:

Thoroughly scrub the potatoes and cut into bite-sized pieces. 
Put the potatoes in a large pot of water, bring it to a boil, then generously salt the water.
Cook the potatoes until just tender, around 8 minutes but check them at 5.
Drain the potatoes in a colander.
In a large bowl, dress the potatoes with olive oil until each piece is lightly coated.
Sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Chicken with Red and Blue (Berry) Salsa

Ingredients (Serves 4):

4 (6 oz) chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness

Olive oil (for grilling the chicken)

Salt and pepper

Prepared couscous (optional, for serving)

Red & Blue(berry) Salsa:

1/2 c fresh blueberries, chopped

1/2 c fresh whole blueberries

1/2 red bell pepper, seed and diced

1/4 red onion, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (optional)

3 TB fresh minced parsley

2 TB fresh minced mint (optional)

1 TB lemon juice

Pinch salt

Directions:

In a bowl, stir together all ingredients for the salsa and refrigerate until ready to use (you can make this up to 1 day in advance but if you do so, I recommend waiting until right before you serve it to add the fresh minced herbs).

Lightly brush olive oil on both sides of the chicken breast, then season both sides with salt and pepper.  Grill the chicken until fully cooked (there should not be any pink).

Serve the grilled chicken topped with salsa along with couscous.

Old School Homemade Ice Cream in Red, White and Blue

Ingredients (Serves 8):

1 ½ pints half and half

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

3/4 c. strawberries

3/4 c. blueberries

Crushed ice

1-2 c. rock salt

1 clean 1 lb. coffee can with the plastic lid

1 clean 3 lb. coffee can with the plastic lid

Duct tape

Directions:

1. Put the half and half, sugar and vanilla in the 1 lb. coffee can and mix well. 
2. Put the lid on the 1 lb.coffee can and tape it securely shut with duct tape.
3. Put the 1 lb. coffee can into the 3 lb. coffee can and surround it with crushed ice and rock salt.
4. Put the lid on the 3 lb. can and secure it with duct tape.
5. Roll the can back and forth in the grass or other soft surface for about 15 minutes.
6. Take the small can out of the big can, wipe it clean and open it up. Scrape down the sides and add the strawberries and blueberries.* Tape it back up, pack it in the big can with more salt and ice and tape the big can back up. Roll for another 10 minutes or so.
7. Take the small can out of the big can, wipe it off and dish out the ice cream into bowls.
   
   *When you mix the berries into the ice cream you get a beautiful, purple ice cream with red and blue berries in it. For a red, white, and blue effect, make vanilla ice cream and sprinkle the berries on top. And if you do this, you can use a lot more berries.

Fireworks Red, White and Blue Daquiris (PS This one's for the Adult Campers)

Ingredients (Serves 6):

Red:

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup watermelon chunks, frozen

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

2 tablespoons white rum

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup ice cubes

White:

1 cup coconut sorbet

1/4 cup rum

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

1 cup ice cubes

Blue:

1/3 cup blue passion fruit liqueur, such as Hpnotiq or Alize

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 4 limes)

2 tablespoons blue curacao liqueur

2 tablespoons white rum

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups ice cubes

Directions:

Begin by making the red layer: Put the frozen strawberries, watermelon, lime juice, rum, sugar and ice in the carafe of a blender. Blend until thick and smooth. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water if the consistency is too thick. Transfer to a large measuring cup or small bowl and place in the freezer while you make the next layer.

For the white layer: Rinse out the blender and add the coconut sorbet, rum, lime juice and ice. Blend until thick and smooth. Transfer to another large measuring cup or small bowl and place in the freezer while you make the final layer.

For the blue layer: Rinse out the blender and add the passion fruit liqueur, lime juice, blue curacao, rum, sugar and ice cubes. Blend until slushy and there are no chunks of ice left.

Pour the red layer into the bottom of six 8-ounce glasses, about 1/3 cup each. Gently spoon 1/3 cup of the white layer over the red layer so they stay separate. Finish by spooning 1/3 cup of the blue layer over the second layer in each glass.

Hopefully this gives you some good ideas for 4^th of July camping, or anytime you’re outdoors and feeling especially patriotic! Please share any of your Independence Day recipes in the comments below, and as always, happy exploring!