With the 4th of July fast approaching, I thought it’s be fun to take a classic summer dessert, like Strawberry Shortcake, and give it a little red white & blue twist.

Mixed Berry Filling:
4 cups mixed berries (such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, etc.)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Shortcakes:
2 1/3 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup half and half
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Lemon Mascarpone Cream:
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Mixed Berry Filling:
In a large bowl, mix together the 4 cups of berries, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar. Set aside.

Shortcakes:
In a medium bowl, combine the Bisquick, half and half, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter until soft dough forms. Drop 6 spoonfuls of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden.

Lemon Mascarpone Cream:
In a medium bowl, beat the mascarpone, heavy cream, vanilla, 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar and together until soft peaks form.

To Assemble:
Take a shortcake and slice it in half. Add a layer of berries, then a layer of lemon mascarpone cream. Top with other half of shortcake, another layer of berries and end with a dollop of lemon mascarpone cream.

Yields 6 servings.

Summertime is picnic time! I love having easy to make and easy to eat treats that both kids and adults love whenever I go to the beach or to the park. All of the ingredients in this recipe can be carried in air-tight containers and then assembled later in disposable cups. Perfect for picnics!

1 box (3.4 ounces) Jell-O instant lemon pudding
4 slices pound cake
2 cups whipped cream
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

Make pudding according to directions on box.

Break each pound cake slice into pieces and divide half among 4 tall cups. Add a layer of pudding, a layer of berries and a layer of whipped cream. Repeat, ending with whipped cream and topping with a few blueberries.

Yields 4 servings.

3/4 box penne pasta
1 pound chicken breast, bone & skin removed
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup chicken stock
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup baby spinach leaves
2 teaspoons dried basil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt and pepper, to taste

Make pasta according to directions on box. Drain and set aside.

Using a food processor, blend together the melted butter, chicken stock, garlic, spinach, basil and lemon juice. Set aside.

Cut the chicken into strips. In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, cook the chicken. Add the lemon butter mixture. Reduce heat to low. Add the pasta and stir to coat. Cook until pasta is heated through.

Season with salt and pepper.

Yields 2-4 servings.

These are definitely not your average cookie. They have such an array of flavors happening! Sweetness form the honey, a little kick from the ginger and a bit if tart from the lemon. I find the combination to be utterly divine!

Cookies:
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried ground ginger
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
Milk
Sprinkles (optional)

Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla and honey. Stir in the flour mixture.

Drop spoonfuls of dough about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on a wire rack.

Icing:
In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Add milk by the teaspoon to thin enough to ice cookies. Top with sprinkles if desired.

These cookies were a test in flavor combination – I had never tried lemon and ginger together before. They came out fantastic! Simple, delicious, elegant. I think these would make a great holiday gift.

Cookies:
2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup candied ginger, finely chopped

Icing:
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
Hot water, as needed

Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla. Using an electric mixer on low speed, carefully beat in the flour mixture until crumbly. Stir in candied ginger.

Shape dough into 2-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet; flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Icing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar. If icing is too thick, thin with hot water, a teaspoon at a time. Spoon icing onto cookies, using the back of spoon to spread out evenly if needed.

Yields about 3 dozen cookies.

Salad:
1 chicken breast, cooked and cubed
2 hearts of romaine, chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and diced
Feta cheese crumbles
Dried cranberries

Dressing:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper, to taste

Salad:
In a medium bowl, toss together the romaine, chicken and apples. Top with feta cheese and dried cranberries.

Dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until the lemon juice and olive oil are fully incorporated. Drizzle over salad.

2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream

Using a food processor or blender, puree the strawberries until smooth.

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and follow maker’s instructions.

Yields 1 quart.

These are one of the easiest treats to make. The addition of blueberries in this recipe make them even more delicious than your average lemon bar!

Crust:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

Filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup blueberries, de-stemmed and dried
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish.

Crust:
In a medium bowl, mix together the  flour, sugar and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Press dough into prepared baking pan. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Filling:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, flour and salt. Mix until smooth.

Pour lemon mixture over crust and top with blueberries. Bake 15-20 minutes or until just set. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before serving.

Dust with powdered sugar.

Yields 9 bars.

Nothing is easier to make than couscous (except instant oatmeal, or maybe a bowl of cereal, but those don’t really count). This is a fresh, bright and flavorful version that can be served as-is or with additional fruits and vegetables.

1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup couscous
1/4 cup packed fresh parsley leaves, minced
Juice and zest of 1-2 lemons (depending on size)
Salt & pepper to taste

In a small heavy saucepan bring the chicken broth and butter to a boil. Add couscous, stir, then remove the pan from heat.

Let the mixture stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff it with a fork, then stir in the parsley, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Yields 4 servings.

*Add grilled zuchinni and dried cranberries for another tasty variation!