Fourth of July recipes

• Red, white and blue coffeecake

For the Fourth of July, try this low calorie red, white and blue coffee cake. (Dave Williams/Wichita Eagle/MCT)
• Fiery shrimp pasta salad

Spice up the Fourth of July with today's fiery shrimp pasta salad, a colorful combination of plump shrimp, fusilli pasta, blueberries, tomatoes and green beans. (C.W. Griffin/Miami Herald/MCT)
• Fried chicken

With Fourth of July and summer picnics around the corner, making good fried chicken can enhance a home chef's reputation. Making bad fried chicken can ruin it. (Bob Fila/Chicago Tribune/MC)

Talk about it

Watermelon Cilantro Salsa

2 cups chopped seedless watermelon

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple

1 cup chopped fresh mango

Juice from 4 fresh limes

1 cup trimmed and chopped green onions

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Toss watermelon, pineapple, mango, lime juice, green onions and cilantro in a mixing bowl; season with salt and pepper just before serving. This is great with chips or served on anything grilled.

Yield: Serves 12 (about 4 cups).

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 30 calories, no fat, no cholesterol, 15 milligrams sodium, 8 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram dietary fiber, no protein.

Source: National Watermelon Promotion Board .

Fiery Shrimp Pasta Salad

¼ pound fusilli (corkscrew) pasta

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¾ pound peeled shrimp

¼ pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 scallions, sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 medium tomato, cut into 1-inch pieces

Red lettuce leaves, washed

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook 8 minutes or according to package instructions; drain. Meanwhile, mix mayonnaise with horseradish and lemon juice in a large bowl; set aside.

Place shrimp in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Heat just until water starts to simmer, with small bubbles around the edge of the pot and the water appearing white. Remove pan from heat and let sit for 1 minute. Drain.

Place beans in a microwave-safe bowl, cover and microwave on high 2 minutes.

To assemble salad, add shrimp, pasta, beans and scallions to the mayonnaise mixture. Toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix in the blueberries and tomatoes.

Place lettuce leaves on 2 dinner plates and spoon salad on top.

Yield: Serves 2.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 604 calories, 23 percent of calories from fat, 15.4 grams fat (2.4 grams saturated, 3.8 grams monounsaturated), 266 milligrams cholesterol, 45.2 grams protein, 71.6 grams carbohydrates, 7.6 grams fiber, 300 milligrams sodium.

Fried Chicken

1 cup salt

1 quart water

1 chicken, 2½ to 3 pounds, cut into 8 pieces

2 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon each: salt, ground red pepper and garlic powder

4 cups vegetable oil

2 tablespoons bacon drippings

Dissolve salt and water in a large bowl; add the chicken. Cover; refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Pour off the brine; rinse the chicken well under running water in the bowl. Drain. Add buttermilk and hot sauce to chicken. Cover bowl; refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8.

Combine the flour, salt, red pepper and garlic powder in another large bowl or food storage bag; drain the chicken pieces. Add 2 or 3 pieces of chicken to the bag; seal. Shake to coat chicken. Remove chicken to a rack; refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; stir in the bacon drippings. Heat oil to 350 degrees, or until a drop of water spatters when it hits the hot oil. Add the drumsticks, wings and thighs, skin side down (the oil should come about halfway up the sides of the pieces of chicken). Cover; cook until tiny bubbles begin to appear in the crust on the side facing up, about 10 minutes. Turn; cook 10 minutes. Uncover the skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove drumsticks and thighs from skillet to a rack placed over a cookie sheet; place in oven.

Raise heat under skillet to medium-high. Heat oil to 350 degrees; add the breasts, skin side down. Cook until tiny bubbles begin to appear in the crust on the side facing up, about 10 minutes. Turn; cover. Cook 10 minutes; uncover the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-low; cook until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 310 calories, 42 percent of calories from fat, 14 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 78 milligrams cholesterol, 16 grams carbohydrates, 28 grams protein, 566 milligrams sodium, 0.5 grams fiber.

Classic French Potato Salad

8 to 10 small red potatoes, about 2 pounds

2 tablespoons dry white wine or dry vermouth

¼ cup olive oil

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

½ cup finely chopped parsley

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

¼ cup white wine vinegar

Cover potatoes with water in a large heavy saucepan; heat to a boil over high heat. Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain potatoes; cool 5 minutes. Cut into quarters; transfer to a medium bowl. Toss potatoes with wine and olive oil; add green onions, parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Toss; set aside to cool to room temperature. Toss with the vinegar.

Note: This recipe is loosely adapted from Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”

Yield: Serves 4.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 334 calories, 36 percent of calories from fat, 14 grams fat (2 grams saturated), no cholesterol, 50 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 316 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber.

Mediterranean Bean Salad

1 tomato, seeded, chopped

1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarters, cut into ½-inch-thick slices

1 roasted red pepper, coarsely chopped

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed

1 6-ounces jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained

1 piece (4 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled

¼ cup each, chopped: pitted kalamata olives, parsley

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

Stir together tomato, zucchini, red pepper, chickpeas, artichoke hearts, feta cheese, olives and parsley in a bowl; set aside.

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and mustard in a small bowl. Pour over salad; toss well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.

Yield: Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 244 calories, 59 percent of calories from fat, 17 grams fat (4 grams saturated), 17 milligrams cholesterol, 18 grams carbohydrates, 7 grams protein, 785 milligrams sodium, 4 grams fiber.

Red White and Blue Coffeecake

FOR CRUMB TOPPING:

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons white whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon light butter

In a small bowl, combine flours, brown sugar and cinnamon. Using two knives or a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture is crumbly.

FOR COFFEECAKE:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup fat-free milk

¼ cup egg substitute

¼ cup applesauce

1½ teaspoons vanilla

1½ cups blueberries

½ cup Craisins

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate container, combine milk, egg substitute, applesauce and vanilla. Add liquid ingredients to flour mixture and mix until well combined. Gently fold in blueberries and Craisins. Pour batter into prepared pan. Cover batter evenly with topping mixture.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Yield: Serves 16.

Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 122 calories, 26 grams carbohydrates, 1 milligram cholesterol, 104 milligrams sodium, 3 grams protein, 0.5 grams fat, 1.6 grams fiber.

Tags: fourth of july, updates, accent, food