Recipe Roundup- Our Favorite Independence Day Recipes

Our Favorite July 4th Recipes You Will Love

Updated 2023.

Happy early July 4th to you from Pennsylvania!

In addition to the delicious recipes listed below, we thought it might be fun to share some Pennsylvania Independence Day trivia with you.

• Did you know? The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which you should know.  Yay us! "From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence."  -history.com

• But did you know..."John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date to celebrate the birth of American independence and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest. -history.com

• Also, Adams and Thomas Jefferson also both died on July 4, 1826--the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence". -history.com

In honor of Independence Day, here's a list of our favorite July 4th barbeque recipes to make celebrating at home easy and memorable.

What favorite Cherchies® recipes will you be using this July 4th weekend?  Share them below.

Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have tried any of these recipes or if you have some to add. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.

Follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Stay safe, and have a very happy July 4th.

Appetizers

• Pepper Jam Cream Cheese Recipe

• Sausage Bites with Cranberry Mustard Recipe

• Herbed Dip Recipe

• Champagne Bacon Deviled Eggs Recipe

• Cheesy Havarti Dill Pull-Apart Bread

• The Best Layered Taco Dip Recipe

Salads

• Blooming Tomato With Chicken Salad Recipe

• Caprese Salad Recipe

• Blue Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe

• Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe

• Best Darn Coleslaw Recipe

• Pretty Vegetable Bean Salad Recipe

Sides

• Herbed Corn on the Cob Recipe

• Pepper Jam Grilled Pineapple Recipe

• Grilled Balsamic Champagne Vegetables Recipe

Entrees

• Strawberry Hot Pepper Kabob Recipe

• Garlic Stuffed Flank Steak Recipe

• Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe

• Lime Grilled Shrimp Recipe

• Pizzazzed Steak Recipe

• Lemon Tomato Basil Cod Recipe

• Baked Cajun Shrimp Boil Recipe

• Sassy Grilled Chicken Skewers Recipe

• Peachy Chicken And Vegetable Kabob Recipe

Desserts

• Cream Cheese Pie Recipe

• Rustic Cherry Apple Tart Recipe

• Cherry Pie Cookie Bites Recipe

• Apple Butter à la Mode Recipe

• Amazing Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

• Refreshing Fruit Pizza Recipe

Our Favorite Memorial Day BBQ Recipes

Our Favorite Memorial Day BBQ Recipes

Happy May!

This is my favorite season.  Flip flops, sunshine, lemonade, barbeques, swimming, and spending quality time with the family to unwind, and of course Memorial Day, the unofficial beginning of summer.

I wish Memorial Day came at a different time of the year, so it could receive the recognition it deserves, rather than the last Monday of the month of May, a month filled with celebrations...Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, graduations, school coming to an end, and according to daysoftheyear.com, May is officially Barbeque month!  

But then again, our celebrations are possible due to the gifts that have been bestowed upon us from our servicemen and servicewomen, past and present. 

Let us reflect, May is also a month to remember those who have fought for our freedom. "Thank you to every serviceman and servicewoman who has given their all to guarantee us the wonderful freedom we enjoy. May we never forget nor take for granted what their sacrifice means to us!" - Jan C.  Well said!

In honor of May and freedom and National BBQ month, we wanted to share our favorite recipes to make your celebrations easy peasy.  So celebrate your freedom this Memorial Day with a BBQ surrounded by your family and friends, and say thank you to those who serve and have served our glorious country!

Appetizers

• Pretty Cream Cheese Recipe
• Herbed Dip Recipe
• Sausage Bites with Cranberry Mustard Recipe
• Festive Deviled Eggs Recipe
• Cheesy Havarti Dill Pull-Apart Bread

Salads

• Pretty Vegetable Bean Salad Recipe
• Grilled Shrimp Salad With Tomato Vinaigrette Recipe
• Caprese Salad Recipe
• Strawberry Spinach Salad Recipe
• Blackberry Poppyseed Vinaigrette Recipe
• Aunt Ester's Potato Salad Recipe

Sides

• Hot Pepper Baked Beans Recipe
• Pepper Jam Grilled Pineapple Recipe
• Herbed Corn on the Cob Recipe
• Cucumbers à la Cherchies Recipe

Entrees

• Strawberry Hot Pepper Kabob Recipe
• Garlic Stuffed Flank Steak Recipe
• Lemon Pepper Chicken Recipe
• Pizzazzed Steak Recipe
• Honey 'n Lime Grilled Shrimp Recipe
• Truffle-Glazed Bone-in Ribeye Recipe
• Hawaiian Sweet and Sour Smoked Sausage Recipe

Desserts

• Cream Cheese Pie Recipe
• Rustic Cherry Apple Tart Recipe
• Lemon Raspberry Fruit Pizza Recipe
• Apple Butter à la Mode Recipe
• Luscious Lady Finger Recipe

Recipe Roundup-Top 20 Game Day Recipes

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Top 20 Game Day Recipes

Munchdown! It's almost time for the Super Bowl folks and that means parties, which means food! 

To help with your football party planning, I've listed 20 of our favorite quick and easy Cherchies® recipes to make your party is extra "super". 

Now go, have yourself a game day party...even if you don't like football (What???...just kidding... I won't hold it against you, if you won't hold it against me that I like football...or The Eagles...sorry guys, maybe next year;)

Appetizers

• Marinated Cheese Recipe- A make ahead must! The Garlic 'n Herbs Seasoning and our Pretty Peppers "score" big in this recipe.

• Muffuletta Cream Cheese Roll-Up Recipe- The flavors of the classic New Orleans "Muffuletta" in a bite-sized appetizer.

• Cheesy Havarti-Dill Pull Apart Bread- Soft, crunchy artisan bread, melty Havarti cheese, drippy butter and Lemon dill spice...oh my!

• Lemon Dill Dip Recipe- What would a party be without dips? This dip is so refreshing and our Cherchies® lemon dill spice makes this dip irresistibly good.

• Sweet and Sour Spread Recipe- Sweet pineapple combined with the zing of horseradish and gourmet mustard makes this a delicious appetizer that won't be on the table for long.

• Artichoke and Cheese Squares- Score points for flavor.

• Mexican Martino Cheesecake Recipe- This recipe is a touchdown (sorry, couldn't help myself), and feeds a large crowd. A savory cheesecake with peppers and Vidalia Onion Peach Salsa. Yumm!

• Oh Sooo Simple Salsa Recipe- Last minute get-together? No problem! Our Salsa Seasoning with Lime will turn any can of tomatoes into a delicious salsa! For an added bonus, add Velveeta Cheese to your newly made salsa, and microwave until melted... instant queso!

• Candied Pepper Jam Bacon- Bacon and football just seem perfect together for some reason, but then again bacon goes with everything;)

Main Meal/Heartier Appetizers

• Ham and Mustard Biscuit Recipe- It doesn't get much easier than biscuit sliders with ham, cheese, and mustard. Or have a slider spread with different fillings (meatballs,pulled pork...).

• Bake Chicken Tenders with Cranberry Mustard Dipping Sauce- A sweet and tangy compliment to the chicken.

• Double Decker Tacos- Have a taco bar!

• Yes, soup for you! (Seinfeld flashback)- With over 20 soups, we have just the one to warm you and your family. Plus, most of our soups can be made in a crockpot (except for the quick cooking soups!)

• Melt in Your Mouth Pulled Pork- 5 Ingredients, including our Select Grilling Rub and Seasoning Blend.

• Grilled Herb Chicken Legs- Fire up the grill, and add olive oil and your favorite Cherchies® seasoning blend

• Honey and Lime Grilled Shrimp- Lime, Cilantro, and honey will make your taste buds sing!

• Festive Deviled Eggs- Always a crowd favorite, any occasion.

Desserts

• Blackberry or Lemon Raspberry Monkey Bread Muffins- These little cuties are so quick and easy and will be a hit at your next party. Make them both!

• Lemon Raspberry Fruit Pizza Recipe- Serious fruit flavor! Perfect for a crowd.

• Apple Butter Crisp- warm apples with a delightful crunchy topping.

Have a super party folks!

Cooking Tip: How To Create an Easy Cheese Plate

Cooking Tip! How To Create an Easy Cheese Plate

Entertaining should be easy, not difficult.  It's all about quality time with family and friends, not the time spent in the kitchen.  With the busy holiday season on our doorstep, time is of the essence, and a quick and easy go-to appetizer is a necessity. 

Our go-to appetizer is a charcuterie platter, (aka a cheese plate or antipasto platter).  It takes very little effort to create a fabulous charcuterie platter, but the presentation speaks volumes.

Cheese and fruit are a given for cheese platters, and when we are entertaining, we often open up jars of our products (Our award-winning mustards, Hot Pepper Jams, Butter Spreads, Preserves), and pair them with good quality cheeses.  Our guests love to create and share their own concoctions (You'll find out shortly how to create your own).  Plus, it's also a great conversation starter.

There really is no exact recipe for a cheese plate, as it lends to individual creativity, so below we've given our recommendations for the perfect cheese/antipasto platter:  Let's build it together!  Here are the tools needed for a fabulous cheese/antipasto display:

Vehicle (Thank you Martha Stewart)- A pretty cutting board, tray, or platter is the perfect "vehicle" for creating a cheese board.  If you have a large gathering, a piece of furniture works well to "stage" your appetizers.  Check out my in-laws 50th Anniversary party this summer (thank you Charlie from Yellow Springs Inn for your innovation and inspiration).  We re-created a smaller version later for friends on Labor Day. They loved it! 

Pretty Containers

The world is your oyster when it comes to containers:)  Gather up your "pretties" (bowls, martini glasses, crystal, votive holders, tea cups, etc. ) for your display, anything that will hold the loose items such as olives, nuts, crackers, bread sticks, etc.

We used our "pretties" to hold olives, mini toasts, bread sticks, and of course CONDIMENTS!  We used one each of our Mustards, Hot Pepper Jams, Butter Spreads, and Preserves.  

Labeling

Chalkboard anything is all the rage for labeling, and the possibilities are endless.  Here, we used picture frame napkins rings (you could substitute mini picture frames) that we had lying around, and then added black construction paper to the frames to create "faux" chalkboards.

Cheese 

You had me at cheese!  Invest in some good quality cheeses, like aged cheddar, blue, brie, or whatever combinations you decide upon.  Depending on your gathering size (under 10 people), Martha Stewart (thank you again Martha...you rock!) suggests selecting three different cheeses, all of varying textures, with a mild cheese as one of the options.

Fruit and/or Fruit Preserves

There's usually something sweet on a Cheese Plate, such as fruit (fresh or dried grapes, apples, apricots, berries, cranberries, etc.), and we've gone a step further to include fruit AND our Preserves, Hot Pepper Jams, Butter Spreads, and Mustards as an accompaniment to the cheese.   This is where the fun begins! The flavors are amazing!  Stay tuned!

Bread

So technically, you could just pick up a slice of cheese and top it with a piece of fruit and be done.  Or, you could grab a slice of a baguette or a cracker (make sure to get good crackers ...Water Crackers tend to be a favorite...we used mini toast crostinis we found at our local Wegman's), and start creating, combining cheeses with fruit, pepper jams, mustards, preserves, meats, oh my!.  Your taste buds will thank you!

Try these options to start (the possibilities are endless!):

• Cherchies® Blackberry Preserves paired with Blue Cheese

• Cherchies® Hot Pepper Jams paired with a good sharp Cheddar

• Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread and Brie with a slice of apple on top

• Cherchies® Champagne Mustard (or Cranberry Mustard) and cheddar, with a few Champagne grapes on top (cute little grapes, normally found at specialty stores)

Miscellaneous Items

Usually, cheese plates have some sort of meat, such as sausage, salami, etc.  In addition to salami, we decided to amp up our cheese board even more and add Pepperoncini Peppers and olives, but you could also add nuts.

Cheese platters are not only an easy and elegant option for entertaining, but the combinations of ingredients are also infinite.  We love to add our personal touch and pair cheese with fruits, olives, meats, preserves, mustards, pepper jams, etc.  You will find tons of themed charcuterie options on the internet for the creative side of you (see below). We'd love to hear your favorite combinations!

The best part of a charcuterie/cheese platter is that you'll have more time on your hands for what's important...spending quality time with your family and friends!  Happy easy and elegant entertaining this holiday season!