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Hosted by kali

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Welcome readers~~

This month, we have a few holidays going on...

2nd is Canada Day (obviously in Canada)
4th is Independence Day (USA)
14th is Bastille Day (France)
25th is Constitution Day (Puerto Rico)

NOTE: If I have missed stating a holiday in your country, I am sorry, this month I am getting the information from a USA calendar, and will try to have a better source before August's feature comes out. If I have missed your holiday, or you would like to submit some to me, please list the country, the holiday, and the date, if you'd like you can include a brief or extensive description of the holiday or include a link to where I may gain information about this holiday, you can either post it on my message board, or email me @ the_cosmic_cafe@yahoo.com
Any information you submit about holidays and the such is greatly appreciated.

The menu that I plan to use this year for my celebration consists of the following:

BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Cornbread
Blooming Onions
Independence Day Flag Cake
I will also have a vegetable platter, fruit tray, and a cheese and cracker tray. Information about those may be found in the Cosmic Cookbook located on my entrance page.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches

Ingredients:

3 pound boneless beef chuck or bottom round roast, cut into 4 chunks
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic or 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup water
2 cups barbecue sauce (see recipe below for BBQ Sauce)
8 hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls
Instructions:

In a crock pot, place the onion and garlic on the bottom, top with the beef chunks, and sprinkle the beef with salt and pepper.
Add the water and cover and cook on LOW for 9 to 9-1/2 hours or until the beef falls apart with a fork. No stirring is necessary during the cooking.
Remove all the liquid from the beef (makes excellent gravy for mashed potatoes).
Trim and discard the excess fat from the cooked beef.
Shred the meat with two forks until no solid pieces remain.
Add the barbecue sauce and mix thoroughly.
Serve the barbecue beef on hamburger buns or Kaiser rolls that are split in half.
This recipe makes approximately 7-8 cups of shredded barbecue beef. Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days for later use.

All-purpose Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients:

5 cups catsup
6 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
8 drops hot pepper sauce (more or less depending upon your tastes)
6 cups water
1 cup vinegar
1-3/8 cup brown sugar
6 tsp. salt
6 tsp. celery seed
6 tbsp. instant minced onion (I use more onion, but here again, this depends upon your tastes. I like to use Vadalia or Maui Onions as they have a bit of a sweeter taste to them, and have a wonderful flavour to BBQ Sauce)
1 bottle Smokey type barbecue sauce
1 bottle chilli sauce
Instructions:

Mix and simmer in crock pot for 4-5 hours or until desired thickness.
Comments: This makes a whole bunch but can be frozen and then just use what you need and put back in the freezer!

Grandmas Best Cornbread

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 to 2 cups cup Milk, more as needed
2 cups cornmeal
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
6 tsp. baking powder

Instructions:

In a very large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar.
Mix in the eggs.
Stir in milk a bit at a time.
Add cornmeal and mix well.
Let this mixture rest for 10 minutes
Then add some more milk
Sift together the remaining dry ingredients and gradually add them to the mixture along with more milk as needed. You want to add just enough milk to get a thick batter (like muffins or a thick cake batter).

Bake in a greased 9x13 pan at 350°F. Bake for 40-45 minutes.
Slice and top with butter and honey, apple butter, apple sauce or eat it in a bowl with milk and maple syrup.

INDEPENDENCE DAY FLAG CAKE
Prep Time: 1 Hr.
Start to Finish: 3 Hrs. 30 min.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine
1-2/3 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup HERHSEY'S Cocoa
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/3 cups water

VANILLA BUTTER CREAM FROSTING (recipe follows)
1/2 pint blueberries
1 quart small strawberries, of uniform size
Instructions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat on high speed 3 minutes. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add alternately with water to butter mixture. Blend just until combined. Pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Place cake on oblong serving tray or foil covered cardboard.

4. Frost cake with VANILLA BUTTER CREAM FROSTING. Arrange blueberries in upper left corner of cake, creating a 4x5 inch rectangle. Arrange strawberries in rows for red stripes. 12 to 15 servings.

VANILLA BUTTER CREAM FROSTING
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In large bowl, combine powdered sugar and butter. Add milk and vanilla; beat to spreading consistency.

The above recipe for the cake came from the following web site:
http://www.hersheys.com/cookbook/chocolate/recipes/3842.html
Thanks Hershey!! This recipe is wonderful!!

Bloomin Onion

One large sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Maui
1 1/4 cups flour
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1-cup milk
Oil for frying

Take the onion and peel off the skin, leaving the root intact. Cut a small slice off the top of the onion and discard. Starting at the top of the onion, make cuts across the onion, but stop 1/2 inch from the bottom. The cuts should he 1/8 inch apart. Then turn onion a quarter turn and repeat cuts. You should now have a checkerboard pattern across the top of the onion.

Place the onion in a bowl of ice water until it "blooms". Drain the onion and dry it carefully on paper towels.

Place flour and seasoning into a large Ziploc bag. Put the onion into the bag and shake. Then dip onion into milk and then back into flour mixture. Don't let the coating get clumped up to much.

Deep fry at 375 degrees for 5-7 minutes or until golden, turning once. Remove onion from oil and drain carefully on paper towels.

Turn the onion upright and remove the very center core. Spoon dip of choice in the center of onion, the following recipe is the actual Bloomin Onion Dip Recipe, but any dip may be used, whatever your tastes prefer. Serve immediately.

Bloomin Onion Dip

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp ketchup
2 tbsp cream style horseradish
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp dried oregano

Dash of black pepper and cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and keep covered in refrigerator until needed.

If you have any questions or comments about this menu, or need help with quantities or just feel the urge to post a message or email me, I will respond to your submission ASAP. Once again, my email is the_cosmic_cafe@yahoo.com

I look foreword to hearing from all of you!! Remember if you enjoy this feature, please vote for me through the topsites!!! Thanks all!!! Have a wonderful July!! Kali