Cherry Recipes for the Fourth of July on Indy Style
Jul 04, 2017, Updated Jun 03, 2021
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Happy Independence Day! This day is all about freedom, liberty, and red, white, and blue. We’ve all seen the traditional red, white, and blue foods at holiday gatherings. But earlier today on Indy Style, I demonstrated some new recipes for the Fourth that incorporate a different red fruit – cherries! They’re also my favorite fruit!
Dark cherries have that classic sweet cherry flavor. Rainier cherries actually taste a lot like nectarines. And a relatively new cherry variety is the Orondo Ruby cherries. They have a flavor all their own and are available for just a few short weeks during the summer.
So let’s use some cherries to celebrate our Independence Day! First up is this Orondo Ruby Salad from G&C Farms. For the dressing, simply whisk together the juice from one lemon, some olive oil, a bit of garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour this dressing over salad greens and toss. Then top the dressed greens with pre-pitted Orondo Ruby cherries (whole or sliced), crumbled goat cheese, slivered almonds, and lemon zest. It’s the perfect light summer salad to please your holiday crowd!
Here’s a simple but colorful dessert that your kids will love! I found the inspiration for these Patriotic Parfaits from Betty Crocker. All you need is whipped topping, sliced strawberries, blueberries, and your favorite variety of cherries. In a clear parfait glass, layer the ingredients in this order: whipped topping, strawberries, whipped topping, blueberries, whipped topping, cherries. Kids and grown-ups alike will love the sweet fruit mixed with the creamy whipped topping!
Watch me make these two recipes here:
Everyone loves grilled cheese sandwiches! Step up your grilled cheese game with this Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Cherries and Onions. First, sauté onions with a little olive oil. Then build your grilled cheese sandwich with gouda cheese and sliced dark sweet cherries. And follow my secret trick – use mayonnaise instead of butter on the bread. Mayonnaise will give you a golden brown and crispy crust every time!
Finally, every holiday get-together needs a spectacular, show-stopping dessert. This Angel Food Cake with Cherry Topping certainly fits the bill, but your guests will be surprised to know how simple it is to make! Start off with a premade angel food cake. You can either make one yourself or save time and energy by getting a cake from your local grocery store! Fill the center of the cake with some whipped topping. Then create the cherry topping. In a saucepan, heat some lemon juice along with pitted dark sweet cherries and pitted Orondo Ruby cherries. Pour this cherry topping over the whipped topping, letting it fall over the sides of the cake. Looks a bit like fireworks, right?
Follow along as I make these recipes here:
I had so much fun celebrating the Fourth with Amber and Tracy this morning. Happy Independence Day to you and your family!
xoxo Lori
