What’s a spectacular fireworks display without your favorite food? But who wants to spend hours in the kitchen feeding family and friends, when there are sparklers to light, and firecrackers to set off? Orlando Family has put together an easy-peasey menu so guests can serve themselves, and the chef can sit on the blanket and enjoy the fireworks display. Just add a tossed salad, some pickles, and a handful of chips and you are set to celebrate!

Cheeseburger Sliders

Enjoy these easy-to-make mini delights and let the fun begin! Cheeseburger Sliders by Bonnie Banda

Ingredients:

• 1  medium onion (about 1 cup finely chopped)
• 1 1/2  lb lean ground beef
• 2  garlic cloves, pressed
• 1  tsp. salt
• 6  slices American cheese
• 24  Martin’s mini rolls  (find these in the supermarket bread isle)
• 24  hamburger
• dill pickle slices
• Mustard (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Finely chop onion. Combine beef, onion, garlic, and salt in bowl; mix well (Kids love to do this!). Press beef mixture evenly over bottom of 11×17-inch bar pan. Bake 10-12 minutes or until beef is no longer pink.
2. While beef is baking, on cutting board, cut cheese into quarters; set aside. Split bun tops and bottoms; set aside.
3. Remove bar pan from oven. Pour off juices, if necessary. Cut beef mixture into 24 squares. Have kids top each burger square with one pickle and one piece of cheese (and mustard if desired). Parents, be careful– pan is hot. Place one bun top onto each burger; top with one bun bottom. Cover bar pan with aluminum foil and bake 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted and buns are warm.
4. To serve, remove bun bottoms from bar pan and place on tray. Using a small spatula, remove each mini burger with cheese and bun top and place on a bun bottom.
5. Repeat with remaining burgers and bun bottoms.Serve immediately Yield: 24 mini cheeseburgers

Boom-Boom Strawberry Pops

Chocolate dipped strawberries rank right up there with apple pie as favorite American gourmet treats…The kids can help makes these fruit pops and nibble on them while ooo-ing and aaah-ing during the fireworks display.

Ingredients:

• 15-20 large strawberries
• 3 squares of chocolate melting bark
• Red, white, and blue sprinkles
• 20 Skewers

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate in a small ramekin in the microwave on low for one minute. Stir until creamy.
2. Put a strawberry on a skewer and dip in chocolate halfway up the strawberry.
3. Roll in sprinkles and place on wax paper or a plate to dry.
4. Pops are a little top heavy so either serve on a plate or poke skewers into half of a round watermelon that is lying face down on a plate.

Double the recipe if your munchkins like strawberries!

Watermelon Boat

• 1 watermelon — can be seeded or seedless
• Cutting board
• Kitchen and paring knives
• Pencil or thin marker
• Large bowl and spoon or ice cream scoop
• Blue gelatin
• Small plastic container
• Small beach themed items
• Gummy fish

Directions:

1. Use an oblong seedless watermelon, and cut a 1/4-inch slice off the bottom to provide a stable base.
2. Draw lines in a wave design with a sharp pencil or thin marker approximately one half of the way up and all the way around the watermelon.
3. Scoop out the flesh with an ice cream scoop or a large spoon, and reserve for salad.
4. A few hours or the day before, prepare gelatin as directed in a small plastic container to make a pool of “water”, and place in the watermelon bowl. Fill in around the “water” with fruit salad cut into fun shapes and balls.
5. Arrange toys toward the edge of the watermelon bowl. Garnish sides with drink umbrellas and plastic palm tree swizzle sticks, and add gummy fish to complete the scene.

Watermelon Raspberry Lemonade

• 6     cups watermelon cubes (seeds removed)
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 1     cup water
• 1/3     cup sugar
• 1/2    cup lemon juice

Directions:

1. Place watermelon, raspberries, and water in container of electric blender,
   cover and blend until smooth.
2. Strain through fine mesh strainer into pitcher.
3. Stir in sugar and lemon juice until sugar dissolves.
4. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

You can double or triple this recipe because outdoor fun makes partiers mighty thirsty.
Serves: 4
For even tastier ways to make a summer splash, visit www.watermelon.org.

Just in Case you don’t know How to choose a watermelon…

• -Look for a firm, symmetrical watermelon that is free from bruises, cuts, or dents.
• -The watermelon should be heavy for its size.
• -The underside of the watermelon should have a creamy yellow spot from where it sat on the ground and ripened in the sun.

Watermelon Fun Facts

• Watermelon has higher concentrations of lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable.
• Watermelon is naturally low in saturated fat, total fat, and cholesterol.
• A 2-cup serving of watermelon is an excellent source of vitamins A and C, and a good source of vitamin B-6.