Blueberry Barbecue Grilled Chicken and Star Spangled Cake


Active Time – 1 hour, 20 minutes, Total Time – 2 hours, 10 minutes (Makes 6 servings (with leftovers))


APRONS ADVICE
Complete your meal with fresh salad blend, potato or macaroni salad, and cornbread.
The blueberry barbecue sauce is great with steak, pork chops, ribs, or even fish.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 whole cut-up chicken (about 3 1/2 lb)
1 medium sweet yellow onion, finely chopped
6 cloves fresh garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups fresh blueberries
1 cup sweet and spicy barbeque sauce


Steps:
1. Combine chili powder, brown sugar, seasoning, salt, and red pepper; stir to blend, then divide in half. Place chicken in large bowl; toss with one-half of the spice mixture, rubbing mixture into chicken pieces until coated. Chill 1 hour (or overnight).


2. Chop onion and garlic. Preheat medium saucepan on medium 1–2 minutes. Place oil in pan, then add onions and garlic; cook 4–5 minutes or until vegetables are browned. Preheat grill on medium.


3. Stir blueberries and remaining-half spice mixture into vegetables; cook 3–4 minutes or until berries begin to breakdown. Pour in barbecue sauce and reduce heat to low; simmer 6–8 minutes, stirring often, or until sauce is thick and glossy. Cover and remove pan from heat.


4. Place chicken on grill; cook 18–20 minutes, turning often, or until well browned and chicken is 165°F. Brush chicken with blueberry barbecue sauce during last minute of grill time. (Note: Check temperature of thighs and legs first; breasts may require up to 15 minutes more cook time.) Serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Star Spangled Cake


Active Time – 30 minutes, Total Time – 1 hour, 30 minutes (Makes 9 servings)


Ingredients:
1 lb frozen pound cake, thawed
8 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 cups water, divided
1 (3-oz) package berry blue gelatin mix
1 (3-oz) package strawberry gelatin mix
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh blueberries

Steps:
1. Pour 1 cup water into two microwave-safe bowls; microwave each bowl individually on HIGH until boiling. Stir berry gelatin into one bowl and strawberry gelatin into second bowl, until dissolved. Let stand 10 minutes to cool.


2. Slice cake (about 18 slices) and strawberries. Dip 9 cake slices into berry gelatin mixture, then layer into a 9-inch baking dish; pour any remaining berry gelatin mixture over cake. Sprinkle 1/2 cup blueberries over cake, then spread 4 oz whipped topping evenly over cake and blueberries.


3. Dip remaining 9 cake slices into strawberry gelatin mixture, then layer over whipped topping; pour any remaining strawberry gelatin mixtures over cake. Spread remaining 4 oz whipped topping evenly over cake.


4. Decorate top of cake with remaining 1/2 cup blueberries and strawberries. Cover and chill 1 hour (or overnight). Serve.


Note: For a larger cake, double the recipe and assemble in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Decorate the top of the cake to look like an American flag if desired.