Make your fireworks on the grill with these easy recipes that really sizzle.

Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Fourth of July Blast Menu Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Burgers Grilled Spicy Corn Slow Cooker Baked Beans Garden Salad with Honey French Dressing Red, White and Blue Shortcake Stars Pineapple Limeade

Make It Special!
 
Red, White and Ooh! Serving Ideas

• Celebrate with a star-spangled appetizer made by topping a block of cream cheese with your favorite salsa and fresh blueberries. Serve with crackers.
• Tuck toothpicks that have miniature American flags attached into the burgers or shortcakes.
• Simplicity reigns with a centerpiece bouquet of red, white and blue flags. These can become take-home souvenirs and used during the parade.
• Make personalized flags by attaching red squares of fabric to wooden dowels. Using fabric markers, identify your own event with the date.

 
Declaration of Fun Ideas

• Red, White and Balloon Toss: Pair up, and stand facing a partner. Toss a water-filled balloon to your partner who catches the balloon. Continue tossing and catching, stepping back a foot after each successful catch. The winner is the pair who have stepped back the farthest without having the balloon burst.
• Strike up the Band: Create an old-fashioned kitchen band complete with kazoos, washboards, pan lids for cymbals and waxed paper-covered combs. You may want a portable boom box handy with some genuine marching music in case the giggles take over!
• Red, White and Beans: Fill a huge jar with red, white and blue jelly beans. Have guests write down their guess on how many beans are in the jar. The closest guess wins a prize--the jar of beans!
• Declare your sizzling party an historical success. Make a memory album of the event with photos, guest list and quotes or funnies. Vow to make it an annual event, passing along the host/hostess duties and the memory book duties, as well.

Preparation Guide
 
Up to 2 Days Ahead

• Make shortcake dough for Red, White and Blue Shortcake Stars. Place cut dough on cookie sheet; wrap and freeze.
• Mix sugar and juices for Pineapple Limeade; refrigerate covered. (If you're expecting a really hot day, prepare extra limeade or have other beverages available.)

The Morning Of

• Thaw shortcakes in refrigerator; bake.

• Make Slow Cooker Baked Beans.

• Shape patties for Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Burgers; cover and refrigerate.

• Prepare strawberries for shortcakes.

• Make dressing and prepare greens for Garden Salad with Honey French Dressing; store covered in refrigerator.

 
1 to 1 1/2 Hours Before Meal

• If using charcoal grill, heat grill.

 
As Guests Arrive

• Stir sparkling water into beverage juices; serve over ice.

 
About 1 Hour Before Meal

• Prepare corn for Grilled Spicy Corn.

 
About 30 Minutes Before Meal

• Grill corn. 
  

About 20 Minutes Before Meal

• Grill burgers.

 
About 15 Minutes Before Serving Dessert

• Mix blueberries with strawberries; split shortcakes and fill.