Plan Ahead
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
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Thaw shortcakes in refrigerator; bake.
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Make Slow Cooker Baked Beans.
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Shape patties for Cheese-Stuffed Turkey Burgers; cover and refrigerate.
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Prepare strawberries for shortcakes.
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Make dressing and prepare greens for Garden Salad with Honey French Dressing; store covered in refrigerator.
1 to 1 1/2 Hours Before Meal
As Guests Arrive
About 1 Hour Before Meal
- Prepare corn for Grilled Spicy Corn.
About 30 Minutes Before Meal
About 20 Minutes Before Meal
About 15 Minutes Before Serving Dessert
- Mix blueberries with strawberries; split shortcakes and fill.
Party Guide
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.