Patriotic picnics: Add colors of the 4th to salad, dessert

Chicago Sun-Times June 28, 2006 | Sandy Thorn Clark Fourth of July means it’s time to salute patriotic creativity for outdoor and indoor picnics. mRed, white and blue provide the essential colors in a tasty torte — delicious with strawberries and blueberries topping a fudgy bottom — and a potato salad unique with its red potatoes, egg whites and blue cheese crumbles.

For a kid-friendly treat, try the Patriot’s Punch from FamilyFun.com:

- Patriot’s Punch: Simply fill an ice cube tray with a red or blue fruit-flavored beverage and let cubes freeze solid. Then drop 3 or 4 colored cubes into each glass, pour in flavored seltzer water or clear soda and watch the special effects as the cubes melt — colored bubbles will swirl through the seltzer. this web site healthy breakfast ideas

- – - If your summer entertaining includes more formal festivities, showers and wedding receptions that require polished silverware, Laura Sims of Indian Head Park has come to the rescue. Responding to a request from S.R. of Chicago, Sims shares her speedy and novel solution for returning brilliance to tarnished silver:

- Quick Silver Recipe: Line the bottom of a non-aluminum container with a large sheet of aluminum foil. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of baking soda onto the foil. Place tarnished silver in the container.

Be sure that each item comes in direct contact with the aluminum foil. Pour in 1 gallon of boiling water, wait about 2 minutes, and then remove silver with tongs. Wipe silver with a clean dry cloth to remove loosened tarnish, and then wash silver in warm soapy water. If silver is badly tarnished, Sims says you might need to repeat the procedure.

REQUESTS I had a chewy chocolate cookie from Nordstrom today and boy, was it great. I think it had white chocolate pieces in it. I was wondering if anybody has a recipe for this kind of cookie. Please help a chocolate lover.

S.K., Glenwood Now that my kids are out of school, I need some healthy breakfast ideas and recipes.

B.W., Chicago How about some cold soup recipes? They are perfect for our outdoor dining.

T.H., Deerfield Sorry, requests can’t be answered personally.

RED, WHITE AND BLUEBERRY TORTE:

MAKES 8 SERVINGS 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; divided 6 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 tablespoon water 1 1/2 cups Nestle Toll House Semi- Sweet Chocolate Morsels, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided 2 large eggs 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, at room temperature – (8-ounce) container frozen light whipped topping, thawed 2 cups sliced strawberries 1/4 cup fresh blueberries Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 9-inch-round cake pan with wax paper; grease paper.

Combine cup sugar, butter and water in small, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Add cup morsels; stir until smooth. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add eggs one at a time, stirring well after each addition. Add flour, baking soda and salt; stir until well blended. Stir in remaining morsels. Pour into prepared cake pan. go to site healthy breakfast ideas

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out slightly sticky. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Invert torte on wire rack; remove wax paper. Turn right side up; cool completely.

Beat cream cheese, 2 tablespoons sugar and remaining vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until creamy. Stir in whipped topping. Spread over torte; top with berries. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nestle Nutrition facts per serving: 547 calories, 38 g fat, 23 g saturated fat, 138 mg cholesterol, 50 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 288 mg sodium, 2 g fiber RED, WHITE AND BLUE SAVORY POTATO SALAD:

MAKES 8 SERVINGS 6 large red potatoes, unpeeled 4 hard-boiled eggs 4 small scallions 6 sliced maple smoked bacon DRESSING 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise 1/3 cup sweet bread and butter pick- les, minced 1 tablespoon cider vinegar 2 tablespoons reserved bacon drip- pings 1 tablespoon prepared mustard 1/4 teaspoon celery seeds (ground or whole) 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup (4-ounce package) blue cheese, crumbled In large pot of salted boiling water, cook potatoes until fork tender. Drain; set aside.

Peel eggs and set aside. Thinly slice scallions (white and light green part only); set aside. Cook and crumble bacon, reserving 2 tablespoons of drippings; set aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together all dressing ingredients (through salt). If thinner dressing is desired, add small amounts of liquid from the pickle jar.

While potatoes are still warm, cut into small chunks. In a deep glass bowl, layer potatoes, eggs and scallions. Top each layer with of the dressing. Repeat layers two more times, ending with dressing.

Top with crumbled bacon and blue cheese crumbles.

Del Monte Nutrition facts per serving: 405 calories, 24 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 135 mg cholesterol, 36 g carbohydrates, 11 g protein, 894 mg sodium, 2 g fiber Sandy Thorn Clark