MAKING INDEPENDENCE DAY SPECIAL WITH PARKER WALLACE

How to Create a Great Summer Party & Still Fit In to Those Skinny Jeans

If you are looking for the ingredients for a fantastic Fourth of July party or any summer party Chef and Cookbook author Parker Wallace share some delicious insights with Tips on TV blog. Parker is the founder of What’s on Parker’s Plate and is also the author a cookbook, called: Eat Rich, Stay Skinny: A Girls’ Guide to Holiday Feasting.” The super chef and lifestyle expert gave a how-to guide for the Independence Day holiday!

BEVERAGES TO RECOMMEND TO LIVEN UP A BACKYARD PARTY
For a refreshing summer time party beverage on suggestion is wine and this year try and Stellabrate the 4th of July with chilled reds from Stella Rosa. Stella Rose is America’s #1 semi-sweet, semi-sparkling wine and they are available in a variety of flavors so there is something for everyone.  Here we have the original Rosso, Red and Black, which is available in this new patriotic sleeve, perfect for the 4th of July! You can also enjoy Black and Platinum flavors in these stylish aluminum bottles, which will keep your wine nice and cold and they are recyclable!  For fun wine cocktail recipes check out stellarosa.com and remember to always drink responsibly.

STAR SPANGLED STELLA

Ingredients

• Stella Rosa Moscato D’Asti
• 2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. blueberry vodka
• 1 oz. sprite
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Pineapple

Instructions

• Add fruit to a pitcher then add Stella Rosa Moscato D’Asti and remaining liquids.
• Mix and serve over ice.

TIPS FOR MAKING THE 4TH OF JULY PARTY SIZZLE
The secret is in the food, and to prepared a sizzling 4th of July bash without a quality grill is a must-have. The Home Depot has great options for unmatchable value with the world’s top grill brands like Nexgrill, Weber, Trager, Vision and KitchenAid. The Nexgrill Evolution 5-Burner Propane Gas Grill is exclusive to The Home Depot and gives you more grilling and flavor variety at a great value. Patent-pending plates can be added, removed, and arranged for greater cooking options.The Home Depot is one of the largest sellers of grills in the world, offering customers more than 220 grilling tools and accessories that make cooking easier than ever before. They also offer free assembly in store, free shipping online, an express delivery. They even have easy financing, with low-payment credit options for grill purchases over $299. So it starts with a quality grill. The rest is just details. For more information visit homedepot.com 

SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING DESERRTS MORE INTERESTING FOR OUR GUESTS
Dessert is always a crowd pleaser but some guests are calorie-conscious, and we want to make sure they can enjoy something sweet and delicious too.  The secret is Stevia In The Raw.  It is a must have for 4th of July entertaining as it allows hosts to cut calories by replacing half of the sugar in any baking recipe.  It is a zero-calorie sweetener that contains an extract from the sweet leaves of the stevia plant.  You simply replace half of the sugar with Stevia In The Raw Bakers Bag, which measures cup for cup with sugar, and the best part, no conversion is needed. It’s that easy. Visit intheraw.com to check out a bunch of baking ideas for the Fourth of July such as this Celebration Cake.

Celebration Cake

Stevia In The Raw | Prep Time: 1 hr 20 mins | Cook Time: 40 mins | Makes 16 servings
Ingredients
    
Sponge Cake

• 6     eggs, separated
• 1/2     teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1     teaspoon cream of tartar
• 2/3     cup granulated sugar, divided
• 2     teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/3     cup Stevia In The Raw® Bakers Bag
• 1     cup finely ground slivered almonds
• 1/2     cup sifted cake flour
• 2     teaspoons cornstarch

    
Filling and Topping

• 2     (15 ounce) containers partially skimmed Ricotta cheese
• 1     tablespoon vanilla extract, divided
• 2/3     cup 1% lowfat milk
• 1/3     cup Stevia In The Raw® Bakers Bag, divided
• 2 ½     pints blueberries, divided
• 1/2     pint whipping cream
•     Blackberries for garnish
•     Strawberries for garnish

Preparation

Cake:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line bottom of 10-inch tube pan with parchment paper. In small metal bowl, beat egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, with electric mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add ⅓ cup sugar beating until stiff and shiny. Set aside.
• In large bowl beat egg yolks and remaining sugar with electric mixer at medium speed 3-4 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Add vanilla, Stevia In The Raw®, beat 1 minute until blended. Combine ground almonds, cake flour and cornstarch in a bowl and blend well. Gently stir in cake flour and cornstarch mixture to egg yolk mixture. Add egg white mixture, stir gently until well blended. Pour batter into the ungreased 10-inch tube pan.
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Invert cake pan onto wire rack for about 30 minutes or until cake is cool. Loosen cake from pan. When cooled wrap in foil while preparing filling and whipping cream for topping.

Filling and Topping:

In medium bowl combine Ricotta cheese, milk, ¼ cup Stevia In The Raw® and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Fold 2 pints of blueberries. Divide the cake into 3 equal layers. Divide the blueberry Ricotta filling evenly between two of the layers. In separate bowl combine whipping cream, remaining Stevia In The Raw® and vanilla. Using electric mixer at high speed whip cream mixture until stiff peaks form. Spread a thin layer of whip cream on top layer of cake. Pipe whip cream around edge using a pastry bag. Trim cake with blueberries, blackberries and strawberries. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information

Per Serving: 270 calories, 15g fat, 11g protein, 24g carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 170mg sodium, 115mg cholesterol.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Stevia In The Raw | Prep Time: 40 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Makes 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients

• 1/2     cup butter, melted
• 1     egg
• 1     tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4     cup Sugar In The Raw® (or ¼ cup Sugar In The Raw® + ½ cup Stevia In The Raw®)
• 1 ¼     cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2     tsp. baking soda
• 1/2     tsp. salt
• 1/2     cup macadamia nuts
• 1     cup chocolate chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter, egg, vanilla extract and Sugar In The Raw® (or Sugar In The Raw®/Stevia In The Raw® combo). Meanwhile, mix dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt) in a separate bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir well to combine. Slowly add nuts and chocolate chips until well combined. Drop the dough in spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes.
Nutrition Information

Prepared with Sugar In The Raw®

Per Serving (1 cookie): 150 calories, 9 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat), 18 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, <1 g dietary fiber, 75 mg sodium.

Prepared with Sugar In The Raw® + Stevia in The Raw®

Per Serving (1 cookie): 144 calories, 9 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat), 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, <1 g dietary fiber, 75 mg sodium.