Red, White & Blue Memorial Day Recipes For A Perfect Cookout

Celebrate this Memorial Day weekend with these delicious red, white and blue recipes to put some patriotic fun into your holiday weekend.

Star-Studded Berry Tarts

Ingredients

For the crusts:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

3/4 cup pecans

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large egg, beaten

For the pastry cream:

1 cup whole milk

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons buttermilk

3 large egg yolks

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 pint raspberries

1 pint blueberries

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Make the crusts: Pulse the flour, pecans, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Drizzle in 6 tablespoons ice water and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a disk; wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
2. Lightly flour a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll out the dough on the parchment into a 9-by-13-inch rectangle. Trim into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle (reserve the scraps). Cut into eight 3-by-4-inch rectangles. Separate the pieces slightly on the parchment, then use your fingers to crimp the edges. Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet. Roll out the scraps until 1/4 inch thick. Cut out 8 stars using a small floured star-shaped cookie cutter; arrange on the baking sheet around the crusts. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Poke holes in the crusts with a fork. Brush the stars and the edges of the crusts with the beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes; remove to a rack to cool completely.
4. Make the pastry cream: Combine the milk, 1/3 cup granulated sugar and the vanilla in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Whisk 1/2 cup buttermilk, the egg yolks, cornstarch and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a bowl. Slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook, whisking, until thick and bubbling, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons buttermilk. Lay plastic wrap on the surface and refrigerate 45 minutes.
5. Carefully transfer the crusts to a platter. Spread the pastry cream on the crusts, then top with the berries. Top each tart with a star. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Star Spangle Layered Dip

Ingredients

Two 15-ounce cans refried beans

2 cups guacamole

One 16-ounce container sour cream

4 scallions, thinly sliced, light green and white parts only

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

1/4 cup chopped black olives

1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese

1 1/2 cups salsa

Corn chips, for serving (I like Fritos scoops)

Directions

1. Evenly spread the refried beans on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread the guacamole over the beans and then spread the sour cream over the guacamole. Sprinkle with scallions and then the shredded cheese.
2. To make the shape of a flag, arrange the black olives in the top left corner of the dish. Sprinkle with a dusting of cotija cheese. Spoon salsa in stripe formation on the rest of the dish. Sprinkle the remaining cotija cheese between the salsa to create white stripes. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve with corn chips for dipping.

Red, White and Blue Deviled Eggs

Ingredients

• 3 drops red gel food coloring
• ⅔ cup water, or as needed
• 2 drops blue gel food coloring
• toothpicks
• 8 hard-cooked eggs, peeled
• 2 ½ tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon hot prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 pinch fresh-ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon smoked hot paprika
• 1 teaspoon snipped fresh chives (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Combine red food coloring and 1/3 cup water in a ramekin or small bowl; do the same with the blue food coloring in a separate ramekin.

Step 2

Gently insert 3 or 4 toothpicks about 1/4-inch deep through the center of an egg and balance it so that one end is dipped in one of the dyes. (Don't pierce the eggs too much, or they'll break after you halve them). Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes, depending upon how strong you like the colors. Dip the other end of the egg in the other dye so the eggs have red, white, and blue bands. Dye the rest of the eggs and let dry on paper towels.

Step 3

Slice colored eggs in half lengthwise and set the whites aside on a serving platter. Push the yolks through a sieve into a bowl or use a potato ricer.

Step 4

Mix mayonnaise, horseradish, rice vinegar, salt, and pepper into the yolks and stir until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer filling into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.

Step 5

Pipe filling into each egg white half. Place smoked paprika in a fine mesh strainer; hold the strainer over each egg half and tap gently to dust with paprika. Sprinkle deviled eggs with chives. Chill until ready to serve.