Red, White and Betty!

July 2026 Issue

by Lindsay Gifford
Recipes, Photography and Information provided by Betty Crocker, Inc.

Cue the sparklers, it’s time to fire up the grill and stir up your favorites to celebrate Independence Day and all summer long. This year’s extra-special 250-year anniversary of America’s independence calls for a spread as festive as the fireworks with crowd-pleasing patriotic bites from savory to sweet.

And, to bring you a great variety of flavorful fair, we reached out to an American favorite. Have you ever heard the saying “Just call me Betty Crocker?” Well, there’s a reason; for more a century, Betty Crocker has been America’s source for modern cooking instruction and trusted recipe development. This rich heritage and culinary knowledge lives on in their commitment to celebrate the Betty™️ in all of us by sharing their passion for food, valuable test-kitchen wisdom, and lifestyle expertise—straight from their kitchen to yours.

Known for their variety of boxed dessert mixes, cookbooks, and homemaking know-how, Betty Crocker has been a household name and cultural icon for 100 years. Today, desserts are one of Betty Crocker’s claims to fame, and with kitchen-tested recipes for everything from layer cakes to apple pies, including both scratch desserts and shortcut options, it’s not hard to see why. If you set out to explore Betty Crocker’s recipe-laden website, which I suggest you do, you will quickly find they have also made a successful effort to provide recipes for the more health-conscious consumers, with guilt-free desserts and skinny dinner options.

That’s right, you heard me: BettyCrocker.com doesn’t just feature desserts. They offer a wide variety of everyday meals, holiday and entertaining suggestions, how-tos, and much more. The website also offers money-saving options. By clicking “shop recipe” and inputting your zip code, your ingredients list will pop up with notes where you can save money in your area on select ingredients and easily add the entire list to your cart. It’s no surprise they have 12 million visitors to their website each month.

From backyard barbecues to star-spangled gatherings, this colorful collection of make-ahead party favorites will bring big summer flavor with plenty of red, white, and blue flair. Happy Independence Day!

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Garlic & Herb Stuffed Mini Peppers
Prep Time: 30 mins | Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins | Servings: 32

4 oz Cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsps Butter, melted
1/8 tsp ground Red pepper (cayenne)
1/8 tsp Black pepper
16 mini Sweet peppers (red, yellow and orange)
1 pkg (5.2 oz) Boursin® cheese with garlic and fine herbs, softened
1/2 cup Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs
1/2 cup (2 oz) Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
2 Tbsps fresh Chives, chopped

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray. Cut each sweet pepper in half lengthwise, leaving stems intact. Remove seeds and membranes. Place halved sweet peppers on pan, cut sides up. In small bowl, mix Boursin™ cheese, cream cheese and ground red pepper with spoon until well blended. Place cheese mixture in small resealable food-storage plastic bag. Cut 1/2 inch off 1 corner of bag. Pipe mixture evenly among pepper halves, about 2 teaspoons for each pepper. In another small bowl, mix bread crumbs, melted butter and black pepper. Sprinkle each pepper half with about 1/2 teaspoon bread crumb mixture; gently press into cheese mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon Parmesan cheese on each pepper. Return to oven; bake 5 to 8 minutes or until tops are brown and cheese is melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Top with chives. Serve warm.

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Fluffy Lemon Cheesecake Pie
Prep Time: 30 mins | Total Time: 5 hrs 10 mins | Servings: 8

2 1/2 cups Golden Grahams™ cereal
1/4 cup Brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup Butter, melted
2 Tbsps fresh Lemon juice
1/3 cup Sugar
1 cup Sour cream
2 tsps Vanilla
1 1/2 tsps grated Lemon zest
1 pkg (8 oz) Cream cheese, softened
4 oz (about 12/3 cups) Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed

Flag Design:
25 fresh Blueberries (about 1/4 cup)
17 fresh Raspberries (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup fresh Strawberries, sliced

Heat oven to 350°F. Using food processor, finely crush cereal. In medium bowl, mix crushed cereal and brown sugar with fork. Stir in melted butter until well mixed. Press in bottom and up side of ungreased 9-inch pie plate. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in granulated sugar. Add sour cream, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice; beat until well mixed. Fold in whipped topping. Refrigerate until ready to fill pie. Spread filling evenly into fully cooled crust. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours to set.

For flag design, arrange blueberries in upper left area of pie to create stars; alternately arrange raspberries and strawberry slices in rows over pie to create stripes. Serve immediately. Store covered in refrigerator.

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Firecracker Punch
Prep Time 15 mins | Total Time: 45 mins | Servings: 12

2/3 cup red Cinnamon candies
4 cups Water
1 can (6 oz) frozen Lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/3 cup frozen (thawed)
Orange juice concentrate (from 6-oz can)
1 bottle (1 liter) Ginger ale
6 Orange slices, cut in half

In 1-quart saucepan, cook cinnamon candies and 1 cup of the water over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until candies are melted; remove from heat. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. In large punch bowl, stir candy mixture, remaining 3 cups water, and the lemonade and orange juice concentrates until well mixed. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, gently stir in ginger ale. Garnish with orange slices.

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Firecracker Red, White and Blue Cake
Prep Time: 20 mins | Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins | Servings: 12

1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ White Cake Mix (plus water, vegetable oil and whole eggs called for on cake mix box)
1 1/4 tsps Red gel food color from 1 box Betty Crocker™ Classic Gel Food Color
1 1/4 tsps Blue gel food color from 1 box Betty Crocker™ Classic Gel Food Color
1/2 cup (from 16 oz tub) Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Vanilla Frosting
2 tsps Betty Crocker™ Red, White & Blue Sprinkles, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F. Generously spray a 12-cup fluted tube cake pan with baking spray with flour. In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. In small bowl, place 1 cup of the batter; stir in 1 teaspoon of the red food color until blended. In another small bowl, place 1 cup of the batter; stir in 1 teaspoon of the blue food color until blended. Pour red cake batter into bottom of pan. Carefully pour remaining white batter over red batter in pan. Carefully pour blue batter over white batter. (Blue batter does not need to cover white batter completely; it looks better if it just forms a ring in the center of the white batter.)

Bake 39 to 44 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven. Let stand 10 minutes, remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Place the cooling rack with cake on it on top of waxed paper or cooking parchment paper. In small microwavable bowl, place 1/4 cup of the frosting. Microwave uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle over cake. With spoon, drizzle warmed frosting back and forth over cake in striping pattern. Divide remaining frosting between 2 small microwavable bowls. To 1 bowl, stir in 1/4 teaspoon red food color until well blended. Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 10 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over cake. Repeat with remaining bowl of frosting and 1/4 teaspoon blue food color. Sprinkle candy sprinkles on top. Let stand about 30 minutes or until frosting is set. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

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4th of July Chex Mix™
Prep Time 5 mins | Total Time: 15 mins | Servings: 14

1/4 cup dried Blueberries
1/4 cup roasted Sunflower seeds
1/4 cup dried Cranberries
2 cups White chocolate chips
1 bag (8.75 oz) Chex Mix™ Honey Nut snack mix
1/2 cup M&M’s® chocolate candies red and blue

In a large bowl, combine the snack mix, blueberries, cranberries, and sunflower seeds. Place the white chocolate chips into a medium, microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on High for 60-90 seconds then stir. Melt for an additional 30-60 seconds, if needed. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the snack mix, and stir until well coated. Turn the mix out onto a large piece of wax paper, sprinkle with blue and red candies, then allow the white chocolate to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour to harden. To serve, break the mix up into large chunks.

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Chicken Salad-Stuffed Tomato Appetizers
Prep Time: 35 mins | Total Time: 35 mins | Servings: 24

24 Cherry tomatoes
Green onion tops, cut into 11/4-inch strips
1/2 cup Chicken salad (homemade or from the deli)
2 Tbsps prepared Horseradish

With sharp knife, cut 1/4-inch off stem side of each tomato and 1/8-inch off bottoms. Using melon baller or small spoon, remove insides of tomatoes; discard. Make cuts in ends of each green onion piece; place in bowl of ice water until curly. In small bowl, mix chicken salad and horseradish. Place 1 teaspoon chicken salad in each tomato. Place 1 green onion brush in top center of each tomato for stem.

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Slow-Cooker Bourbon Cocktail Sausages
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs 10 mins | Servings: 12

1 lb. Smoked sausage, cut diagonally into 3/4-inch slices
1 bottle (12 oz) Chili sauce
1/3 cup Bourbon
1/4 cup packed Brown sugar
2 Tbsps grated Onion

Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add sausage. Cook about 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Drain on paper towels. Spray 3-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix chili sauce, bourbon, brown sugar and onion. Add sausage; stir to coat. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 3 hours or until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve sausage with toothpicks.

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Shrimp & Grits Bites
Prep Time: 25 mins | Total Time: 2 hrs | Servings: 30

4 slices thick-sliced Bacon
3 1/2 cups (28 oz) Progresso™ chicken broth
1/4 tsp Salt
11/4 cups uncooked quick-cooking Grits
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp Garlic, finely chopped
3/4 lb. uncooked medium Shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) diced Tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano, drained
4 (1/4 cup) medium Green onions, chopped

In 10-inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp; drain on paper towels. Crumble; set aside. Reserve drippings. Spray 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, heat broth to boiling over high heat. Gradually stir in grits and salt. Reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until grits are thickened. Stir in cheese and bacon. Spoon into pan. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Heat oven to 450°F. Run spatula around edge of pan and under grits to loosen edges; turn upside down onto large cutting board. Using 1 3/4-inch round cutter, cut grits into 30 rounds. Place in single layer on large cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes; turn cakes over. Bake 10 to 12 minutes longer or until crisp and browned. Meanwhile, add shrimp and garlic to bacon drippings in skillet. Cook over medium heat 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until shrimp are pink. Stir in tomatoes. Reduce heat; simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm. Top each grits cake with 1 heaping teaspoon shrimp mixture; sprinkle with onions.

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Whiskey & Beer BBQ Chicken Sliders
Prep Time 20 mins | Total Time: 40 mins | Servings: 12

Sauce:
1 to 2 tsps Frank’s™ RedHot™ Buffalo Wings Sauce
1 cup Barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cups Lager beer, such as a pilsner
2 Tbsps Whiskey
1 tsp Seasoned salt
1 tsp Garlic-pepper blend
1/2 tsp ground Mustard

Sandwiches:
12 slider Buns, split
12 Pimiento-stuffed green olives, if desired
1 deli Rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, shredded (about 4 cups)

In 2-quart saucepan, heat sauce ingredients to boiling over medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. In medium microwavable bowl, place chicken; cover. Microwave on High 4 to 5 minutes or until hot. Add shredded chicken to sauce in saucepan, stir to coat. Place about 1/3 cup chicken mixture on bottom of each slider bun; top with bun top. Garnish each sandwich with green olive.

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Red, White and Blue
Fourth of July Poke Cake
Prep Time 30 mins | Total Time: 4 hrs 25 mins | Servings: 16

1 cup boiling Water
1/2 cup cold Milk
1/2 cup cold Water
1 cup fresh Strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup fresh Blueberries
1 box Betty Crocker™ Super Moist™ White Cake Mix
Water, vegetable oil and whole eggs called for on cake mix box
1 box (3 oz) Jell-O™ strawberry-flavored gelatin
1 box (3.3 oz) Jell-O™ white chocolate-flavor instant pudding & pie filling mix
1 container (8 oz) Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan. Cool in pan on cooling rack 20 minutes. With tines of fork, poke holes almost to bottom of warm cake about every 1/2 inch. In medium bowl, stir gelatin and boiling water until dissolved. Stir in cold water. Carefully pour mixture evenly over top of cake. Refrigerate, loosely covered, at least 3 hours but no longer than 12 hours until serving time. In large bowl, beat pudding mix and milk with whisk until blended and smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping. Drop by spoonfuls over top of cake; carefully spread until even. Arrange strawberries and blueberries on top of cake to look like flag. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

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Broiled Garlic Butter Shrimp with Lemon Aioli
Prep Time: 40 mins | Total Time: 40 mins | Servings: 8

Aioli:
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp grated Lemon peel

Shrimp and Bread:
6 Tbsps Butter
2 Tbsps Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp crushed Red pepper flakes
16 slices (1/2 inch thick) Baguette
1 Tbsp fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley leaves
1 lb. (16 to 20) extra-large Shrimp, raw, deveined, and peeled with tails left on

In small bowl, beat aioli ingredients and set aside. Spray 18x13-inch rimmed baking pan with cooking spray. Position oven rack 4 inches from broiling element and set oven to broil. In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat; stir in Worcestershire sauce, pepper flakes and 3 cloves chopped garlic. Brush baguette slices on both sides with about 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture; place on baking pan. Broil 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until toasted. Transfer to serving bowl or platter. Add shrimp to same baking pan. Pour remaining butter mixture over shrimp; carefully toss to coat. Broil shrimp 4 to 6 minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm; transfer to serving platter or bowl. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve shrimp with bread and aioli.