Рецепт Let’s Talk America!
I just want to state, for the record, that I love America. That said, my husband likes to tell me how very un-American I am all the time. Apparently, the fact that I’ve never seen “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and hadn’t eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich until my husband made me try one. Apparently, I’ve been missing out on quite a few American traditions, according to the husband. So, let’s talk about some things that just scream “America!” to me.
Cheeseburgers. Because, duh.
Did you know they used to be called meatballs? Back in 1885, in Wisconsin, they became known as hamburgers at the fair, when a dude named Charlie squished a meatball between a couple pieces of bread. Fair food, man. It really is the best stuff.
The gooey, melty cheese that just oozes all over a patty of beef? I mean, yes. Cheese really does make the burger!
Something else that will always scream America to me?
Barbecue. I love barbecue.
I love the traditional tomato-based barbecue sauce, especially when turned into a fun barbecue chicken version of pizza bread (recipe at the end of this post!), and I love my non-traditional mustard barbecue.
Something about a grill, a piece of chicken, and barbecue sauce just says home to me.
Of course, baseball games and NASCAR are also full-on American, but meh. Who wants to talk about sports? Is NASCAR a sport? Probably not, but I lump it in there with things that I would rather not watch on television. I think we’ll just stick to the food when we talk about America, deal?
Corn dogs. You guys. I cannot even stand how American the corn dog is.
Seriously, they should probably just shoot these up into the air with the fireworks every Fourth of July.
How about cheese? Sure, a lot of cheese is from other countries. Swiss cheese, Gruyere, Brie…not so American.
How about authentic cheddar cheese? Cracker Barrel has been making their award-winning cheddar cheese for nearly 60 years. The name itself comes from the iconic fixture found in country stores where people would gather. We’re very lucky that we’re able to purchase products and get to know brands from all around the world, but I absolutely love that Cracker Barrel is an American brand with a true love for the cheddar making heritage.
When it comes time to celebrate America this year, I plan on using Cracker Barrel cheese. It’s a perfect fit whether it’s sliced and served with crackers and fruits or melted into an array of dishes. Either way, the authentic cheddar flavor shines!
What foods and/or brands just scream “America” to you? Will you be celebrating with them this Fourth of July? I plan to create an Independence Day Cheese Plate, by slicing up some Aged Vermont Cheddar, strawberries, and blueberries and arranging them into a flag. Cheesy? Well…nothing wrong with that. I like cheese, after all.
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Barbecue Chicken Bread
This Barbecue Chicken Bread makes for a fun and flavorful dinner or lunch. It's easier than a barbecue chicken pizza, but has all the same fun flavors!
Yield: serves 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 loaf sweet Italian or French bread
- 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 cup barbecue sauce, plus more for drizzling
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and diced
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice the loaf of bread in half, lengthwise. Spread 1/4 cup of barbecue sauce over each piece of the bread.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat together the chicken and remaining 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce until warmed through and the chicken is thoroughly coated in sauce.
Spread the barbecue chicken evenly over the bread. Top with the bacon, onion, and cheddar cheese.
Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and the cheese has melted.
Cut each slice of bread into fourths. Serve hot, with extra barbecue sauce if desired.