From PSIGEN Kitchens to Yours

“It will be celebrated with pomp and parade, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.” – John Adams, 2nd President of the United States

Freedom. On July 4, 1776, our Founding Fathers put quill to parchment to declare that the United States of America was a free country. Can you imagine what the celebrations would have looked like? Did they have a parade? A march? A ball?

It could have been a more somber affair of reflection. Reflections of the sacrifices made and lives lost. Were they looking towards the future and all the big dreams they had for us as a country? More than likely, they had some traditions they wanted to keep and even others they wanted to start. One of the best ways to start or share traditions is over a good meal!

We’ve compiled a few recipes, from our PSIGEN team, of some of our favorite treats to enjoy during the holiday.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb elbow macaroni pasta uncooked
  • 1 tsp salt (to salt water for the pasta)
  • 1 ½ -2 cups of Half & Half
  • 1 stick of salted butter
  • 4 oz cream cheese
  • ½ lb smoked gouda cheese (shred from block)
  • ½ lb havarti cheese (shred from block)
  • ½ lb sharp cheddar cheese (shred from block)
  • ½ lb muenster cheese (shred from block)
  • 1 tsp seasoning salt or plain salt
  • ½ tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp of garlic powder
  • 1 tsp of mustard powder
  • 1 tsp of smoked paprika
  • Dried Parsley
  • Butter the Pan that will be used to bake the Mac and Cheese in

***Mix gouda, havarti, muenster together in large bowl***

Directions:

    1. Put macaroni pasta in boiling water along with salt. Cook pasta until al dente, then drain. Do not rinse, you want the pasta to remain hot.
    2. Place macaroni back in the pot; but not on the burner.
    3. Add 3/4 of the stick of butter to the pot and the cream cheese.
    4. Add all seasonings to the pot.
    5. Add half of the shredded Cheese Mixture to the pot.
    6. Sprinkle half the parsley just for color.
    7. Add the Half & Half; 1 1/2 cup or 2 cups (you don’t want it to be soup; just loose).
    8. Pour half of the Mac & Cheese mixture from the post into a buttered pan.
    9. Cover with the remaining shredded Cheese Mixture.
    10. Sprinkle a little smoked paprika and parsley on top.
    11. Add a few pats of butter on top.
    12. Place in the oven (pre-heated to 375 degrees) for 30 minutes (it should be brown across the top and bubbling around the edges).
    13. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Premix:

  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 can Eagle Brand milk
  • 1 can Pet Milk
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

Directions:

  1. Pour Premix into ice cream churn and use whole milk to fill to the (max) line.
  2. Run the churn with ice and rock salt around the canister.
  3. (If you want Oreo ice cream – just when the churn is beginning to slow down, add crushed Oreos and continue churning)
  4. After paddle stops, drain off water, reload with ice and rock salt around canister until ice cream is set firmly.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 celery rib, finely chopped
  • 1-1 1/2 tsp of sweet relish, to taste
  • A few dashes of your favorite Cajun seasoning (or salt and pepper if you prefer), to taste
  • 1 medium cucumber, skin on or off

Directions: 

  1. Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill.
  2. Cut the cucumber into thick slices, about 1/4 inch, and arrange on a serving dish.
  3. Spoon the shrimp mixture onto each slice and serve immediately.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg. (16.5 oz.) refrigerated sliceable sugar cookies, sliced
  • 1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup of sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • 2/3 cup blueberries
  • 2/3 cup raspberries
  • 1/2 cup blackberries

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 375ºF.
  2. Line 12-inch pizza pan with aluminum foil; spray with cooking spray. Place cookie dough slices in single layer on bottom of prepared pan; press to completely cover bottom of pan. Bake 14 min. or until edge is lightly browned; cool completely.
  3. Invert cookie crust onto plate; carefully remove foil. Turn crust over on plate.
  4. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended; spread onto crust. Top with berries. Refrigerate 2 hours.

Cupcake Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tbsp orange zest, grated
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup orange juice

Cupcake Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
  2. Cream butter and sugar well.
  3. Beat in eggs one at a time.
  4. Add orange zest and mix.
  5. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
  6. Add orange juice and flour mixture to the butter mixture in 5 parts (i.e. 1 part flour mixture, 1 part orange juice, 1 part flour mixture, 1 part orange juice, 1 part flour mixture).
  7. Place cupcake holders into the cupcake pan.
  8. Scoop about a 1/4 cup of batter in each holder (about 3/4 full).
  9. Bake for 20 min or until toothpick comes out clean.

Frosting Ingredients:

  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 2 oz. butter, unsalted, room temperature
  • 9 oz. powdered sugar, sifted
  • 4 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate

Frosting Directions:

  1. Combine cream cheese and butter on medium until just blended.
  2. Add the orange juice concentrate until combined.
  3. With the speed on low, add the powdered sugar in 4 parts and beat until smooth between additions.
  4. Place in refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes before using.

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. Pendleton Midnight Whiskey
  • 8 oz. lemonade

Pour over ice!

Corn Prep:

  1. Peel corn husks back to remove silk.
  2. Soak 30 minutes in water.

Corn Instructions:

  1. Grill corn husk-on until steaming inside.
  2. Peel husks down to use as a handle.
  3. Char corn.
  4. Brush corn with pesto while grilling.
  5. Brush again with pesto before serving.

Pesto Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (or more) of cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • Dash of sugar

Pesto Instructions:

  1. Pulse/puree in blender until combined.

A very special thank you to Sherra Jones, Donna Thackerson, Ken McIntire, Victoria Hensley, Jessica Rivers, Mike Knisely, and Jacob Rivers for these yummy treats!

We hope you enjoy the holiday (and hopefully you were smart enough to ask for Friday off too)! If you have any great recipes you enjoy on the 4th of July, please share them with us by sending them to recipes@psigen.com. Be sure to tell us a little bit of why your recipe is so special!

From all of us at PSIGEN, Happy Independence Day!

Chris Brown

Chris Brown

Chris Brown is the Director of Sales & Marketing at PSIGEN Software. His passion for technology drives him to translate the technically complex into the everyday, simple to understand. Chris has used this philosophy for over 25 years helping companies and their customers better their businesses. He has evangelized the appropriate application of technology in a broad number of industries, including Office Imaging, IT Systems, Enterprise Content Management, MPS, and Software manufacturing. When not geeking out at work, Chris enjoys spending time at his Atlanta home with his wife and 2 dogs. You can find him reading a great book, blogging about travel, binge watching movies, getting a little competitive in a round of Croquet, or just hanging out with friends discussing life, the universe, and everything.

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Chris Brown

Chris Brown is the Director of Sales & Marketing at PSIGEN Software. His passion for technology drives him to translate the technically complex into the everyday, simple to understand. Chris has used this philosophy for over 25 years helping companies and their customers better their businesses. He has evangelized the appropriate application of technology in a broad number of industries, including Office Imaging, IT Systems, Enterprise Content Management, MPS, and Software manufacturing. When not geeking out at work, Chris enjoys spending time at his Atlanta home with his wife and 2 dogs. You can find him reading a great book, blogging about travel, binge watching movies, getting a little competitive in a round of Croquet, or just hanging out with friends discussing life, the universe, and everything.

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