Get out your flags, sparklers and cookbooks. The Fourth of July is on a Saturday this year, which means an entire weekend of possibilities for fun and holiday parties. Whether you favor a traditional barbecue with burgers and beans, a themed potluck or multi-course extravaganza, this is the time to let loose and try something new.

Marta Singleton of Dearborn, Mo., remembers a favorite party where there was a theme about the United States.

“Besides the traditional barbecue and side dishes that accompany it, everyone had to bring something from one of the United States,” she says.

Mrs. Singleton made a Texas caviar (see recipe below), which she says is a wonderful salsa-type dip served with lots of veggies. There were also dozens of other regional favorites, such as Aloha bread pudding, fixed in a slower cooker with Hawaiian bread, New York cheesecake and Carolina barbecued beans.

Dawn Forsberg of St. Joseph likes to put her own spin on the traditional barbecue by fixing salmon with a little sizzle on the grill. Her award-winning recipe, “Pepper jelly and soy glazed salmon,” was featured in the April 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens. With a marinade including jalapeño jelly, ginger, soy sauce, ginger and red pepper, this fish is anything but bland. She also spices up traditional baked beans with chipotle. See both of her recipes below.

To end a perfect holiday meal, you’ll want something that says spectacular for dessert. But that doesn’t have to mean slaving for hours in the kitchen. With a few ingredients, such as sprinkles, marshmallows and nuts, Betty Crocker has some ideas for adding your own twist to brownies and transforming them into a customized confection. Not only are they easy to make ahead of time, but a pan of brownies is easy to carry to a potluck, requiring only one dish from baking to the barbecue. With no utensils necessary, they score huge “brownie points” with adults and kids alike.

Or for a truly blow-out finale, try a Patriotic Twinkie pie. Yes, it’s made with the childhood favorite golden spongecake with creamy filling, but it becomes a treat for children and adults after they are layered with strawberries, blueberries, pudding, Jello and whipped cream. The red, white and blue layers look elegant in a tall, glass trifle bowl and will feed 16. It’s bound to be a conversation piece and make your holiday feast one to remember.

Lifestyles reporter Sylvia Anderson may be reached at sylviaanderson@npgco.com

Recipes

Texas caviar

1/2 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 bunch green onions, chopped

2 jalapeño peppers, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 (8-ounce) bottle zesty Italian dressing

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro

In a large bowl, mix together onion, green bell pepper, green onions, jalapeno peppers, garlic, cherry tomatoes, zesty Italian dressing, black beans, black-eyed peas and coriander. Cover and chill in the refrigerator approximately two hours. Toss with desired amount of fresh cilantro to serve.

— allrecipes.com

Pepper jelly and soy glazed salmon

1 two-pound fresh or frozen skinless salmon fillet, about 1-inch thick

2/3 cup green jalapeño pepper jelly

1/3 cup rice vinegar

1/3 cup soy sauce

3 green onions, sliced

1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup sliced fresh jalapeno chile peppers and/or sliced green onions

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry. In saucepan, melt jelly over low heat; remove. Stir in next seven ingredients. Place fish in shallow dish; pour mixture over fish. Cover; refrigerate one to two hours, turning fish occasionally. Remove fish from marinade; reserve marinade. For charcoal grill, arrange medium-hot coals around edge of grill. Test for medium heat in center of grill. Place fish on greased piece of heavy-duty foil in center of grill. Cover; grill 15 to 18 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with a fork. (For gas grill, adjust for indirect cooking. Grill over medium heat as above.) Bring reserved marinade to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 10 to 15 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Drizzle over fish; sprinkle cilantro, peppers and onions. Serves eight.

— Dawn Forsberg

Baked beans two ways: original and chipotle

102-ounce can baked beans

1/2 pound of bacon

2 green peppers, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1/4 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup (I use 1/2 cup, but I like spicy) chipotles in adobo sauce (available in the Hispanic section of the grocery store)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large heavy pot, brown the bacon until it is crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain. Remove all but two tablespoons of bacon drippings. Add the green peppers and onions to pot and cook over medium heat until softened, about five minutes, stirring so they do not burn. Add the brown sugar, yellow mustard, ketchup, crumbled bacon and Worcestershire sauce, mix well. Divide the beans evenly into two oven-proof casseroles with lids (or foil will work also). Puree or finely chop (make sure you wash your hands after handling the chipotles or use gloves) the chipotle chiles with sauce and stir into one of the casseroles. Stir to mix well, Place both casseroles, covered, in the oven and bake for an hour, uncover and bake for another 20 minutes. If using cilantro, stir into the chipotle batch of beans.

— Dawn Forsberg

Holiday brownies

1 box brownie mix (with chocolate syrup pouch)

Water, vegetable oil and eggs called for on brownie mix box

1 container (12 ounces) whipped fluffy white frosting

1 tube (0.68 ounces) red decorating gel

1 tube (0.68 ounces) blue decorating gel

1 tube (0.68 ounces) white decorator icing

Decorating decors stars

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 13x9-inch pan with foil so foil extends about 2 inches over sides of pan. Spray foil with cooking spray. Make and bake brownies as directed on box for 13x9-inch pan, using water, oil and eggs. Cool com­pletely, about one hour. Remove brownies from pan by lifting foil; peel foil from sides of brownies. Continue as desired with options below.

Flag brownies:

Frost brownies. Using red decorating gel, pipe stripes onto frosted brownie. Add decors in upper left corner

of brownie.

Firecracker brownies:

Using 1-inch round cookie cutter, cut out brownie rounds. Stack two brownie rounds together, spreading frosting between rounds and on top. Garnish with decors.

Star brownies:

Using 2½-inch, star-shaped cookie cutter, cut brownies. Place frosting in resealable food-storage bag; cut off one bottom corner of bag. Pipe frosting on star-shaped brownies. Sprinkle with decors.

Makes 24 brownies

Patriotic Twinkie pie

1 (6-ounce) package blueberry Jell-O

3 cups boiling water

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen blueberries

1 (6-ounce) package strawberry Jell-O

1 (16-ounce) bag frozen sliced strawberries in syrup

6 to 7 Twinkies, broken or torn into 1-inch pieces

2 (5.1-ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix

6 cups milk

1 (12-ounce) container frozen nondairy whipped topping, thawed

In a bowl, combine the blueberry Jell-O and one and one-half cups of the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add the blueberries and stir until blended and slightly thickened. Allow to cool completely. In another bowl, combine the strawberry Jell-O and remaining one and one-half cups boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add the strawberries and stir until blended and slightly thickened. Allow to cool completely. Place half of the Twinkie pieces in a six-quart glass bowl or trifle dish. In a separate bowl, combine the pudding mix and milk and stir according to the package instructions. Spoon half of the pudding over the Twinkies. Spoon the blueberry mixture over the pudding spreading evenly. Top with the remaining Twinkie pieces. Spoon the remaining pudding over the Twinkies, spreading evenly. Spoon the strawberry mixture over the pudding, spreading evenly. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, until completely chilled and set. Top with the whipped topping just before serving. Serves 16.

— “The Twinkies Cookbook,” Ten Speed Press