How to celebrate Independence Day with a premium American-made ingredient

(BPT) – Are you looking forward to hosting an Independence Day cookout? There’s nothing better than celebrating the American spirit by getting together with friends and family to enjoy festive foods using tasty, American-made ingredients. As you plan your cookout for July 4 — or any other day this summer — make sure to maximize flavor by choosing the best-quality ingredients.For example, cooking and baking using high-quality butter, the most versatile ingredient in your kitchen, will make a huge difference in terms of the taste and texture of anything you create. America’s oldest family-owned creamery, Minerva Dairy, has become famous for its hand-rolled butter for over 125 years, spanning six generations. Their love for butter-making shows in their premium, slow-churned butter, which is rich and flavorful, with 85% butterfat content for a super-creamy texture — helping it melt more easily than its lower-fat counterparts. You can be a part of this proud, time-tested tradition by making recipes using their Sea Salt, Unsalted or Garlic Herb Butter.Enjoy a festive recipe in time for the July 4 holidayThis tasty, colorful, star-spangled and fruit-filled dessert brings the perfect combination of summer freshness and sweetness to wow your guests — and your whole family will love it.Sheet Pan Slab Pie with Fresh Peaches and Blueberries Courtesy of Spinach TigerPrep time: 60 minutes; Servings: 12Ingredients:Fruit filling:10 peaches2 pints blueberries1/3 cup sugar (may need few tablespoons more)1 tablespoon Minerva Dairy Unsalted Butter2 tablespoons brown sugarsqueeze lemon2 tablespoons sifted cornstarchPie dough:3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting12 ounces Minerva Dairy Unsalted Butter (24 tablespoons or 3 sticks)2 tablespoons sugar1 1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cups ice-cold water (plus 2 more tablespoons, if needed)Directions:Peel peaches. Mark peaches with “x” on one side.Submerge in boiling water 60 seconds. Cool, peel, slice.Put one tablespoon butter in frying pan with 2 tablespoons brown sugar.Put peaches in brown sugar butter, toss gently. Add 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Set in colander to drain.Make pie dough: Cut butter into small pieces. Freeze 10 minutes.Mix flour, sugar, salt in food processor or mixer. You can whisk and do this with your hands.Cut butter into flour mixture. You can use a mixer or food processor, or use a pastry cutter and mix butter into flour, making sure to keep pieces pea-sized.Add ice-cold water. Mix just enough to be able to squeeze dough together. If the dough stays together when you press, it’s processed enough.Put in plastic bag, separating into 1/3 and 2/3. Refrigerate 1 hour. You can do this a day in advance.Take out 20 minutes before rolling.Complete pie:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange rack in oven on bottom third.Once you’re ready to assemble, first roll out the 1/3 dough to make stars. You can make 15 large stars or 18 smaller stars. Use more dough from the 2/3 section if needed. The remaining dough is for the sheet pan.Make stars and place in refrigerator while rolling out the 2/3 dough for the bottom. Roll into a rectangle and place in sheet pan.Fork holes all over the bottom. Place in freezer for a few minutes.Arrange blueberries and peaches in sheet pan. Before placing stars over the fruit, using your finger, rub milk over each star and sprinkle raw sugar.Bake 35 minutes. Check halfway through and turn pan around.Check at 30 minutes and loosely cover with foil if it’s already golden brown.Allow to cool before cutting.Keep at room temperature, covered with foil. Can be frozen for 60 days. Take out and allow to defrost at room temperature. Can be reheated in oven.Find more tasty summer recipe ideas at MinervaDairy.com/recipes and a premium butter retailer near you at MinervaDairy.com/find-us.