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Fourth of July Fun: Firecracker Sandwiches

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One week until Independence Day! We're looking forward to the fireworks, food, and family time that the holiday brings, but we also love the significance of the holiday: the day that our first Congress approved the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and we established ourselves as a new nation. Many celebrations involve barbecues and picnics, and nearly all celebrations include fireworks!

What better way to have FUN than with art project?! What better way to create an art project than with FOOD?!

These firecracker sandwiches are a perfect way to celebrate the Fourth of July, fill your tummy, use your imagination, and artfully express creativity.

Firecracker Sandwiches

Ingredients

  • 1 13-ounce can chunk light tuna packed in water, drained
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 medium-size carrot, peeled and grated
  • 8 slices firm white bread with crusts removed
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup dark raisins
  • lemonade, optional

Utensils

  • mixing bowl and spoon
  • colored plastic wrap
  • rolling pin
  • twist-ties or colorful ribbons

What to Do

  1. Place the tuna, mayonnaise, and salt in the bowl and mix well with a spoon.
  2. Add the grated carrot to the tuna mixture and mix in.
  3. Stir the raisins into the tuna mixture and mix again. Set aside.
  4. Place one slice of bread on a work surface and flatten it with a rolling pin into a thin, flat piece.
  5. Spread 1/4 cup or less tuna mixture evenly on the flattened slice of bread.
  6. Roll up the bread with the tuna mixture, jelly-roll fashion. Set aside on the work surface.
  7. Continue flattening and filling more bread with the tuna mixture and rolling into jelly rolls.
  8. Wrap each rolled sandwich in colored plastic wrap, twisting ends with twist-ties or colorful ribbons to resemble firecrackers.
  9. Put the firecracker sandwiches on a plate, or stack them in a basket to serve for a 4th of July party appetizer or lunch. Serve with ice-cold lemonade in a tall glass along with red, white, and blue paper napkins to brighten a happy day.

 

For more edible activities for parents and children (like the one shown above), purchase your own copy of Cooking Art by MaryAnn F. Kohl and Jean Potter. Cooking Art combines the familiar area of art exploration with the fascinating world of cooking and all its wondrous tools, tastes, and outcomes. This book offers a wonderful opportunity for children to become comfortable and capable in the kitchen — with adult help and assistance — using exploration, discovery, creativity, and following simple directions to create uniquely designed, edible art. Each recipe allows ample room for cooking artists to explore and create in their own special, unique ways. The recipes in Cooking Art have lots of room for personal choices in foods selected, food design and food presentation. Although steps in the recipes should be followed, the outcome of each recipe can be completely different from one cooking artist to the next. The art process is of primary importance in Cooking Art. The product is the delicious reward for exploring the creative possibilities of cooking.