A perfectly grilled burger, fresh salad and crowd-pleasing dessert are essential for a successful Independence day bash.

Get fired up for a fabulous meal on the Fourth! While you sip refreshing cherry margaritas, start the grill for the all-American favorite — thick, juicy beef burgers. When they're grilled to perfection, partner them with a cooling salad brimming with fresh cherries and a splash of honey-lime dressing.

For dessert, cupcakes explode with red, white and blue inside and out. Patriotic sprinkles stirred into the batter create interior fireworks while Uncle Sam bobbles atop this special dessert.

Perfect BurgersEasy, versatile, and with the great taste everyone loves, burgers are the perfect choice for a fabulous Fourth of July celebration or any time you fire up the grill.To make the best burgers, follow these foolproof directions.1. Gently shape into patties as directed in chart below. Season with herbs or spices, as desired.2. Prepare grill (charcoal or gas) according to manufacturer's directions for medium heat. Place patties on cooking grid.3. Grill according to chart, turning occasionally. After cooking, season with salt, if desired.

Burger Basics• Grill over medium heat. For gas grills, set controls to medium. For charcoal, cautiously hold the palm of your hand above coals at cooking height. Count the number of seconds you can hold your hand in that position before the heat forces you to remove it; about 4 seconds for medium heat.• Turn patties with a spatula. Do not press. Pressing causes loss of juices and results in a dry burger.• Grill to medium doneness (160 degrees), until no longer pink in center and juices show no pink color. Use an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center of burgers to check temperature. Do not char or overcook.

1½ cups pitted fresh dark sweet cherries2 cups bottled nonalcoholic margarita mix½ cup (4 ounces) tequila1 cup cracked ice, plus additional for serving1 tablespoon fresh lime juiceMint leaves, optionalFresh cherries with stems, optionalIn blender, place pitted cherries, margarita mix, tequila, 1 cup ice and the lime juice; process until smooth.Pour over additional ice into 4 glasses. Garnish with mint leaves and cherries, if desired.Makes 4 servings.

1 package (18.25 ounces) yellow cake mix1 1/3 cups water3 eggs1/3 cup vegetable oil2 to 3 tablespoons patriotic sprinkle sparksWhite ready-to-use decorator icing or homemade buttercream icingPatriotic cupcake toppers, patriotic sprinkles, red and blue colored sugarsPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin pan with patriotic baking cups.In large bowl, combine cake mix, water, eggs and oil; beat with electric mixer 2 minutes. Fold sprinkles into batter; spoon into baking cups. Bake 18 to 20 minutes. Cool completely before decorating.Using a spatula or butter knife, ice cupcakes with icing. Or, create an icing swirl using a decorating bag fitted with a large star decorating tip. Immediately sprinkle as desired with sprinkles or colored sugar; add topper.Makes 24 cupcakes

4 cups pitted cherries (fresh dark sweet cherries, Rainier or combination)1 cup fresh blueberries1 cup cored, diced applesHoney-Lime Dressing:2 tablespoons olive oil1 tablespoon fresh lime juice1 tablespoon honey2 teaspoons minced fresh mint½ teaspoon grated lime peel1/8 teaspoon saltIn large bowl, combine cherries, blueberries and apples. In small bowl, combine dressing ingredients; mix well. Pour dressing over fruit; toss gently to coat.Cook's Tip:Fresh blackberries, raspberries or halved strawberries may be substituted for blueberries. Fresh pineapple or orange may be added to salad.Makes 6 servings.

Stir red and blue sprinkles into every day cake batter just before baking to add a patriotic punch to cupcakes.