Happy Fourth!

Tasty summer recipes, big band music and a Revolutionary War retrospective mark TV12's Independence Day celebration

Summer Celebration

French and American cultures unite through cuisine during this Jacques Pépin Celebrates tribute to both the Fourth of July and France's Bastille Day. To start, the expert chef drizzles a creamy mousseline sauce over a whole, poached salmon, and serves individual crocks of "Rillettes of Rabbit" -- a French spread that goes well with crusty bread and white wine. Jacques' main course consists of a grilled shoulder of veal rubbed with lemon-herb butter and creamy potato-and-corn packages that are a summer favorite. Dessert is a continuation of the cultural fusion, with an all-American sponge cake soaked in sweet, summer berries and brandy, followed by a decadent French chocolate gourmand.

Saturday, July 3 at 1 p.m.

Applause Online Exclusive: Impress your guests with Rillettes of Rabbit and Red Berries-Soaked Sponge Cake both featured in Jacques' "Summer Celebration" and found exclusively in the cookbook Jacques Pépin Celebrates!

The Lawrence Welk Show "200 Years of American Music"

Put on your dancing shoes for this toe-tapping, bicentennial salute to American music. The Welk Family singers kick things off with a lively rendition of "The Charleston," followed by performances of "Stardust" and "Showboat." Host Guy Hovis -- who does a great impersonation of Elvis Presley on "Rip It Up" -- teams with Ralna English on such standards as "Love Nest," "Can't Help Falling in Love With You" and John Denver's "Country Road." Other performance highlights include "This is the Army," "What the World Needs Now (Is Love, Sweet Love)" and the entire cast on "America the Beautiful."

Saturday, July 3 at 7 p.m.

Rebels and Redcoats "How Britain Lost America"

Historian Richard Holmes recounts the American Revolution from a point of view few consider -- that of the British, who, by losing the war gave the 13 colonies their freedom. Beginning in 1770 with "the shot heard round the world," the program precisely documents the War's major battles and most altering moments -- from George Washington's successful Christmas-night raid at Trenton to the Redcoats' capture of Fort Ticonderoga and eventual naval surrender at Yorktown. Throughout, the program uses vivid dramatizations, eyewitness accounts and original documents to explore the conflict that divided families and ultimately put America on the world map.

Sunday, July 4 at 2 p.m.

A Capitol Fourth

As much a Fourth of July staple as cookouts, parades and fireworks, this annual concert spectacular has become an integral part of millions of Americans' Independence Day traditions. Actor Barry Bostwick hosts this year's party, with Amy Grant, Vince Gill and Clay Aiken heading a star-studded lineup of pop and country musicians. Live from the grounds of the U.S. Capitol building, the concert will feature patriotic classics, including National Symphony Orchestra performances of the "1812 Overture" and John Philip Sousa's "Star and Stripes Forever" and contemporary favorites before the brilliant fireworks display above the Washington Monument.

Sunday, July 4 at 8 p.m.

Online Extra: There will be tons of talent on display during this year's national Fourth of July concert. Read the bios of some of the stars sharing the stage, including singer-songwriter Robin Gibb, the National Symphony Orchestra, and American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken.

-- Edited for Applause Online by Anna Christopher