Fourth Of July Food:

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, you might want to try these three wonderful dishes. The first one is a Taco Dip from Kaylin at Real Food for Real People. Your friends will love it and be asking for more.

Awesome Taco Dip:

16 ounces Refried Beans
8 ounces Cream Cheese -- softened
1 package Taco Seasoning Mix -- 1.25 ounces
2 cloves Garlic -- minced
1 small Tomato -- chopped
1/4 cup Onion -- chopped
1/2 cup Black Olives -- chopped
1 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
Sour Cream -- optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spread beans onto bottom of 9 inch pie plate. In medium bowl, combine cream cheese, taco seasoning mix and garlic; spread over beans. Top with tomato, onion, and olives; sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake 25 - 30 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with sour cream, if desired. Serve with Tortilla Chips. Serves 16

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 123 Calories; 8g Fat (58.6% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 23mg Cholesterol; 389mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Another easy dish to make for your gathering would be this wonderful pasta salad by Cheryl Driggs. I made it for a wedding shower a few weeks ago and it was a real hit.

PASTA SALAD

1 lb. rotini pasta
2 cups chopped celery
1 small red onion, chopped
1 jar (4 ounces) chopped pimiento, drained
1 jar marinated artichokes, drained and cut up
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) Monterey jack cheese, cut into small cubes
1 can (6 ounces) black pitted olives, drained
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 bunch fresh broccoli florets, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup Italian dressing with herbs
5 fresh mushrooms, sliced
7 ounces whole cashews

Cook rotini according to directions adding 1 Tbsp. oil to water. DO NOT OVERCOOK! Rinse with cold water; drain well. Add all but mushrooms, cashews, and dressing. Stir in 1 Tbsp. oil. Refrigerate. Just before serving, add mushrooms, cashews, and remaining dressing. Serves 24.

AHHHH. Now for an awesome desert. Try this Texas Sheet Cake by Lora Lee Heaton. It's to die for.

Texas Sheet Cake

1 ¼ cup - Margarine
1 ¾ cup - Sugar
2/3 cup - Dark Karo
2 tsp. - Vanilla
4 – Eggs
2 cups – Flour
¾ cup – Cocoa
1 cup – Chopped Walnuts

Grease 11 x 15” pan. Beat margarine and sugar well. Add corn syrup and stir well. Add flour and cocoa mixture. Add eggs and vanilla, then chopped nuts. Mix lightly. Spread evenly in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
Cool completely, then frost with…
½ cup margarine – ¼ cup milk – 1/3 cup cocoa stirred over low heat until melted. Beat in 1 lb. powered sugar. Spread over cooled cake.