4th of July APPETIZERS!!!

Fresh Tomato Salsa

     3 tomatoes (1lb) chopped
     ¼ cup finely chopped red onions
     ¼ cup chopped cilantro
     1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
     ¼ cup Kraft Italian Dressing

Combine all ingredients. Serve salsa with tortilla chips, NABISCO Crackers or assorted cut-up fresh vegetables.

All-American Summer Dip

     1 container (16 oz.) BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
     1 envelope GOOD SEASONS Parmesan Italian or Italian Dressing Mix
     ½ cup chopped roasted red pepper or 1 tsp jarred roasted garlic (optional)

Mix ingredients until well blended over; cover. Refrigerate several hours to blend flavors. Serve with red pepper strips, jicama strips, radishes, cherry tomatoes, and tortilla chips.

Crispy Cheese Stars

     Flour tortillas
     Sliced cheese (cheddar, provolone, or mozzarella)
     Chili powder or paprika
     Star shaped cookie cutters, 2 different sizes

1. Heat the oven to 350º. Use the larger cookie cutter to cut out stars from flour tortillas (about 5 per 10-inch tortilla). It's easy for kids to do if you use a rolling pin to roll back and forth over the cutter. Bake the stars on a foil-covered cookie sheet for 5 minutes.
2. Use the smaller cookie cutter to cut out an equal number of cheese stars from the sliced cheese and place them atop the tortilla ones. Bake the stars for 2 more minutes or so until the cheese melts.
3. Sprinkle the stars with chili powder or paprika and let them cool before serving.