Since it’s a time for family reunions, picnics and barbecues, it seems like a good time to trade our favorite summer recipes.
The last big get-together that I hosted (an outdoor party of 75), we provided fried chicken, ham, scalloped potatoes and a couple of side dishes, including cake for dessert. Everybody attending brought a dish to share. If attendees weren’t able to cook (some were staying in hotels), they brought drinks or prepared food like potato chips etc. It was at that party that I first tried broccoli salad. One of the side dishes I made was 7-layer dip, which I really love. There are many versions; here is one:
Ingredients:
1 (15-ounce) can refried beans
¼ cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
Salt, to taste
4 ounces cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and membrane removed, finely chopped
2 avocados, mashed
1 tomato, seeds and juices removed, finely chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives
I would add a bunch of green onions, cut into rounds
1. Place the refried beans in a medium saute pan or in a cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the water, olive oil, chili powder, cumin and salt, stirring until combined. Once the beans are hot and bubbly, spread them over the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate (or other serving dish). Immediately sprinkle the cheese over the beans.
2. Layer on the jalapeño, avocado, tomato, sour cream, black olives and green onions.
3. Serve immediately with tortilla chips.
Here is another version, the Pioneer Woman’s Mexican Layer Dip: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/mexican-layer-dip/
Other popular potluck dishes that I like are icebox cakes. I have made a version of this one:
Stella's Place 
One of my favorites – you can keep the ingredients on hand and make for a quick dessert:
1 can blueberries
1 can crushed pineapple
1 box white cake mix
1 cube butter
Mix berries and pineapple in 9×13 dish (juice included)
Cut butter into cake mix and sprinkle on top
Bake at 350 until browned and the fruit is bubbled to the top (40-50 min)
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I can do this tomorrow because I have blueberries to pick in the morning!
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I love black olives in summer salads.
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