Seven Layer Mexican Dip

8 ounces sour cream
1½ Tablespoons taco seasoning mix
1 cup guacamole (recipe below)
1 cup salsa (recipe below)
1 cup shredded lettuce
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup chopped tomatoes

Mix sour cream and taco seasoning mix. Spread on bottom of 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish. Layer remaining ingredients, in order listed over sour cream mixture. Refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Great Guacamole

1 medium avocado, peeled and chopped
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon hot sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 slices jalapeño pepper, chopped
¼ cup chopped tomato

Combine all ingredients except tomato in bowl of food processor. Pulse process, scrapping sides often until mixture is well mixed. Add tomato and pulse process once or twice. Refrigerate. Yield: 1½ cups.

Fresh Salsa

1 (14½ -ounce) can whole tomatoes
½ medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced |
1½ Tablespoons finely chopped jalapeño peppers
Juice of ½ lime
1 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt (try ¼ teaspoon)
Freshly ground pepper (try ¼ teaspoon)

Drain juice from tomatoes and reserve. Mix tomatoes and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; place in blender. Pulse blend several times until mixture is well chopped, but still chunky. If mixture is too thick, add some of the reserved juice to the desired consistency. Refrigerate. Yield: 2 cups.