These 4th of July sweets are guaranteed to light up your holiday weekend before the firework show even starts :)! We know you’ll probably be decked out in red, white and blue tomorrow, but don’t forget to dress up the table using fresh and festive in-season ingredients, like berries…

Guaranteed to add some color to your 4th of July menu, Sylvia’s Berry Flag Cake, shared with us by Smoked_Salmon2 is all decked out in stars and… raspberry stripes! You might be used to seeing a cake like this decorated with strawberries, but Smoked_Salmon2’s version offers a new fun twist on this 4th of July favorite. Raspberry jam is carefully smoothed over part of the top of the cake, right next to the yummy Cool Whip, fresh blueberries and pound cake stars!

If you want to go all out with the cake itself, check out SoCalPastryChef’s VIP Red Velvet Cake. This completely from scratch recipe comes with great, easy to follow instructions. It looks so good, you might want to roll out the red carpet for this one :).

Because America’s all about apple pie, let’s not forget about the classic dessert this 4th of July! VickieCarlson shares with us her Grandma Bonnie’s Pie Crust and Apple Pie. I don’t know about you, but whenever I see a recipe with the word grandma in the title, I know it has to be special.

Speaking of special, we hope you all enjoy spending time with loved ones this weekend, eating good food and having fun. Happy 4th of July!

Whether it’s the strong, bitter and addicting flavor of dark chocolate or the sweet and velvety texture of milk chocolate that you like, all chocolate lovers will salivate at the sound of these recipes. You can easily use your favorite kind of chocolate to really make these recipes your own.

Baker2lm’s Chocolate Chip Dream Bars pack in everything you’d want in a chocolate bar and more. If you like cookies and homemade candy bars, you’ll love how this dessert combines the best of both worlds.

Baker2lm’s recipes were on the Featured Recipes home page just now, and I’m glad they were, otherwise I would’ve missed her other great recipes. Ooey and gooey, her Outrageous Caramel Fudge Brownies would make any ol’ batch of brownies wish they could bask in the glory of sticky caramel and brown sugar sweetened chocolate sauce the way these do.

Let’s not forget about peanut butter; PB and chocolate are a match made in heaven, especially when they’re combined in a recipe like Baker2lm’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Bars. This is a dessert that’s not only fun to make with friends, but Baker2lm says it can make pouring the chocolatey goodness over the peanut butter a little easier. We’re not sure if you’ll actually want to share these with anyone after they’ve set, though :).

What’s your favorite way to eat cake? We all know there’s an art to eating the Oreo, some of us start in the middle and save the chocolatey cookie for last. But what about cake. Do you eat the frosting on the outside first or start with the cakey center/filling then save the frosting for last?

I’ve got a craving for cake now! But with this heat, we’re gonna need something light and refreshing. Cake can be refreshing? Yes, Rei’s Mango Mousse Cake is fruity and lip smacking good but not heavy. She makes the topping completely from scratch, and if you’re wondering if the fruit is in the middle of the cake, it’s actually on top!

The mango mousse isn’t actually the kind of cake topping you’re used to hearing about, but that’s what makes it so good! This cake is cooool; so cool you’ll need to put it in the fridge so that it sets, then you can add the delicious mango puree topping. Both the mousse and puree rest on top of an airy sponge cake, this is quite the summer treat. I want this for my birthday, don’t you; forget the frosting!

Rei has more beautiful cakes and an assortment of desserts on her blog All That Matters, check it out!

Here I am thinking that the crock-pot is the most underrated kitchen device, that it really deserves to be in the spotlight for coming to our rescue when we’ve got too much on our plate and need to put something edible on our plate by the end of the day!

I was convinced there weren’t enough slow cooker recipes out there… But I’ve been convinced otherwise, you all have shared so many of your favorite slow cooker recipes with us on Key Ingredient!

I can’t decide which one to talk about first! Hopeky94’s Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese is what you’ll want to cook up on a hot day like today. Only thing is, there won’t be anything to cook or bake because the slow cooker does all the hard work!

Loving the sound of a pasta slow cooker recipe? Be sure to check out GriseschoolMom’s Slow Cooker Lasagna; I didn’t think it could be done without cranking up the oven to 350!

Savagerabbit revisits an old favorite with her Crockpot Chicken and Cornmeal Dumplings, she says her family loves it and we think yours will too.

But where are all the tasty soup recipes we usually see when we hear about crock-pot recipes? We’ve got those too. Seanachi’s Crockpot Lentil Soup is hearty and filling. With all those fragrant ingredients and herbs, it’ll make your place smell heavenly!

The best thing about using a crock-pot is the aroma coming from a mouthwatering meal simmering away in your slow cooker; it will make your house smell like a home!

The weekend’s finally here! Everyone’s looking forward to eating pizza this weekend but you’re tired of ordering out. Save money and make the pizza!

The nice thing about making the pizza at home is that you can divide up the dough so that everyone can have the toppings they want. If you like a hearty pizza, take a look at rhodesbread’s Stuffed Crust Pizza, it’ll fill you up!

Start the weekend off on a healthier note with Xrayj’s Whole Wheat and Honey Pizza Dough. He recommends making the dough ahead of time, which can definitely be a good thing when you’re looking for a meal you can throw together in minutes; make the pizza dough tonight and bake it tomorrow. His adapted recipe is perfect for larger families, you’ll have enough dough to make 6 mini pizzas.

The kids might be happy with cheese pizzas, but if you want something a little more grown up, try Lina’s Pizza with Chicken, Goat Cheese, Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes. Use XrayJay’s pizza dough recipe and finish it off with Lina’s tasty toppings — you’ll probably have a hard time going back to delivery after you try that combo :)!

Our Featured Recipes page is covered in ice cream! But don’t worry, it’s not a sticky mess, it’s just really tempting. The only challenge is trying to decide which one to make first. Ice cream is one of those desserts that tastes a little bit better when made at home, and we’ve got quite the selection, check it out here.

The one that’s perfect for those with a sweet tooth as big as mine is the Candy Jar Ice Cream. If you’ve still got a few candy bars left over from last Halloween or even Valentine’s Day, now’s the time to use them.

If you’re in the mood for something fresh and fruity, the Cinnamon Peach Ice Cream is just for you. Peaches are in season, so now’s the time to take advantage of the only fruit that’s allowed to be fuzzy!

Looking for something cool, light and dairy free?

This Mmmmango Tea and Honey Sorbet would make a great grown-up dessert for your special dinner. You won’t find a sorbet this natural in the freezer section, it uses just the ingredients required to add a subtle amount of sweetness and flavor — no sugar added, just honey. The title says it all, but I have to say you will be saying “Mmmm!” after giving any of these recipes a try.

We’re well into summer and the kids are out of school; you’re going to need plenty of ideas for what to serve when snack time rolls around!

Kiddos quickly get bored with the same old, same old, and pre-packaged snacks aren’t always the most affordable items. So what to do? Stock up on the tasty basics: peanut butter and jelly, flour, oatmeal, dried fruit. They’re guaranteed to satisfy when combined the right way…

For instance, fangfiona’s PB and J muffins are perfect for the finicky eater in the family who’d rather not eat the ends of the bread!

If you don’t have time to pick up flour from the grocery store, think out of the box, make chocolatechic’s tortilla granola snack. They offer a fun new way to serve peanut butter outside of a slice of bread.

Looking for a great on-the-go treat? GrieseschoolMom’s White Chocolate Cranberry Granola Bars are hearty and nutritious, packed with fiber and sweetened with maple syrup. If you’re looking out for kiddos with peanut allergies, you can easily substitute PB with almond butter in this or the other recipes. It’s just as yummy and a healthy alternative.

And if the kids have been good all day and you want to reward them with a special dessert? Take a look at these amazing Gelato Sandwiches by Domestic Muse! Who wouldn’t love these?

You’ve been asked to bring pasta to the summer potluck this year. Mac and cheese sounds like a good idea, but so does Sensei’s Mom’s Macaroni Salad, a true classic.

But you’re also in the mood for some fresh Tex-Mex food. Ktbnkr shows us that noodles can be tasty without tomato sauce. Her Taco Pasta is full of flavor and color. Her recipe is a flexible one, too, so you can sneak in some of your personal favorite ingredients, maybe a few jalapenos.

Because you’ll finish making Ktbnkr’s salad in no time, you also might want to try The_knittymommy’s Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff. If you’re serving a vegetarian crowd, you can easily substitute the beef broth with vegetable bouillon, the rest of the dish is completely meat free.

What we love about each one of these recipe? They’re affordable, come together easily, and will hit the spot, whether you’re hosting a picnic or looking for a light mid-week bite.

Featured Key Ingredient?

That would be you — our members, you’re our Key Ingredients, the ones who make this the most delicious site on the web. So where are the recipes? You can search for any of them on our site by just typing in the name of the ingredient you’d like to use or the recipe name… or you can do what I did and browse the featured recipes!

The member we’re featuring today is mytastytreasures who’s posted nearly 90 recipes already. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll want to check out mytastytreasures’ Pecan Raspberry Thumbprints, they’re yummy nutty sweet treats that she likes to serve around the holidays.

Speaking of the holidays, her Mini Chocolate Chip Butter Bites may look like Christmas snowballs with they’re powdered sugar exterior, but they’re filled with a combination of two well-loved cookie ingredients: chocolate chip and peanut butter.

Mytastytreasures also knows how to make a mouthwatering breakfast! Take a look at her Banana Pecan Pancakes with Maple Honey Butter…can you believe they’re 100% homemade?!

You can see her other recipes by clicking here.

Don’t forget to check out her blog, My Tasty Treasures :)!

Have you all checked out our new Featured Recipes home page? So many delicious meals and treats to choose from, and we’re now displaying them with photos!

One of the first recipes that caught my eye today was the Southwestern Black Bean Salad from Pumpkinpassion, it’s colorful and guaranteed to brighten up your plate next to the barbecued ribs you might be eating on Father’s Day.

And how about serving a Warm Pasta Salad instead of the Caesar this weekend? Orchidgirl1979 shares her impressive recipe with us, but Cacahuete’s recipe looks pretty good too. Her Quinoa Pasta with Sauteed Spinach and Portobello Mushroom dish can be served as a side, like a pasta salad, but it can also be considered a meal because it’s protein-packed and filling.

I know we’re talking about side dishes, but make sure to leave room for dessert!

We’ve got a few colorful dessert recipes that include the fresh berries you’ve been seeing all over the place this season, take a look at this French Fruit Tart that Lesley made. One of the best parts about it? You can prepare it tonight then put it all together on Father’s Day morning, this is the best way to keep the berries fresh and juicy for your sweet colorful treat.