These Red, White and Blue Star Tarts, from the creative minds at Taste of the South magazine, would be perfect for the Fourth of July. Here's how to make them:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees.

• Cut four 4 ½-inch circles from refrigerated pie dough. (If you don't have a biscuit cutter that size, use a bowl top.)

• Fit rounds into tart pans and prick with fork tines.

• Bake until golden, 7 to 8 minutes, and set aside on a rack to cool.

• Beat 2 (3-ounce) packages softened cream cheese, 1 thawed (8-ounce) package frozen nondairy whipped topping and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with an electric mixer until creamy.

• Mix in 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, beating until combined.

• Spoon mixture into cooled crusts, and refrigerate.

• Cut 4 to 6 strawberries into slices and, just before serving, arrange in star patterns on the tarts. Place a few blueberries in the center of each. Makes 4 servings.

• Notes: The recipe could be doubled or tripled. It seems to us that 1 cup whipping cream could be substituted for the nondairy product. We'd whip it separately until almost stiff, beating in the sugar. Then we'd beat the softened cream cheese with the vanilla, thinning a bit with milk if necessary, and fold the two together.

-- KATHY MARTIN

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