my favorite food to eat is mexican and one of my favorite meals is the taco salad.  i’ve experimented with many different “dressings”.  straight salsa. avocado ranch. but alas!  i present you with “crack sauce”!  It is simple to make and sugar free.  (you decide how much oil to add if you are calorie counting)  i use this not only for salads, but as a topping for tacos as well rather than sour cream, and a dipping sauce for tortilla chips!  it is more flavorful and adds a special “zing”…

I love to blog.  I really do, really!  I like to talk, well write, and I like to encourage women to be homemakers.  To try new things. To not be afraid. To embrace whatever level of “homemaker” they can.  So here I am again.  

Being a box person I just made myself a schedule of what to blog and when.  We’ll see!

Monday will be design day

Tuesday craft day

Wednesday cleaning day

Thursday cooking day

Friday shopping day.

There it is!  And form now on I refuse to capitalize.  That’s my policy and I’m stickin’ to it!  

And just for laughs… I am sitting in the library with my kids and I have this piece of hair that won’t go down….

Hello Friends!  I have some great news for all you crafty gals out there!  Michael’s is giving their stores a fresh look and a ton of new product.  Ever since the new JoAnn’s Ect. opened at Canyon Springs I have not be in Michael’s very much…. they must have noticed!

Their reno’s aren’t comlplete yet, but almost.  Go check it out, they have a HUGE new jewelry making section.

FUN! FUN! FUN!

Here is some work I completed recently.  My neighbor Crystal is an amazing, gifted designer.  She owns a furniture store called Trappings Too! that sells quality, high style furniture for very affordable prices. (if you love Pottery Barn style, you’ll love her store)  I had the pleasure of doing some work for her recently, check it out!

I have mentioned that I have been making baby blankets.  Some as gifts, some waiting to sell on etsy…

Here are some pictures of what I have been working on!

They are all original designs.  They have patchwork fronts with flannel backs, and a layer quilt batting in between.

Orange Terrace Library is now open!  I took my boys yesterday and we are thrilled to have a Library so close. Today we are going back and we will do our school work there.  

Their shelves aren’t full… but it is new, smells good (if you’ve been to Main Library then you know what I mean!) and they even have a coffee bar complete with treats!

FYI- They are closed on Monday’s…

Ohhh… these are goooooood!

• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1/2 cup warm milk
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup butter, softened

1. Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
2. When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

I swear I could eat this everyday and be very happy… I even adapted it for a party salsa contest… I won 3rd place…

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
• 1 avocado – peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1. Place lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a small jar. Cover with lid, and shake until ingredients are well mixed.
2. In a salad bowl, combine beans, corn, avocado, bell pepper, tomatoes, green onions, and cilantro. Shake lime dressing, and pour it over the salad. Stir salad to coat vegetables and beans with dressing, and serve.

So Tatsy!  I serve it with BBQ chicken on the patio for a fresh, light summer meal, and my kids will even eat it!

• 1 (7 ounce) can white tuna, drained and flaked
• 6 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
• 1/8 teaspoon dried minced onion flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 pinch garlic powder

In a medium bowl, stir together the tuna, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, and onion flakes. Season with curry powder, parsley, dill and garlic powder. Mix well and serve with crackers or on a sandwich.

I went again today and they had some good stuff!  They had strawberries back in, go-gurt packs of 8 (1/person), pumpkins (1/person), Pillsbury cinnamon rolls (1/person), and 90 packs of baking cups 2/99¢.  I also got some Cars the movie pez dispensers for stocking stuffers as well as some 24″ bouncy balls for after school play today!

They were also fully stocked on those socks…. hit um’ up!