Happy Mother's Day!!!!!

Happy Birthday to my SON!

Look OUT!!!!!!.... we have another driver at our house. Happy Birthday to my fourth Baby. He is traveling along that "Sweet Sixteen" scene. First dates... First drives... First Group Parties... First at a lot of things for him... He is starting to express his way into adulthood very quickly and we are very proud of him...


Happy Birthday my almost grown-up little one!

Tasty Taco Salad Make-Over....

FIESTA TIME!!!!

A year ago I posted my favorite Taco Salad Recipe on here and SCS. As I have spent this past year studying and learning how to make-over my favorite recipes into better tasting, lower calorie treats, I discovered the my loaded Taco Salad recipe that I thought was good for me was actually contributing to my down fall.... So staying with the Theme of the day and to pay tribute to National Salad month here is my Made-Over Tasty Taco Salad recipe for the day.

Tasty Taco Salad

Prep Time: 20 mins * Total Time: 20 mins * Makes:4 servings

4 whole wheat flour tortillas (8 inch)
1 lb. ground beef
1/4 cup of chopped white or yellow onion
1 small clove of chopped fresh garlic
1 teaspoon of dry taco seasoning mix
1/4 cup warm water
salt & pepper to taste
4 cups shredded lettuce or baby spinach
1 cup Finely Shredded Four Cheese
1 large tomato, chopped
1 medium cucumber, chopped
1 medium avocado, chopped
1/4 cup sour cream (about 1 tablespoon per person)
1/2 cup salsa (about 2 tablespoons per person)

CRUMPLE 4 large sheets of foil to make 4 (3-inch) balls; place on baking sheet. Place 1 tortilla over each ball; spray with low-cal cooking spray. Bake 6 to 8 min. or until tortillas are golden brown. (Tortillas will drape over balls as they bake.)
*by using whole wheat and baking shells instead of frying or using store bought chips you save 80 calories per person

MEANWHILE, cook meat with onion, garlic, taco seasoning mix, salt & pepper and warm water.
*by cooking your meat with the following ingredients instead of browning it in 2 tablespoons of oil you save 120 calories per person

FILL shells with lettuce, meat mixture, cheese and vegetables just before serving top with sour cream and salsa.
*by measuring and using sour cream and salsa instead of salad dressing you save 60 calories per person

So by making-over my Favorite Taco Salad, I have saved myself 260 calories... going from 580 to 320.

I hope you all enjoy! Happy Cinco De' Mayo

FYI.... "Going Green"

Hey did you all know that MAY is.....

National Salad Month

Here is a great link for awesome FYI information: Making better Salads

Life has begun in Myrtle Beach...

Wow.... If I could have only dreamed! ..... If someone, a month ago would have told me that I would now be living in on the beach in South Carolina, I would have probably either ignored them or maybe beat their craziness with a big stick... But Here I AM.... NOW LIVING ON A BEACH IN SOUTH CAROLINA!!!!!! In many ways a dream come true, we are once again employed, once again insured, once again in a fantastic ward, once again living by the ocean, once again becoming more empty nested, and the plus side is Marty Feels great. His blood pressure is way down!!!!

Anyway here are a few of our new surroundings...

Our New Itty-Bitty Living Space....

New >>>>>>> "From The Pantry" Challenge!

I know that I often cross promote here on my blog to different challenges at SCS and I would like do it again... This is such and awesome challenge and my immediate thought was what great scrapbook embellishments it would make!

Check out the Challenge here...... TLC216 Metal Stamping

So... I want to challenge everyone to make a scrapbook embellishment or two and add them to your page or LO and post it to both keyword challenges

Keywords are:
Here.................... FTP09MS
There................... TLC216


Challenge Ends 4-20-09 and I will be giving prizes for the best embellishments.

I will upload my sample when I get home tomorrow...

Happy Easter Everyone!

We will be enjoying a great weekend together at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina!

SCS 52 Week Challenge #15

Sweet Rainbow layers of Goodness
We love Easter at our house... It is one of our big “Family” holidays and even now that we live so far away from our extended family, my DH & I still try very hard to make it a Family affair. The recipe that I have based the Challenge around today is one of our family favorites for Easter because everyone can help make them and I can't wait until we have grandkids so that we can share and “pass-over” the fun.

SO... based on the recipe included... Your challenge is to choose any one of the color combinations that you see in the cookies below. You will then need to use those three colors, (and only those three colors) , plus white or cream (you have to have the inside frosting of course...) to create your layout. Then to “Pass-over” the fun, your other part of the challenge is to either make an extra LO to share with your Secret “Word” Sister (ask Lela if you need a secret sister) or make a batch of cookies to share with a friend or neighbor.

There will be March Madness bonus points of 6 per upload entry if you scrap photos of You & Your Family Cooking...

Rainbow Egg Cookies
from Betty Crocker

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1 egg
3-9 different food colors (the Neon colors work the best)

1/2 Can Betty Crocker® Vanilla Frosting

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Stir cookie mix, butter, flour and egg in medium bowl until dough forms. Divide dough evenly among 3 bowls; tint each dough by stirring in a few drops of desired food color.

2. Shape 1/3 cup of each color of dough into a rope about 5 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Place ropes side by side and a little more than 1/4 inch apart on floured surface; roll until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch egg-shaped cookie cutter so each cookie has 3 colors. (see picture below)

3. Sprinkle with sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. (When rerolling dough scraps, carefully lay matching colors together.)

4. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Spread frosting on bottoms of half the cookies. Top with remaining cookies.

My Sample... (with photo of DS's making these cookies)
Easter 2002 - DPS
Also... here is another take on this challenge.... Easter 2000

Please upload using keywords: SCS52WK15

Happy Birthday to my Sweetheart...

I remember the first time I met him... it seems like just yesterday!
And THAT was 25 years ago...
My how the time has gone by and yet to me he is still the same!
Love and memories will be treasured in my heart forever....
Happy Birthday, I love you Sweetie!

Happy Birthday to my SON!

I am not sure who is feeling older... Me or the Man-Child! I think he is feeling as many growing pains as I am. I wish I knew how to help him make the transition from boy to adult a little smoother. He wants to be so many things when he "Grows-UP!" and if truth be told... he could be.
He is smart, very talented with his hands and has the biggest heart.

Happy Birthday SON!!!!!

Promises.....

I promised my family and friends that I would put more attention into my bog. That is like journal writing for me... "Aint gonna do it! ~ not everyday anyway..." So I decided that even if it was only a sentence or two, I will try to post at least twice a week. We shall see!

Happy April Fools Day!

"Life Surrounded by Color" Challenge...

I have found myself in this one color mode lately, I think it is my way of changing from all the rich, dark beautiful colors of Fall and Christmas to the fresh pastel colors of Spring and Easter...
So in honor of my one color status your challenge is to take your one, (yes one!) favorite color and scrap a page or a card using only shades of that color. And to help you with your challenge I have posted my favorite one color dessert... (just like on the Truffles, white embellishments don't count).

I will be giving away blog candy and PRIZES to those who play.... Deadline is midnight (12:00) East Coast Time, March 31st, 2009 (please post page link as comment or upload to SCS)
Keyword for SCS upload is FTP09MT

Chocolate Mocha Truffles

Ingredients
• 2 packages (12 oz. each) semisweet or milk chocolate chips

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened at room temperature.

• 3 tablespoons of instant coffee or hot chocolate granules
• 2 teaspoons warm water
• 1 pound chocolate coating or use chocolate Ice Cream Topping
• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips melted (optional)

Instructions
Melt the chocolate chips (microwave or double boiler). Add cream cheese, coffee or hot chocolate and water; mix well. Chill until firm enough to shape. Shape mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Chill for 1-2 hours or until firm Melt the chocolate coating in a microwave or double boiler. Dip the balls in the chocolate and place on the waxed paper to harden. To save time you can use the chocolate ice cream topping that goes hard when you pour it over cold stuff. Optional: Melt the white chocolate and drizzle over the truffles.

"From The Pantry" Challenge #4

This is the "From the Pantry" Challenge#4 for our SCS: 52 Week / Thursday Challenge #11

I am going to call this challenge... "A Hint of Irish Green"

When I contemplate St. Patty's day memories of my childhood, I think of my Grandmother Irish Stew and homemade Soda bread. My Grandfather use to drink Irish Coffee that smelled so good but tasted so bad. My Great- Grandma use to make a huge stacked white cake with green sprinkles (coconut) that had just a hint of mint or lime. She always decorated the top to look like a shamrock. Recently, on Kraft.com, I came acrossed the recipe and picture for this cake and so in honor of my Irish Heritage, I would like to use that as our Challenge today. Here is the recipe and you will find the Challenge below...

Lucky Shamrock Cake

Ingredients:
2 2/3 cups Baker's Angel Flake coconut
Green food coloring
3 baked 9-inch round cake layers, cooled
1 teaspoon of lime juice or mint flavoring per cake mix
1 2/3 cups vanilla butter cream frosting (Bottom of page)
Green decorating icing

Directions:
Tint coconut with green food coloring and add few drop of fresh lime juice or mint extract.
Leave 1 cake layer whole; cut 1-inch slice from remaining 2 cakes so that cake fits along curve of whole cake.
Prepare vanilla butter cream frosting. Using small amount of frosting to hold pieces together, arrange whole cake at top of serving tray. Place other 2 cakes along lower edges of whole cake, fitting cut ends along curve. Place 2 small slices between 2 layers as stem.
Frost cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with coconut. Using decorating icing, outline the cake.
Makes 12 to 16 servings

***Vanilla Buttercream Frosting***
1 (16-oz) package powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, softened
3 Tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
Beat sugar, margarine, milk and vanilla with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. If frosting becomes too thick, beat in additional milk by teaspoonfuls, until of spreadable consistency.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups frosting

My Challenge to you is to use the Irish Colors of Green & White to create a page, LO or DPS. You can use sprinkles of green, shamrocks or anything else to show an “Irish Blessing” (hint.... hint)

Please remember to upload using the keywords.... SCS52WK11

You can find my samples here... "Blessed By The Irish"

"A Touch of Spring" - Inspirational Challenge

I was asked to be the Guest Host for today's Inspirational Challenge... So no food today, I get to share with you all another one of my loves... And at this time of year, I get really bored with the drab colors of Winter and I start to get the itch to get out in my garden and fill my heart with the touches of Spring. Also at this time of year, my Irish heart starts longing for new tapestries to hang on my walls.

So my challenge to all of you is for you to create a wall hanging (LO, page or DPS) using any the spring style colors, designs and/or inspiration that you get from my favorite tapestries at the following web site: Simply Tapestries

You can view my LO here.... B's Birthday Bash

Don't forget to upload your treasures using the keyword: IFC29
And you can view the Gallery here...

Remember to come back here and post a reply with a link to your page so that we can leave you lots of comments! I can't wait to see all of your inspirational Touches of Spring....

"From The Pantry" Challenge #3

Good Morning Friends... "From The Pantry"

SCS: 52 Week / Thursday Challenge #7

I like to think that Valentine's Day is for the Love of My Life.... And because I have several, between my Husband and my boys, I always feel like I have to make a choice. So for my February Challenge to all of you, I am going to give you a choice.

You can choose Challenge A ~
Which will be like the Sweetheart Chocolate Lollipops:
You need to use a brown base, White or Cream DP with Red and Pink Accents

OR

You can choose Challenge B ~
Which is like the Jell-o Cupid Cups:
You need to use a red base, White or Cream DP with Chocolate Accents


Chocolate Lollipops
Prep Time: 20 min ~ Total Time: 2 hr
Makes: about 2-1/2 doz. or 30 servings, one pop each

Ingredients:
4 squares BAKER'S Unsweetened Chocolate
3/4 cup* (1-1/2 sticks) butter
2 cups sugar
3 * eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups* flour
4 squares BAKER'S White Chocolate, melted
* Assorted Valentine sprinkles

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Add sugar; mix well. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate 1 hour or until dough is stiff.
SHAPE dough into 2-inch balls; insert lollipop stick into each ball. Place, 2 inches apart, on greased baking sheets.
BAKE 8 min. or just until set. (Do not overbake.) Let stand on baking sheet 1 min.; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely. Drizzle with chocolate; decorate with sprinkles. Let stand until chocolate is firm.


Cupid Cups
Prep Time: 15 min ~ Total Time: 4 hr 15 min
Makes: 8 servings, 2/3 cup each

Ingredients:
1 square BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
2 cups* boiling water, divided
2 pkg. (3 oz. each) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
1-1/2 cups* cold water, divided
ice cubes
1 cup* thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
Decorations: assorted Valentine sprinkles and candies


Directions:
DRAW heart design or write Valentine's Day message in each of 8 (6-oz.) clear plastic cups by piping chocolate onto insides of cups. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm.
ADD 1 cup boiling water to 1 pkg. gelatin mix in medium bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in 1 cup cold water; pour into cups. Refrigerate 1 hour or until gelatin is firm.
MEANWHILE, add remaining boiling water to remaining gelatin mix; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to remaining cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until thickened. Stir in COOL WHIP; spoon over gelatin layer in cups. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Decorate as desired.

The Recipes are from Kraft at www.Kraft.com


My samples are:








The Keyword is SCS52WK07

Next....

Here is my next round of 365's.......

365 Days - Jan. 23 -24

365 Days - Jan. 21 - 22

365 Days - Jan. 19 -20

More 365 Daily's....

I have week #3 of my 365 daily journal finished and finally uploaded. Here are my pages...


365 Days - Jan. 17-18

365 Days - Jan. 15-16

365 Days - Jan. 13-14

365 Days - Jan. 11-12

More 365 Daily's....

Okay... Here are my pages from Week #2...


365 Days - Jan. 9 -10


365 Days - Jan. 7-8

365 Days - Jan. 5-6

"Daily Moments" - 365 Days a Year!

Here are my first six pages in my 365 day journal using stamps, scraps and stuff from my stash...


365 Days - Jan. 3-4

365 Days - Jan. 1-2

365 Days - Jan. Cover