Here's the Scoop!

Hey Sports Fans! Cheryl Here! I hope you are having a great week. Today I will be wrapping up my painting workshop and headed home. I need to rest up.

In two days Super Bowl XLIV will be kicking off. If you've been hanging around this past year you'll know that the Super Snack Throwdown Super Snack Bowl challenge is on between Kate and Ray. And all this Frito talk makes me want to share a recipe with you. It's a good one.

And since Claudia gives pretty much free reign on my Free For All Friday's- away we go....

Today's recipe is Black Bean Salsa. This is a really tough recipe so pay close attention to each step. I mean it! Pay attention. Your Super Bowl Party is on the line.

First, start with one of these. Open it up and take a drink. Ah!

Unless you're under the age of 21. In that case, open one of these and take a drink.

Here are your ingredients sitting all together. Aren't they pretty. Ooh. Aah.

Let's get started. First up: 2 (15oz) Cans Black Beans - any brand you like. Open them up- drain and rinse.

Throw them in a big bowl.

1 (17oz) Can Whole Kernel Corn - that's what the recipe calls for but my store doesn't have 17oz cans so 15 ounces of corn will be just fine.

Drain the corn. You don't have to rinse it. I just wanted to show you that there is none of the can juice- water? - whatever - in it.
Throw the corn in with the beans. Hey! That kind of looks like the Saint's uniform colors.

The recipe calls for 2 Large Tomatoes but I always use Roma tomatoes because they're so easy to seed.Seed and chop those red beauties up. I wound up only using 3 of these.
Throw them in with the beans and corn.

Next up is 1 Purple Onion. This purple onion was on steroids so I only used half of it. Just gauge for yourself how much onion you want in it.
Chop up the purple onion and throw it in with the beans, the corn, and the tomatoes.

1 Large Avocado is all the recipe calls for but I never know if the large is large enough and I like avocado so I used two mediums. I know I'm making it more difficult for you. Hang in there.
Chop up the avocado and add it to the beans, the corn, the tomato and the purple onion.

You'll only need 1/8 - 1/4 cup of chopped fresh Cilantro but you'll have to buy this whole bushel of cilantro! I'm not angry even though the rest of the cilantro will go bad in my refrigerator because I don't cook.
But go ahead and chop up that cilantro. I just pick off the leaves. No stemmy stems. Bleh! And throw that cilantro in with the beans, the corn, the tomato, the purple onion, and the avocado.

3 to 4 tablespoons of lime juice - 3 tablespoons is 1/4 cup. I measured. These three fresh limes equaled 3 tablespoons.


See.

Pour that fresh lime juice over the beans, the corn, the tomato, the purple onion, oh- you get the picture! Throw it in the bowl. Where's my beer?

Now, pour out 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. You got it. Add it to the mix.

1 teaspoon of salt & 1 teaspoon of pepper

That picture didn't turn out Bu you know what to do.

Let's see... all you have to do now is mix it up.

At this point you'll want to chill it for a little bit.

Did I say tough? I meant to say easy!

Okay- but I didn't use the secret ingredient- Frito!

Here you go! Get the Scoops and dive in! I'm going to tell you something. Don't count on any being left over! I have never made this recipe and had any leftover.

Say, "Ah"

So what are doing for the Super Bowl? Hanging with friends? Going to a bar? Making a Super Snack? And most importantly who are you cheering for?

I'll go ahead and tell you have to cheer for the Saints or the two monkey's I'm raising will tie me up and lock me in the closet! Go Saints!!

Signing off until tomorrow...

FFAF: Inspire Your Heart...

Happy Friday, Highlowaha fans! Cheryl here.

Sunday, January 31st is National Inspire Your Heart with Art Day. Quite fitting for a girl who will be driving down to next to nowhere Cypress Mill, Texas that very day to embark on a week long painting workshop with a fabulous artist named Bob Burridge. I've been planning it for over a year now. I hear his classes are fabulously inspiring and they fill up quickly so you can imagine how excited I am. I will be eating, sleeping and making art for 5 days straight.

I have no doubt that I will be well on my way to completing my 2010 resolution next week and inspiring the rest of the year to follow suit. (Jessie- your piece WILL be finished next week!!) I can't wait for this new experience.

But, what does that have to do with you. Nothing. Nada. Zilch.

I could, of course, go on and on about all the wonderful art out there. Old and new. The Internet provides us with such great resources to discover and purchase art. Just scan Etsy or PapernStitch for lots of great artists.

And art covers a broad spectrum. Photography, watercolor, ceramics, jewelry making, weaving, knitting, cooking, sculpture. Music is a form of art and one of my very favorites. Dance is a form of art. Shoot, kamasutra is the Art of Making Love! Whatever form of art you love I hope you will celebrate it on Sunday.

I was chatting with a friend that said in that sad voice, "I'm not artistic." That's all well and good but it doesn't stop you from appreciating it. On Sunday, just take 20 minutes out of your day and embrace your favorite form of art. (Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned kamasutra.) In the comment section, tell us what form of art you appreciate most? What inspires you? But before we run into the comment section, I have a little project for you.

It's another little Valentine gift for your loved one. Many years ago I attended a wedding shower where the hostess made a sign for the bride and groom. On one side of the sign it said Yes. On the other side it said No. It's a gift for the bedroom when you need to communicate with your honey. My version is a small pillow you can leave on your bed.

Do I need to spell it out for you? We're still PG-13, right? It's for the bedroom, wink, wink. It's an easy way to communicate your mood, wink, wink. Oh hell, let's get on with it.

I chose to work with felt because 1) I had a lot of laying around my house and 2) it holds its shape and is super easy to work with. Especially if you're not a seamstress. If you are a natural with needle and thread or a sewing machine, please feel free to adapt this to your skill level because it could be really cute. But, I'm telling you- this simple one is CUTE if you'll excuse me for bragging on my own work.

1. Cut out two squares of fabric the same size.

2. I drew the words yes and no on paper. You can use the computer if you think you're not artistic enough. I wanted my letters to touch so the stitching would flow from one to the other.

3. Cut out the words on paper. This is your pattern. Your template.

4. Turn the words backward on another contrasting color of felt and trace with a Sharpie and cut this out.

5. Using embroidery floss, stitch one word on each of the felt squares.

6. And embellishments like this cute little heart. Hi cute little heart. You inspire me.

7. Once both sides have their words stitched to them place them back to back and start stitching around the edge. I used double width of floss for the edges. Just tie a knot at the end and stitching the thread up through the middle of the two fabrics so the knot is hidden. Go to town around the edges.

(Note: I did not stitch the edges with the stuffing in the middle. Why make things more complicated trying to hold it in there?)

8. When you get nearly all three sides done, throw some kind of stuffing in the middle. I had Polyester batting laying around (did I do that right Claudia? Laying?) so that's what I stuffed in the middle. (And honestly, I could have used more.)

9. Finish sewing the edges, put it on your bed, sit back and wait for your honey to come in and see what you're mood is. Is cute, yes?

Glad you agree. But maybe your sweety deserves more than just a simple yes and no.

Maybe YOU want to add some spice to your life and in your bedroom. Go ahead. I dare you. Instead of just yes and no... why don't you put Yes on one side and OH YEAH on the other.

Your sweety will thank you for it. I promise.

Don't forget to tell us in the comment section what form of art inspires you most.

My job as cupid is done here. Signing off until tomorrow...