I {heart} Salsa: Healthy Confetti Salsa

Today, I am sharing one of my favorite salsas - it is a little different than the traditional chips and salsa (I like those with margaritas!) most of us have come to expect,

but a nice surprise nonetheless.

This salsa is healthy and versatile recipe!

I serve it on everything from baked potatoes to tortilla strips.

It is crisp, light and refreshing...a wonderful change of pace!

Confetti Salsa!

 This salsa can be served with:

chunks of French bread,

a sliced baguette,

Pita Chips,

Corn Chips {store bought or homemade},

Carrot or celery sticks

{it doesn't stick to the carrot but gives a nice flavor}.

Confetti Salsa

Ingredients

1/2 red pepper

1/2 yellow pepper

1/2 orange pepper

1 medium cucumber or half of a large cucumber

3 large tomatoes 

2 cloves garlic, minced -Of course you can add more garlic!

Handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

"Dressing"

Option 1: Use Italian Dressing (Fat Free or regular) to dress the salsa. It takes about 1/4 to 1/2 cup...Start with less and add to your liking.

OR

Option 2: Juice of one lemon, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, splash (or 2 T rice vinegar). Toss, pour, squeeze directly into the bowl of veggies and toss.
Any combo of your favorite vinegars can be used.

Optional

Red or yellow onion, finely chopped

Directions

I use the food processor - and chop each type of ingredient separately - for this recipe because I like everything chopped real small, and my knife skills are not winning me any competitions on Top Chef. Bigger chunkier salsa is also great.

-Seed peppers and cut into medium size pieces. 

-Place in Food processor and chop...place peppers in bowl.

-Slice cucumber in thick slices and chop in food processor, place in bowl with peppers.

-Chop tomatoes - your choice to do it by hand or in the food processor. Place in bowl with cucumbers and peppers. {or drain one can of diced tomatoes and add tomatoes to bowl}.

-Chop Basil into small pieces and add to bowl.

-Peel and mince garlic, add to bowl.

Add desired salt, pepper, and dressing to bowl and toss.

This is best if prepared in advance and the flavors are allowed come together.

NOTES:

-You can add or delete peppers depending on taste and what is available. For example, use 1 red pepper and 1/2 yellow pepper. You can also use the whole pepper to make more salsa.

-I have also used canned diced tomatoes (drained)

-I have used zucchini in place of the cucumber

Makes 2-3 cups depending on the amount and size of veggies used. 

Happy and Healthy Eating! 

What do you like to put salsa on??? 
Need more salsa in your life...salsa on over to check out this super EASY salsa recipe

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

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Summer Means Grilling!

The Summer weather is pretty miserable here...
lots of fog, about 60 degrees (if we are lucky)
but it is summer, so I try to make it as Summery as possible
for the kids! We all have to eat and to me
summer means grilling so, grilling it is!

I grew up grilling hamburgers, steaks, and chicken,
but it is my turn to share these memories with my own family.
Of course that means a great grill is in order.
I have a "thing" for all things shiny,
and a grill is definitely one of those shiny things!

This is a beautiful Weber natural gas grill that I kind of go ga-ga over.
It has a burner, smoker, and rotisserie burner - what more could I ask for!

If I had the space to create an outdoor kitchen,
I would definitely be in the market for a built-in grill
to be a part of it (a girl can dream, right?).
Isn't this set up gorgeous! One day...one day.

Or then I again, I keep hearing for "reliable sources"
that you need to have a real, old-fashioned charcoal grill
(maybe with a few modern touches) to enjoy a true BBQ!
I do love the idea of some authentic BBQ!
(some yummy grilled veggies sound great right now!)

So now I ask you, how do you grill?

What is your favorite thing to grill?

Personally we love to grill pizzas!

 

To read my FULL disclosure statement, click HERE

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Tickled Pink No. 52

Happy Almost-Weekend!

Time for Tickled Pink!
Time for deadlines!
That's all folks!

I know I am not the only busy lady or man out there..
so THANK YOU all for coming by!

I LOVE the ease of sharing links on Facebook and for now, while I am working toward my deadline this is how I will make my way through Tickled Pink links.
So, go on over and LIKE 504 Main on Facebook!
Don't miss a thing. If you have a Blog Page, just let me know
by leaving a comment on the 504 Main Wall!

I am also inviting you to share your

link on my FaceBook wall this week.

Please no giveaways or etsy shops,
but whatever you link up here, feel free to share the link on my Facebook Wall.
Hope I have not made a mess with that invitation!
(be sensible peeps...I reserve the right to DELETE!)

If I feature you on Facebook or twitter, be sure to grab a button HERE!

NOW FOR TICKLED PINK!

A craft...a recipe...a tip...a party...a short story...a  poem...
a  fashion find...a  favorite product...your favorite  post...
whatever makes  your blog  fabulous!
That is what Tickled Pink is all about!
{and it does NOT have to be PINK}
Click right HERE to Grab a button!

What are you doing this weekend?

PRACTICE PINK KINDNESS
1. Link  up...whatever makes  your blog  fabulous. Family Friendly please. Guess what? Your post does not have to be PINK!! 
2. PLEASE LINK TO A POST URL, ****NOT YOUR MAIN URL****
3. Pretty please...add the Tickled Pink button to the post* {people need  to know what the heck they are doing!}. 
4.  I reserve the right to remove posts that are offensive or do not  adhere  to the rules, without any discussion, at my discretion.
5. Please visit at least the 3 links in front of you!

TICKLED PINK Now Has Categories
I won't banish you if you mess up, but try to link appropriately, pretty please!

Craft, DIY, Decorate
crafting, diy, decor type links

Cook, Bake, Eat
stuff to eat, cook, drink, and bake

Read, Write, Share
posts you love, stories, favorite things, ideas to share

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Guest Post! Artfully Caroline Fab Tucked Pillows!

Working...Working...Working

so today Artfully Caroline is here!

I have to tell you I LOVE this pillow.

When I was in fashion this was one of my favorite techniques!

So, here's Caroline to show you what I am talking about! 
(she does lots of other fab projects too!)

Good morning,

My name is Caroline. I'm a wife, working mom, compulsive crafter and for the past few months , a blogger. My little blog is called:

 

I fell into the blogging world a bit by accident almost a year ago and found a great community and wonderful friends already so I'm "tickled pink" to be visiting Holly's lovely blog and readers today. I love her designs and creative ideas and she inspires me to update my home to a more stylish decor :)

I love to cook, sew and craft for my home, family and friends. Creating keeps me sane and happy in an otherwise crazy stressful busy life.  Here are a few of my latest creations:

    

    

  

I'm especially thrilled to share with you one of my favorite projects today:

Herringbone tucks throw pillows

For a pair of 18x18 pillows you will need:

• 2 pillow forms 18x18 - I make mine from scratch but you can buy them at any craft store
• 2 yards of fabric in 44" wide - I used moleskin because it has a bit of stretch it is very soft and doesn't wrinkle which is a bonus for throw pillows.
• Coordinating thread or invisible thread
• Ruler and fabric marking device - chalk, pencil or marker
• Sewing machine (best with fence attachment)
• Scissors, pins and other basic sewing supplies

Remove the selvage then cut your fabric in half lengthwise this will yield 2 long rectangles about 21 inches wide

Tape it to your cutting table with painter's tape, especially if you use stretchy fabric

Mark a grid 2x2 leaving 6 inches unmarked on one end and 18 on the other end. This is the part where you need to be fussy and precise.

 

Iron each short line to mark the pleats

Set your sewing machine fence to 1/2 inch

Fold and sew along each pleat

Iron as flat as possible

Sew along the line lengthwise every other line

Iron the pleats in the reverse directions

Sew along the skipped lines

Hem each end

Pin the fabric right side in with the short flap on top of the long flap

Sew the sides leaving 1/2 in sewing allowance

Wash to remove the marks

Put your pillows forms inside the pillowcases

All done. Time to put your feet up !

Thanks so much for being here!

Everyone go tell Caroline hi!

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Guest Post! The Answer is Chocolate's Hardware Bracelet

Hi all! Happy Monday!
It is deadline week for me,
so who knows what is in store for me for the rest of the week...
so instead you get some FAB guest bloggers!

You know how much I LOVE the hardware store,

well The Answer is Chocolate has a project right up that alley!
Thanks for being here Carol!

Hi there all of Holly's fabulous followers! I'm Carol from The Answer Is Chocolate where I blog about all kinds of creative things and as the name implies, chocolate!  I'm so excited to be visiting again here at 504 Main. Glad Holly's getting some well deserved R and R, gearing up to finish up her book.  How exciting!!

Like so many of us creative bloggers, I’d be lost without The Dollar Tree! I go there at least once a week just to walk the aisles and see what I might find. Last time I was there I found this pack of washers.

I had some chain on hand in my jewelry making stash:

I got mine at JoAnn’s but you can get this or similar many places. I measured off two lengths bracelet size. I attached the two chains to either side of a toggle clasp using jump rings.

Then I went to work on my  washer charms.

I made sets of small, medium, and large based on the size of the washers, putting a jump ring on each:

On the small ones, I put one of the smallest washers on either side. Then I just started adding these to the chain, eyeballing the spacing but not being overly precise.

It doesn’t matter which of the chains you attach your washer charms to. It all kinda blends.

If you haven’t ever made jewelry, don’t be intimidated. Working with chain is very forgiving and there are tons of  instructions out there. Here’s a video on how to open / close a jump ring and once you do that, you can open / close the links of chain…same principle.

It's a fun project and has turned out to be a great conversation piece. I hope you've enjoyed this and if you have any questions, please pop over to my place and leave a comment ( make sure I can email you!) . Thanks again Holly for your as always, wonderful hospitality! Remember, doesn't matter what the question is:

Carol,

Head Chocolatier,
The Answer is Chocolate

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Getting Serious About the Sofa

When hubby and I got married,

he had a brown sectional from his college days (ewww!)

and I had a floral slip-covered hand-me-down number.

We each despised the others sofa.

Bye-Bye they both went.

That was the easy part.

Finding a new sofa set was the hard part.
I was looking for slip-covered Shabby Chic easy elegance...
he was looking for slick "Moda Italia" bachelor black leather.
Neither of us got what we wanted...
first we purchased an inexpensive set and lived with that for awhile,
then another set...a compromise that led to an "OK" set,
with the ugliest fabric that was reminiscent of the 80's (it was 2002).

I eventually has this set cut up, transformed and reupholstered...I loved it...but they did an awful job and 2 years into the new look, it began to fall apart (we moved they went out of business...no recourse). It still lives with us - holes, tears and all -
and I am ready to be DONE with it.
Oh no, not sofa shopping with hubby again!

I think we could both skip the leather now...it is too cold here for leather. We need something comfy, easy to clean, and aesthetically pleasing - I am not as willing to "give in" this time. I have a much more defined plan (plans) than in the past. I am also steering away from a set (way back when I thought you had to buy sets...not anymore!)

I found this upholstered sofa. I like it very much...not fussy, simple lines, and it looks comfy...oh and the light color would brighten up my room!

I will have to say, I do love the idea of a sleeper sofa...just in case.
The darker color could hide a lot of little fingerprints!

Or then I get a little crazy and I think no sofa at all, just 3 of these chair and 1/2's placed in a circle around the fire place with a great coffee table in the center.

(This is my personal favorite idea and hubby thinks I am looney!)

Opinions? New ideas?
What do you love about your sofa?

To see my full disclosure policy, visit this link

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