I wanted to make a Twister quilt - well, more specifically twister runners for the dressers in my bedroom.  The 3.5" twister block costs $10... I did purchase a 3.5" square ruler from Hancock's however that was $7 - okay, it was on sale 30% off but still over priced for a piece of plastic.  The 4.5" one was $2 less!  But I had to have that 3.5" one...

I was thinking hmmm... I'm pretty sure that Home Depot or Lowes sells plexiglass.. and they did.  Lowes will actually cut it for you however the man that normally uses that machine says that it doesn't cut EXACTLY perfect so I figured I would give it a go on my own.  I did pretty good.  I figured I would only be out $2 if I messed it up, so why not give it a go.....  I'm happy with it - and I got a few of them out of my 8x10 piece of acrylic... including a 6.5" one - okay, it is a hair under 6.5 but I will not tell the quilt police if you don't....

Here is the tutorial on how I made it.. and here's a picture of my first table runner made with it.  It is a bit of an oops... but it will do... but not for my bedroom.  I've begun piecing for the bedroom ones.  I'll post pictures after they are a bit more under way  :)

I'm still plugging away at my 50 new recipes in 2011.  This past week I tried a few new recipes...

Yesterday for lunch I made a recipe that was in a calendar that  Betty Crocker so nicely sent me this year.  Wild West Sizzlin' Chicken Tacos
I will say that they were tasty.  I did change a bit though - I didn't have the kind of beans it called for so I used black beans. We always have a few cans of those on the shelves.  I'm not sure if it made THAT big of a difference.  I don't normally make bacon so of course that morning we had bacon and eggs for breakfast...
I will make these again but will need to add A LOT more spices to them.  They were not nearly flavorful enough if you ask me.

This morning I made Blueberry Banana Mini Breads... and a boring banana bread with pecans for hubby.  He didn't like the idea of anything but pecans in his beloved banana bread.
Both of my boys opted for blueberries.  This was a first for me.  I'm not sure if it technically counts as a new recipe since I only added a new ingredient to a recipe I use a lot - but man it tasted like a brand new thing!

To make these mini loaves...
I used the Better Homes and Gardens banana bread recipe.. of course I'm not finding the exact recipe I used online right this moment and I don't think it is proper for me to post it since it is out of a book... but let's just say, make your favorite banana bread recipe and toss in about 3/4  1 cup of blueberries.  I used frozen ones... If you use frozen ones, run them under some warm water if there is any ice formed on them just long enough for the ice to melt away then shake them up a bit to get rid of any extra water... then fold them in to the batter.  You will probably have to cook them a little bit longer because of the added moisture but man, those were some seriously yummy mini loaves!

I usually bake my mini loaves for 25 minutes - the blueberry ones took about 5 minutes longer.   I can get 4 mini loaves from one loaf pan recipe  :) 

I don't make big loaf breads anymore.  The kids and husband all like being able to pick if they want raisins or pecans in them - and now I suspect they will ask for blueberries in them quite often now!

I know there was something else that I tried that was new this past week but for the life of me I can't remember what it was!


Future planned recipes to try......
This coming week I am planning on making fresh tortillas!  I have never made them before but I want to.  I sure do wish I still had that tortilla press I used to have hanging in my old house, before I got married.  It didn't make it this past move.  Who knew that I'd want to finally make tortillas - 20 years after having it enter my life.  I never used it so it was left behind.

I'm also planning on making a new dessert of some sort.  I don't know what yet.  I'll figure that one out tomorrow though!

Some of you might know that I have begun to try a new recipe a week or 50 new recipes for the year.  I'm leaving a few weeks off there for vacation time ;)

The first recipe of the new year is out of the Cake Mix Doctor's first book. 
I have to say that I was skeptical.  I think that pretty much all cakes with a few exceptions - my  mother in law's pound cake for one - really  need some sort of icing even if it is just a drizzle of some delicious sugary goo or a sifting of powdered sugar - but this one doesn't need anything at all.  I put a dollop of lite non dairy topping (aka store brand Cool Whip) on top and it probably didn't even need that but it certainly didn't hurt!

This is officially my favorite chocolate cake recipe - ever.


On a side note... I also added a recipe to the favorite recipes section - Dreamy Coconut Cake
It is the best coconut cake recipe I have ever tried.  One of the women at the school made this, scribbled down the recipe and we have loved it ever since. 

I'm also working on a chili recipe. Once I have it perfected, I'll share that.  I am trying to make the perfect for my family chili.  I know there are tons and tons of recipes out there.  I was close yesterday.  I forgot to add the cocoa and I had one too many dried New Mexico peppers in it.  I'm hoping for perfection with the next batch  :)

Start the new year off with a new wall calendar.  Pick one up from the local insurance company, bank, hardware store - wherever you can get one for free - then make a cover for it!  I found two great tutorials online for making them - Go creative and jazz it up!

Might as well also start the new year off financially pretty - with a checkbook cover!  These can also be used for those nifty pocket calendars too!

Check them out!