Let your guests get creative with their plates when you give them a make-your-own meal. Check out our great ideas for a hands-on buffet for all your guests!

Make Your Own Tacos

Get creative with this make-your-own Mexican meal. You may want to include just the basic taco ingredients - beef, refried beans, tomatoes, lettuce, and cheese - or you can get as elaborate as you want, with soft and hard shell tortillas, roasted vegetables for toppings, and pico de gallo or homemade salsa as well. For a special touch, try these recipes straight from the Valley in Southern Texas for a delicious salsa, and guacamole to die for.

Borderline Salsa

Serves 8

Ingredients
6 large ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of one lime
Cilantro

Directions

Dice tomatoes into small pieces. Using the back of a wooden spoon or a mortar and pistle, smash tomatoes until they become saucy. Mince the garlic; add to tomatoes along with salt, pepper, lime juice and cilantro to taste.

Simple Guacamole

Serves 8

Ingredients
4 avocados
2 Tbsp. lime juice
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 Tbsp. cilantro, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. hot sauce or pepper flakes

Directions

Mash avocados either with a fork, or a mortar and pistle. Add garlic and lime juice and blend. Add spices to taste. Cover (to keep from turning brown) and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Make Your Own Sundaes

Having everyone make their own desert is a great way to get guests mingling. And who doesn't love ice cream? Indulge in some old-fashioned glass sundae dishes, or substitute the plastic ones from a party store. Here's some great recipes for homemade sundae sauces at your Craft Nite Bridal Shower.

Chocolate Fudge Ice Cream Sauce

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients
2 14-oz. cans of sweetened condensed milk
24 oz. chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups water
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. vanilla

Directions
In a heavy-bottomed sauce pan, blend the chocolate chips, condensed milk, salt and water over low heat. Stir constantly until chocolate mixture is smooth and of uniform consistency. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and serve hot or cold.

Rich Butterscotch Sauce

Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. vanilla

Directions Put the corn syrup, the dark brown sugar, and the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer over medium flame until it reaches 230 degrees. Remove from heat to add salt and vanilla, blending until smooth and combined.