adding the following to the default admin container fixed my problem.......

#TransparentBox  TD { 
color: #FFFFFF;
}

#TransparentBox  TR {
color: #FFFFFF;
}

TransparentBox is just the class name.  Here's the container and it's css file.  It will probably be more helpful that if I try to explain.  Let me know if you need additional info.

-------------------------------------------------------

My container (TransparentBox.ascx)...........

<%@ Control language="vb" CodeBehind="~/admin/Containers/container.vb" AutoEventWireup="false" Explicit="True" Inherits="DotNetNuke.UI.Containers.Container" %>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="dnn" TagName="SOLPARTACTIONS" Src="~/Admin/Containers/SolPartActions.ascx" %>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="dnn" TagName="TITLE" Src="~/Admin/Containers/Title.ascx" %>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="dnn" TagName="ACTIONBUTTON1" Src="~/Admin/Containers/ActionButton.ascx" %>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="dnn" TagName="ACTIONBUTTON2" Src="~/Admin/Containers/ActionButton.ascx" %>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="dnn" TagName="ACTIONBUTTON3" Src="~/Admin/Containers/ActionButton.ascx" %>
<%@ Register TagPrefix="dnn" TagName="ACTIONBUTTON4" Src="~/Admin/Containers/ActionButton.ascx" %>
<table id="TransparentBox" class="TransparentBox"  align=center width="95%" border="0" cellspacing="4" cellpadding="0">
 <tr>
  <td>
   <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="5">
    <tr>
     <td>
      <table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="0">
       <tr>
        <td valign="middle" nowrap><dnn:SOLPARTACTIONS runat="server" id="dnnSOLPARTACTIONS"/></td>
        <td width="100%" valign="middle" nowrap><dnn:TITLE runat="server" id="dnnTITLE" CssClass="Title"/></td>
       </tr valign="top">
       <tr>
        <hr>
       </tr> 
       <tr valign="top">
        <td id="ContentPane" runat="server" align="left" style="padding: 5px" colspan=2></td>
       </tr>       
      </table>
     </td>
    </tr>    
   </table>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>
<table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
 <tr>
  <td height="0">
  <table width="100%" height="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
   <tr>
    <td valign="middle" style="padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;" nowrap><dnn:ACTIONBUTTON1 runat="server" id="dnnACTIONBUTTON1" CommandName="AddContent.Action" DisplayIcon="True" DisplayLink="True" /></td>
    <td width="100%" valign="middle" style="padding-right: 5px;" nowrap><dnn:ACTIONBUTTON4 runat="server" id="dnnACTIONBUTTON4" CommandName="ModuleSettings.Action" DisplayIcon="True" DisplayLink="False" /></td>
    <td valign="middle" style="padding-right: 5px;" nowrap><dnn:ACTIONBUTTON2 runat="server" id="dnnACTIONBUTTON2" CommandName="SyndicateModule.Action" DisplayIcon="True" DisplayLink="False" /></td>
    <td valign="middle" style="padding-right: 5px;" nowrap><dnn:ACTIONBUTTON3 runat="server" id="dnnACTIONBUTTON3" CommandName="PrintModule.Action" DisplayIcon="True" DisplayLink="False" /></td>
   </tr>
  </table>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

----------------------------------------------

Container.css...........

#TransparentBox .Title
{
 font-weight: normal;
 font-size: 20px;
 color: #FFFFFF;
 font-family: Georgia, Arial;
 font-style: italic;
}

#TransparentBox .Head
{
 color: #FFFFFF;
}

#TransparentBox .SubHead
{
 color: #FFFFFF;
}

#TransparentBox .SubSubHead
{
 color: #FFFFFF;
}

#TransparentBox .Normal
{
 color: #FFFFFF;
}

#TransparentBox .NormalTextBox
{
}

#TransparentBox .NormalRed
{
}

#TransparentBox .NormalBold
{
}

#TransparentBox .CommandButton    
{
}

#TransparentBox A.Normal
{
 font-weight: bold;
 font-size: 11px;
 font-family: tahoma;
}
#TransparentBox A.Normal:link
{
 color: #C40000;
 text-decoration: none;
}
#TransparentBox A.Normal:visited
{
 color: #C40000;
 text-decoration: none;
}
#TransparentBox A.Normal:active
{
 color: #C40000;
 text-decoration: none;
}
#TransparentBox A.Normal:hover
{
 color: #FFCC00;
 text-decoration: underline;
}

#TransparentBox  TD { 
color: #FFFFFF;
}

#TransparentBox  TR {
color: #FFFFFF;
}