Thimbleanna

Month: January 2013

Christmas Knitting

Well, how is the weekend going? I’m trying to enjoy my last few hours of the Christmas break — sadly, work will resume tomorrow. I’ve been trying to clean up some computer files and just clean up stuff in general. I’d rather be sitting in front of the fire knitting!

I’ve been on a knitting streak lately — I think because it’s portable and I needed a lot of portable during the fall months. I managed to get a little Christmas knitting in too.

Niece Knitting

I made some headbands and wrist warmers for my cute nieces. CuteNiece1 got the gray set and CuteNiece2 got the tan set.

Niece Knitting

The patterns were freebies when I purchased my yarn. The headband is available HERE on ravelry, and the mitts are available HERE.

Niece Knitting

CuteNiece2 posted this fun picture of a snow heart on her instagram.

Niece Knitting

She’s wearing my mitts. I think that means she likes them!

XOXO,
Anna


Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

New Year Kitties

And thus endeth the Holiday Triad (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years) that keeps us busy morning, noon and night. Are you all recovering from all of your wild partying??? We’ve had a fun and busy week. Capped off by our annual New Year’s Day family dinner. It’s the kids’ favorite meal of the year. Our menu is always the same:

Awesome Standing Rib Roast
(really, I see all kinds of standing rib roast recipes that look so fussy involving meat thermometers, etc. — you should try this recipe — it’s SO easy and always turns out perfectly!)
Twice Baked Potatoes
Carrot Puff
Green Beans Almondine
Overnight Seven-Layer Salad
Perfect Dinner Rolls (Thanks JuniePeep for telling me about this fantastic recipe)
Creme Brulee (MyDadLovesMeBestSister’s Specialty!)

Yum Yum! It was fabulous and today we’re all stuffed.

I was looking through my recipes and realized that I haven’t ever posted the Seven-Layer Salad in my archives.  The boys’ LOVE this salad and I love it too ’cause you make it the day before, so the day-of meal preparation is just that much easier.

SevenLayerSalad

Overnight Seven-Layer Salad

1 medium head iceberg lettuce, washed and chilled
1 bunch green onions
1 8-oz. can water chestnuts
1/2 red or green bell pepper, seeded
2 stalks celery
1 10-oz. package frozen peas
2 cups mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 lb. bacon, crisp fried and drained
3 hard-cooked eggs
2 tomatoes

Core and chop lettuce into thin slivers. Spread lettuce over bottom of a wide 4-qt. serving dish. With a knife, thinly slice green onions and part of the tops. Scatter slices over the lettuce.

Drain water chestnuts and slice. Sprinkle over onions. Chop bell pepper and sprinkle over water chestnuts. Chop celery and sprinkle over bell pepper. Break apart frozen peas and spread over celery. Spread mayonnaise evenly over peas. Sprinkle with sugar, Parmesan cheese, salt and garlic powder.

Finely chop bacon and sprinkle over salad. Coarsely chop eggs and sprinkle over the bacon. Cover and chill for 4 hours or as long as 24 hours. Just before serving, cut tomatoes in wedges and arrange around top of salad. To serve, use a spoon and fork to lift out each serving, which should include some of each layer.

SevenLayerSalad

And, now we’re off and running! A New Year. A Clean Slate. Happy, Healthy New Year Wishes to all of you — I hope your year will be full of joy and fun! (That means lots of sewing and knitting and making LOL!)
XOXO,
Anna