Happy New Year!

We rang in 2012 with a dinner party with some sweet friends {and all of our munchkins}.



I got to try out several new recipes...

Spinach-Apple Salad, Southern Living

Creamy Rosemary Potatoes, Pioneer Woman Cooks

Cream Cheese and Chive Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto {not a new one, but a good one} :)

Chris grilled some excellent Pork Tenderloin, using a Barefoot Contessa marinade - YUM!

And, I poached some pears.

I've always wanted to poach some pears...well, since I've started cooking real food I've wanted to poach some pears. :)

During prep, my resident onion chopper tried the matchstick trick from The Help. {It really works, btw!}

And I finally got to use my Precious! {Got her for Christmas! Yay!}

I used her to make Chocolate Mint Brownies! And, she ran like a dream. :)

We moved our kitchen table into the living room so that everyone could sit relatively close together.

Since we had two tables, I had the women put a piece of jewelry on a plate and then I placed it at every-other seat. When the women found her jewelry, each couple knew where they were sitting for dinner. {A fun idea from my Granny.}

After our meal, we watched football, played games and watched the guitar drop.

{so sleepy...}

So thankful for the blessings of the past year. And, thankful for the fresh start of 2012.

{I'm cleaning out my closet while I type this post...see...beginning of 2012 and already super productive. Ha!}.