Do Ewe Knit?

Reprinted with permission from Hoffman Media and Celebrate magazine.
www.hoffmanmedia.com/celebrate

Invite your knit-wit friends in from the cold for an afternoon or evening of knitty-gritty fun. Plan to meet at your local knitting shop or someone's home. Wrap small balls of yarn in a cellophane bag, and attach your invitation. Then use some fo the following ideas below for tempting finger foods to nibble while you knit. You may find that time spent sharing old yarns and making new friends becomes a new year's habit.

Knitting Needle Kabobs
Makes 10 servings

Ingredients

6 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
20 (1-inch) pieces peeled carrot
20 broccoli florets
20 whole button mushrooms
20 (1-inch) pieces red bell pepper
20 (1-inch_ pieces yellow squash
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup olive oil

How to make:

In a medium saucepan, bring water to boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Stir in carrot pieces and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove from water, and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain; set aside. Repeat procedure with broccoli, and cook for about 4 minutes, or until tender.

In a large bowl, combine carrot, broccoli, mushrooms, bell pepper, and squash.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly. Pour vinaigrette over vegetables. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Thread vegetables onto wooden knitting needles to serve.

Marinated Mittens
Makes 10 servings

10 (1/2-inch-thick) Cheddar cheese slices
10 (1/2-inch-thick) mozzarella cheese slices
10 (1/2-inch-thick) pepper Jack cheese slices
1 tablespoon peppercorn and garlic marinade, McCormick
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced green onion

Using a 1 1/2-inch mitten cutter, cut out two shapes from each cheese slice. Reserve scraps for another use. In a medium bowl, combine marinade, water, oil, vinegar, and green onion. Pour over cutouts. Marinate in refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Serve with wooden picks or on crackers.

Yarn Cupcakes
Makes about 20 mini-cupcakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking power
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
Chocolate Frosting (recipe follows)
Fondant Yarn Balls (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 mini muffin tins with cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. In another large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, and sour cream. Beat at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until combined. Gradually add dry ingredients to egg mixture, beating until smooth.

Pour into prepared muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake for 12 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cupcake comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pans. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Spread frosting over cupcakes; top each with a fondant ball.

Chocolate Frosting
Makes 2 cups

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter, softened
6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

In a large bowl, combine sugar, cocoa, and butter. Beat at medium-high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add cream, beating until smooth.

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