Another evening with the ladies

Tonight was another of our potluck get-togethers. Maybe everybody's bringing better food because they know a picture will get posted. I'm not sure if that's the reason, but the meal sure was a delicious and interesting assortment.

A salmon lasagna, an assortment of dim sum treats, chicken drumettes, a vegie-filled quiche, a green salad with hunks of chicken in it (mine) and a very satisfying salad made from frozen peas. The recipe sounded simple enough: frozen peas, chopped celery, chopped red onion, chopped peanuts and coleslaw dressing. Colourful enough to seem festive, it would be a good addition to any potluck or holiday table.

And then, after all of that (as if we needed anything more), came the dessert courses. An ambosia kind of mixture, two kinds of cookies and assorted fruit with chocolate fondue. No eating necessary tomorrow!

Grey Cup Par-tay!

It was one of those get-the-gang-together times, celebrating the annual Grey Cup festivities.

Aside from the bizarre twist of events in the last few seconds of the game, it was great, though I suppose folks back east might view things differently.

After every kind of appie imaginable, about all I could manage for supper was a dog and some Caesar salad (with a bit of artichoke heart balanced on top).

Though I'm not much of a football fan, it's a tradition to get together with friends for Grey Cup Sunday. Besides, this year's halftime show was Blue Rodeo. Reason enough and then some for me!

Yet another observance

Tonight was another of those Ladies' Nights I often go to -- one of those meals where the potluck is exactly that. Nobody gets together to plan any menu. Each of us just brings what we feel like bringing.

Oddly enough, just as last night saw us commemorating the passing of one grandmother, tonight is the anniversary of the death of my grandma (or as we always called her, Mayme).

To honour her, I made a dish she was famous for -- sauerkraut with country-style ribs (the brownish food in the little grey-and-blue casserole dish).

Pat had set the most beautiful table, complete with fallen autumn leaves and candles. And then, look how perfectly the colours of the dishes coordinated with each other -- the orange of sweet potatoes (topping a delicious chicken/mushroom combo) and the bright red on another chicken dish. Apparently, that recipe called for crushed potato chips over top, but since she didn't have any of those, our resourceful 'lady' used red taco chips. What a nice touch!

As always, at these suppers together, we talked of many things, enjoying each other's company. I know that Mayme would have loved being there. The only thing that might have disappointed her? That we never got out the playing cards.

Girls' Night In

Actually, it's a girls' weekend. We're starting out tonight with one of those food groups women seem to love, pasta. In our case, that translates as lasagna for the main course. It's a potluck kind of supper, with everyone bringing something towards the meal.

No photo possible, as I'm using someone else's computer, and am on dial-up, rural style.

More notes and a pic when I'm home again.

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Home again, so the photo is there, though really the meal was so much more than what shows. We had so many appies we could hardly take a bite of the wonderful lasagnas (one meat, one veg). And then, there was an apple-and-blueberry pie. Oh my!

As one of our group put it, "I feel like a snake that's eaten a chicken!"

The joy of friends

One of my favourite things is sharing a meal with friends.

Tonight, we're enjoying the company of a couple of our favourite Albertans and celebrating with an 'orchestrated potluck'. Mary brought extravagant bread products, while Pam brought a wonderful salad with a 'miracle' dressing (mainly lemon juice and maple syrup). We cooked up a salmon and some pot stickers.

Lots of great conversation, and all the while, two dogs curled up on the floor, apparently appreciating the sounds and smells of such a fine evening.

The joy of another ladies' night

Ah yes, the ladies who aren't really ladies.

We had another of our famously unrehearsed potluck suppers. The meal ranged from assorted sushi to a yummily thick chicken soup. There was also a pesto tortellini, crusty buns and cabbage rolls.

But most of all, lots of great girl talk among friends.

Another ladies' night

As I know I've said before, we're probably not your traditional 'ladies' -- although really, who knows what that term might mean.

As always, there was a great assortment of yummy treats: two kinds of chicken (one baked in salsa and cheese), a couple of salads, some swirly rolled-up tortilla nibblies and an amazing pear with carmelized onion concoction topped off with brie. Wow!

And this was just the first go-round. Later there was a sushi assortment, followed by Jane's divine strawberries dipped in chocolate. And to think I'll be away for the next gathering!