M is for the Mennonite Girls Can Cook! I am one of the ten girls who have a blog we collaborate on to post a recipe a day and a devotional on Sundays. That blog is called Mennonite Girls Can Cook. We also have two published cook books, Mennonite Girls Can Cook and Mennonite Girls Can Cook Celebrations. Both of these books are available on Amazon.
Anneliese, Judy, Lovella, Kathy, Bev, Betty, Ellen, Julie, Charlotte, and Marg.
Sometimes my meme buddies think that MGCC is my blog and all the recipes are mine because of my blogger comment link that will take you straight to MGCC. If your blog has the (name/url) option to click on when I comment everything works great for memes because I can put in the url that will take you straight to my ABC Wednesday post, etc. My personal blog is The Happy Wonderer, ellen b. but blogger/google has hijacked me and will send you straight to the MGCC blog if you click on my comment name when I don’t have another option in commenting. Does that make sense? Enough of that…back to the Mennonite Girls.
In 2010 all ten of us got together for the very first time to sign the contract for our first cookbook. Nine Canadians and one American, me. The nine Canadians hail from Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Winnipeg and Steinbach.
Here we are with our first cookbook in hand. It’s easy for me to get together with the girls from British Columbia and we cherish the few times all 10 of us can be together since Betty and Charlotte are over 2200 miles away from us. Along our cookbook journey we’ve had some fun book signings at farm markets, 10,000 Villages, bookstores and more…
Barnes and Noble in Bellingham and Ten Thousand Villages in Vancouver.
We’ve also done cooking demonstrations at the West Coast Women’s Show, Lepp Farm Market, Mennonite Relief Sales and on Global T.V.
In July of 2012 we signed a contract for our second book “Celebrations” which would be released in Spring of 2013.
Since this book was first published the cover has changed.
The West Coast girls traveled to Manitoba for book signings at several locations around Winnipeg and Steinbach so Charlotte and Betty were our hostesses for this great trip. I drove up to Abbotsford, B.C. to hop on a plane with the west coast girls for this trip to Winnipeg.
I never dreamed blogging would bring this whole new world of Mennonites and Cookbooks into my life. This journey started with me contributing some recipes to the newly formed Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog that was inspired by a Paska Post on Lovella’s blog. Because the girls and I have family recipes that are very similar I was invited to be one of the contributors on the newly formed Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog even though I am not Mennonite. The ten of us remained faithful to the blog and soon a publisher came knocking at our door. Beyond publishing and blogging we have formed lifetime friendships with each other. The girls call me their adopted American cousin.
It’s not just the girls who enjoy our times together. Our husbands get to come along for the ride, too. We get together for events that have nothing to do with our cooking blog, too, but there is always good food to be eaten whenever we gather together!!
All this fun has not stopped yet because in August we will be published again with a smaller Devotional book with some recipes included.
I’m linking up to ABC Wednesday started by Mrs. Nesbitt and carried on by the masterful Roger and the ABC team. Thank you!
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
I remember when all that happened! You were still (mostly a SoCal girl then). I’ve enjoyed watching the friendships grow.
Ellen, you’ve summarized our journey together so well. What a blessing this group has been to each of us. We’re like sisters now and not a day goes by without some chat among us – sharing our lives, our joys, our concerns; the big things and little everyday things. It’s truly a friendship we all cherish.
Oh, you are part of them! I have several recipes from the Mennonite Girls. Thanks for giving a face to them!
I have the MGCC book and use the recipes a lot. I love the way it is laid out, with so much more than recipes.
i can not imagine how wonderful that must feel to have a group in which one can share something but i see the joy in all of the faces, wishing you lots more of that ofcourse
Have a nice abc-wednesday-day / – week
♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (abc-w-team)
What a delightful post with lovely ladies in your group ~ Great choice for M and I have read some delightful recipes on your blog ~
Wishing you peace in your day ~ ^_^
So nice to have so many girlfriends who love have the same passion.
My ABC WEDNESDAY
I’m so thankful you joined us Mennonites! I can’t even imagine it without you! Thank you for the walk down memory lane Ellen!
a fellowship of food!
ROG, ABCW
That’s wonderful news about the devotional! Congrats. I just sit and grin over all that The Lord has done through you gals and your husbands. It is a wonderful story.
Loved reading this and looking at the pictures from over the years. So glad we could meet through this amazing God adventure.
What fun! There’s a Mennonite church a few blocks from where I live and a few ladies from there taught with me at Delta Christian School. And YES there are LOTS of Mennonites in this area of BC…wish I could sample some of their food. I must look for that cookbook!
Leslie
abcw team
I love both cookbooks, Ellen. Congratulations to you all on another book on the way! All of the photos in your post are wonderful–I especially enjoyed seeing the “behind the scenes” husband photo.
That was a lovely retrospective, Ellen. I will look forward to the new book!
What a lovely post Ellen, beautifully compiled
and illustrated, I’m going over to Amazon Books to see
if I can source a copy.
I have so many cookery books now I have hide the new ones,
for fear of remonstration from my dear heart (hubby)!
I don’t know why he grumbles as he does benefit from
all the delicious meals that I have cooked for him.
He does most of the cooking now, very good he is too.
I regard myself as the executive chef!
Again, Ellen, a lovely story.
Best Wishes,
Di.
ABCW team.
Wonderful funfilled group event.
Happy ABCW!
You must feel very happy entertaining so many members of this wonderful family! God bless.
I love hearing how blogging connected you with the Canadian Mennonite girls. It’s amazing what happens when one steps into cyberspace!
So fun that you made 9 new friends for both you AND your husband.
I never tire of this fun unexpected story that ten of us share!
I love this story…and am so glad to be a part of this ‘fellowship of food’!
What a wonderful thing you have been part of and continue to enjoy!! Congratulations on the new book to come, I will look forward to hearing more about it! xx
I have loved my 2 cookbooks. I’m glad you explained about the cover change on the 2nd one because I thought I had missed the latest cookbook! I am happy to hear about the new publication in August. I enjoy reading your cookbooks because of the way you all have shared your lives as well as your recipes.
Truly my favourite group of women! I can’t wait to see the new book. This is wonderful news!!!!