Sunday the 4th of December was the day set for our annual Mennonite Girls Can Cook Christmas dinner. This year Kathy and her hubby hosted us in their newly renovated home. The sad thing was that Dear was sicker than a dog so I grabbed my passport and drove myself up to Canada and back. I got to Scot and Kathy’s before the rest of the crew and was able to snap some photos .
As the rest of the girls and their hubbies arrived the platters of appetizers took over Kathy’s beautiful new island.
Not only did appetizers appear as the girls arrived but Lovella’s Showstopper dessert came through the door and all cameras were poised to capture it. Lovella made a single gluten free serving for Julie, too.
We all sat down at the table and started the meal with Bev’s Spinach Salad. Scot cooked an amazing pork tenderloin on his Green Egg, paired with Kathy’s delicious Blackberry Balsamic sauce, mashed potatoes, and green beans. We all enjoyed this delicious meal. The recipe for Kathy’s Pork Tenderloin with Blackberry Balsamic Sauce can be found in our Celebrations Cookbook on page 222.
Judy and me enjoying being color coordinated and collar coordinated! Thanks Marg for sharing your photo.
We took a break from the table to do a gift exchange amongst the girls before we moved on to dessert. We each brought one tea towel wrapped or in a gift bag and then played a guessing game to determine the order of choosing the package to open and see what variety of tea towel we would take home. There were a few towels that changed owners over the course of this game.
We switched places with the guys to enjoy our dessert and some “business” together at the table.
Marg, Judy, Bev, and Kathy.
Lovella, Anneliese and Julie. We were all thrilled that Julie could join us for a few hours. She is spending many hours with her mother who is living her last days in Hospice. Thank you dear Kathy and Scot for your wonderful hospitality!
My drive home from British Columbia was a varied mix of driving conditions and hazards. My border crossings were both quick and as usual for me an enjoyable exchange with the Border agents. I had clear skies and great road conditions until I hit Burlington where a deluge of hail had hit the roadway with a thick layer of slush on the road. Things slowed way down and my car didn’t want to keep on track. After that steering wheel gripping experience (I did not dare to touch my brakes) it was clear sailing ahead for a few miles and then a warning of flashing lights so I slowed way down before I hit another very slushy icy part of the interstate. Hallelujah’s were exclaimed when I got through that stretch and things sailed along nicely for more miles before there was a freeway warning sign of a collision ahead with the southbound freeway stopped completely and suggestions to take alternate routes. Thankfully I was in the right lane and there was an exit that looked somewhat familiar in Everett. I took it and avoided sitting on the freeway until the collision was cleared. Once through Everett I was able to get back on the freeway and continue home on relatively empty interstates. I thanked the Lord as I took my exit off the freeway and then I thanked the Lord again as I drove into my garage, safe and sound.
Today I’m enjoying sitting in my robe doing nothing but relaxing and writing this post, remembering all the fun moments last night and watching some occasional snowflakes fall, melting as they hit the ground. (Hope I got my commas correct in that long sentence). I write all these details for myself to document what happened and to keep different events from getting mixed up in my head.
Linking up to Mosaic Monday with Maggie at Normandy Life. Thank you Maggie!
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
So lovely! I thought about you ladies last night. Kathy and Scot’s home is beautiful and it looks like you had a wonderful time together! We too had a siblings dinner out last evening and then a nice long visit at my brother and SIL’s home. By the time we were ready to leave, the wet heavy snow was falling fast, and our short drive home saw two cars deep in the ditch – eek! We were thankful too to be driving into our lane safe and sound!
Oh – and the food!!! Wow ….
Ha Rosella, more than enough for the whole neighborhood!
Oh that drive home sounds harrowing. Sorry that your Beloved was not feeling so great and I hope all others avoid whatever.it.is.
I always love to see you Mennonite Girls enjoying time together…and, of course, seeing the food always makes me hungry. So, here’s a question, when are the Mennonite Boys going to do a cookbook?
Ha! Not anytime soon, I think, unless we put out a barbecuing, smoking meat cookbook!
What a wonderful dinner with your friends! It’s too bad that your husband was sick but I think it’s great that you can go by yourself. I do that too, independence is a great thing! Your friend’s home is lovely and the place settings amazing! Thanks for sharing your special dinner!🎄
What fun! The dinner looked fabulous and delicious. I’m so glad you didn’t have any traveling troubles. Your roads sounded a little wintry — slick and nasty. Safe & sound at home sounds nice.
What a descriptive summary of our delightful evening. Kathy, your home was so beautiful – all silver and white and grey. And Ellen, your antipasta platter was spectacular. Looking forward to seeing that on our blog. Thank you everyone for making the evening so enjoyable. Hope Greg is feeling better today – we missed him.
Thank you, Ellen, for taking us along with you over the border into Canada. It looked like a very special evening, the food, the decor and most of all the friendship – simply wonderful.
Your drive home sounds harrowing, so glad you arrived home safely.
How lovely that all looked, so appetizing! What a journey home, glad you were safe.
Praising God that He had his angels watching over you all the way home!
What a great re-cap of our time together…the fabulous food, the fellowship of friends, and Kathy’s beautiful new home. Glad you made it home safe and sound after all was said and done!
Wow so many delicious looking foods. Sounds like a great time.
Ellen, thank you for your great photos and re-cap! Thank you for coming up, even by yourself!
It was so good to see everyone who could be there. I always look forward to these events!
It was our pleasure to host the annual MGCC Christmas dinner party. A speedy recovery to your dear one so that he can enjoy the rest of your holiday gatherings. Thanks for coming and we are so thankful you made it home safely. Kathy
What a fabulous meal and such a nice time had by all of you MGCC ladies! Kathy’s table looked spectacular, and everyone looked great!
I’m sorry your husband wasn’t feeling well, Ellen, and I hope he is better by now. Glad you made the drive back home safe and sound.
I sure did enjoy seeing the wonderful evening together through your post and photos. I’m always so thankful that you come and always so thankful when I know you are safely home again.
Glad you had a wonderful time with your fellow writers and recipe creators and that despite all of the hazards you returned safely home without incident. It is good to go out and good to be safely home again isn’t it!
what a beautifully decorated table. The food looks delicious and especially the dessert! I’m glad you made it safely to the party and back home again. Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for stopping by my blog this week.