Progressive Dinner (a.k.a. February Date Night)

Since we missed our February Date Night because of being sick for the second half of the month, we needed to make it up in March.  Unfortunately, we’ve been sick most of March as well, so we had to make do with a planned church group outing as our date night. 

Our date night was a progressive dinner with 6 other couples.  We didn’t have to plan or fix any food, but rather four couples from the church hosted us for 4 parts of the dinner that night.  It was a way for the ‘older generation’ to connect with the ‘middle generation’.  We are a group of 30-somethings who just started getting together for fun monthly activities.  It gives us a way to get connected in the church. 

We traveled as a big caravan from house to house that evening.  We started with an appetizer at the first home, soup and salad at the next, the main course at the third, and desserts at the final home.  Boy was the food good!  All of our hosts were gracious and great cooks!  I forgot to get pictures of some of the food (I was too busy eating), and I couldn’t get a house shot of the final home (it was too dark by then), but here are the highlights of our Progressive Dinner/February Date Night.

 (you may have to click on the image to view it larger)

Joan had fixed (yummy) meatballs, a dip served in a bread bowl, and veggies, crackers and cheese.  It was yummy!  Jay collected Royal Doulton mugs, which I had never seen before.  He also brought out some of his vintage model cars that he collects.

Ruth served an (yummy) arugula and pear salad with a nice vinaigrette.  The arugula was a bit peppery, but the pear was a nice pair for it. HA!  The mushroom bisque had a lot of parsley in it, so it almost looked like pea soup, but it was very good.  Not a very strong mushroom flavor at all, even though I don’t mind mushrooms. Ruth collected frogs, Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, and I’m sure lots of other things. 

Our pastor and his wife served us the main course.  Diane made (yummy) individual meatloaves, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn, and rolls.  MAN was that good food!  Later, I asked for the recipe for the meatloaf.  I tried it with some ingredient substitutions and it wasn’t nearly as good as hers.  I will try that recipe again for sure!

Betty is an amazing dessert maker.  She is famous among the church members for her desserts.  I wish I was brave enough to have tried a little of it all, but I was on my good-girl behavior so I only had the (yummy) coconut cream cake and (yummy) cheesecake with strawberry topping.  She also had oatmeal pie, apple pie, blueberry pie, cherry pie, chocolate cream pie, and another pie I can’t remember.  All reports were glowing!

If you ever get a chance to participate in a progressive dinner, I say go for it!  Though, I know this was not the ‘normal’ way they work, since we didn’t have to cook any part of the meal.  That was such a nice treat! 

Our actual March date night will be this week!  We’re going to try out a Bistro downtown that has a farm out by our place where they grow their own food.  It looks yummy and I can’t wait to go out again with my hubby.