The BFF I Never Met Came To Dinner

13 years ago

We say it all the time when we meet CF friends, seems like we've know each other forever. How true once again.

Clive and Sharon showed up in their beautiful sexy vintage car and it was no-stop talking from the time they hit the front door. I had topics ready in case there were lulls in the conversation; didn't get to use any, in fact we were so engaged in no-stop conversation that the meal suffered from lack of attention!

We were talking so much that we kept forgetting to take pictures so the food was already sampled when we did remember.

I'm a lacking the presentation skills most of you have so I'm sharing preparation and after meal pictures.

Okay, enough justifying, here goes.

The table is set:

The menu is up:

The vegetables are ready for roasting and the bread is ready for the oven:

Lasagna, meatballs, and sausage are waiting for oven time:

Looks like the bread is ready...oops forgot to slash:

Sharon and Himself arrive:

They bring perfect wine. I got a much needed tutorial on Canadian Ice Wine from Clive and I'm eager to try it when it's hot here, that won't be long:

Help yourself to stuffed peppers and/or strawberries with Cognac dip while dinner warms--okay we promise to take pictures before munching, here's what's left:

I hear the dinner bell:

Someone took a bite out of the Tortoni!:

The heck with cleaning up, let's visit some more. For me not to be concerned with the messy kitchen is true validation that I am so comfortable with our guests:

Time to say goodbye; what a very enjoyable evening it was with our BFF's:

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Comments (28)

dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
13 years ago
It gives great meaning to the whole idea of participating in a digital forum such as the Cooking Forum.

Very impressive, everything! Beautiful people, beautiful food and beautiful home.

Thanks for sharing.

dcarch
doucanoe
13 years ago
What a fun get-together you all had! Your table is beautiful and the food has me drooling!

I love reading about and seeing photos of CF get-togethers! Of course when I am able I love to participate, too!

Linda
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arabellamiller
13 years ago
What beautiful pictures, I couldn't help but smile back at the pictures of your smiling faces!

That sounds like a very special evening with good (new/old) friends, amazing food, and loads of fun.

AM

(P.S. Your house looks lovely!)
lakemayor
13 years ago
Oh, I'm so sad that we couldn't attend.

Cathy, everything looks so yummy! You are a great cook and hostess!

Cathy and Ray's home is beautiful and they make you feel so welcome! Hopefully another time!!!

Karen
mustangs81
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you for the comments!!

Karen, I so wanted you and Steve to join us. You both are such special people, I was hoping to host a *tri-couple get together. And there was enough food for several other couples, you could have brought your NC guests.

*Not to be confused with the French...oh, never mind.
John Liu
13 years ago
Looks like a wonderful evening. And your place setting is beautiful!
coconut_nj
13 years ago
What a fun dinner, and Cathy you really had me chuckling. Love that you had a bit of trouble remembering to take pics, and yet you did it. Smiles. Thanks for sharing Sharon and Clive with us and thanks for the pic of you and the HG with them.
mustangs81
Original Author
13 years ago
Coconut, Sharon and I kept saying "carp, we forgot to take pictures". Then I didn't even have my real camera.
whgille
13 years ago
Cathy, everything is so lovely, yummy and perfect! Great pictures of all of you! I think I am going to second what Dcarch said " Beautiful people, beautiful food and beautiful home!
You get an A+ in everything!

Silvia
riverrat1
13 years ago
I've been waiting for this post and so happy to see two couples that are my BFF's! Sharon and Clive are so much fun to be with as you and HG are. I've had the pleasure of spending time with you all and have some of the best memories ever!

Everything from the table setting, food, smiling faces, beautiful home, dirty dishes and food, oh wait, did I say food twice? OMG!

Doncha just love Himself's car? ;-) I can remember it like it was yesterday when they left our driveway in that beauty. ~sigh~ We have trucks and a small SUV...boring!

I'm loving that you guys were able to meet each other and enjoy food, drink and great conversation. This makes me smile really really big!
wizardnm
13 years ago
A wonderful dinner! I've had the pleasure of meeting with quite a few of the CF'ers and hope to meet more. Sharon is one I would love to meet in person. I keep hoping to lure them my way sometime.

Cathy, watch out, I'll be coming to your state soon, just not sure of where or when yet. I'll never forget the times we have met, you are such a fun person.

Thanks for the pics, you all look great.

Nancy
momto4kids
13 years ago
Ah, man, that looks like a FUN evening! Great food! Good conversation! Great folks!
compumom
13 years ago
Ditto! Hello to all! From the looks and sounds of it, the evening was splendid!
Lars
13 years ago
I'm not surprised that there was never a lull in the conversation, as Sharon and Clive both can hold their own without outside help!! Add more people, and then there is even more confusion/conversation!

Speaking of confusion, which I added deliberately - I must tell you, Cathy, that for the past few years I have had you confused with someone else in this forum that I met at an Indian restaurant in Beverly Hill a few years ago - except that she is a blonde! I have no idea who she is, but Jessy and Ellen must remember that meal and that I sat beside her, thinking that she was you!! Were you blonde a few years ago? When I saw the pictures in this thread, I recognized you from the Michigan canning camp, but I had associated a different name to your face at that time and thought that you lived in Michigan. My confusion all started with the photos from the Michigan canning camp. At some point I will have to go to Michigan and sort it out.

I'm very happy to be corrected to your true identity, but I still have pieces to put together. I'm so happy that you were able to have dinner with Sharon and Clive, who must be two of the best guests ever!

Please do not think that I am getting senile - I have always been this way.

Lars
compumom
13 years ago
Lars, you're confusing Cathy with Deb--momto4kids. Cathy hasn't been to LA for a meetup...yet!! Deb's a doll too, but her participation in Canny Camp consisted of gifting all of us with matching red Crocs!i hope that they both plan to visit LA again soon !
mitchdesj
13 years ago
nice to see you all !!
sally2_gw
13 years ago
What a lovely, lovely home, dinner, and especially what lovely people. I've had the great pleasure of meeting Sharon and Clive, so I know what you said is true. Thank you for sharing your wonderful evening.

Sally
Jasdip
13 years ago
Wow, I don't see any "lack of presentation skills" Mustangs!
Everything is flat-out gorgeous!!

The food looks perfect and everyone is so relaxed and smiling, and obviously having fun. Glad you could meet after all this time.
User
13 years ago
It truly was a great evening. Cathy and Raymond are delightful and beyond generous in their hospitality!

Their home is gorgeous and the food was wonderful, the cognac dip for the berries is addictive, but it was the company we enjoyed most.

So glad we could add Cathy and Raymond to the long list of CF'ers we have met.

Thanks again Cathy.....until me meet again

Sharon
teresa_nc7
13 years ago
Wow! What a great dinner all the way around! Cathy, you can just pack up the leftovers and FedEx them to me - LOL!

It's so much fun to meet-up with CF friends - I encourage everyone to do this whenever the opportunity presents itself.

A visit to remember for all!
Teresa
dedtired
13 years ago
You are all SO CUTE!! Just looking at the picture of the four of you makes me smile. Nothing is better than good friends, yummy food and a welcoming home. What a perfect get-together.
centralcacyclist
13 years ago
What fun! Everything, especially the photo of all of you together, looks just perfect.

I've heard about ice wine but have never had any. Do tell!

Smiles, Eileen
gwlolo
13 years ago
Cathy,

That dinner looked delicious. Cognac dip! Tortoni! Mouthwatering! Looked like a great party. No vintage car pics?
mustangs81
Original Author
13 years ago
Lars, I have worked in the LA area for years but that was before I met you virtually. Believe me, if I had ever been to LA AFTER I met you virtually, I would have demanded an in person meeting!

Teresa, I put 2 lasagna meals in the freezer so it's there when I come up or you come down.

GW, I was so aggravated that I forgot to take pictures of the car until Sharon and Clive were leaving then it was dark outside.
Gina_W
13 years ago
Awww! How happy everyone looks! I'm so glad you got the chance to get together.

Lars, don't worry. I am forgetting so many things now, after being the one who never forgot anything. I have pix of the get-together with Deb somewhere...
User
13 years ago
Cathy HELP...
My email has carped out ....no doubt himself will get it straightened around but I am desperate for your recipe for the dip for the strawberries for a get together tomorrow...please be a around!!!!!

Sharon
mustangs81
Original Author
13 years ago
Yeah, I'm sure Clive will come to the rescue. What I made for us was half a recipe, the whole recipe makes a lot. Here it is:

Cognac Fruit Dip 12 ounces cream cheese
1 cup confectioners sugar, unsifted
7 ounces marshmallow creme
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon (I've made this with regular cinnamon and also with freshly grated cinnamon - to tell you the truth, I like the freshly grated better. You could just use a little less of the cinnamon from the jar. See what you like best.)
3 tablespoons cognac

Half Recipe

6 ounces cream cheese
ÃÂ½ cup confectioners sugar, unsifted
4 ounces marshmallow crÃÂ¨me
ÃÂ½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoons cinnamon (I've made this with regular cinnamon and also with freshly grated cinnamon - to tell you the truth, I like the freshly grated better. You could just use a little less of the cinnamon from the jar. See what you like best.)
3 tablespoons cognac (optional)

In small bowl of electric mixer, cream the cheese until soft and smooth. Add the confectioners sugar and beat until well-blended. Add the sour cream and the rest of the ingredients. Blend just until well-combined. Cover and chill several hours before serving.
User
13 years ago
Thanks pal!!!!! I know it will be a hit....your Florida strawberries are wonderful right now....but not as good as your fresh Florida orange juice. What a treat compared to what we get up north!

The BFF I Never Met Came To Dinner

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dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m

doucanoe

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