Some info about our Gourmet Group:  We are 4 couples who enjoy cooking, entertaining, and most of all, each other’s company. 

We take turns hosting in our homes.  The hosts decide on the menu (theme) from appetizers to dessert for the evening.  The hosts cook most of the meal, but give at least one course (along with all the recipes) to the other couples to prepare.  We love trying new recipes and ideas.  So most of the time the recipes are ones we haven’t cooked before, but they don’t have to be.

Another couple hosted our Gourmet Group this past December.  Her family has had a cabin in upper Wisconsin for many years.  Our Group got to experience a taste of it with their theme for the evening, “A Christmas Up North”.

WELCOME TO THEIR CABIN…

FOYER

Fishing gear and tackle boxes greeted us in the foyer.

A CABIN-THEMED TABLE

Cabins on the table

Place Settings

Little bottles filled with snow and a tree ~ our place card holders

Color coordinated Christmas tree in dining room too…

{Our hostess was upset that a string of lights burned out after she had put up the tree – hate when that happens!}

THE MENU

Old-fashioned English Cracker Fun

{Hmmm… wonder how she managed to find cabin key chains to match the theme for one of the trinkets}

Crowd Pleaser 

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Appetizer

This was my favorite dish of the whole night.  I loved it so much, I made it again as one of the appetizers we served Christmas Eve.  The marinade with paprika and thyme was unusual, and shrimp wrapped with bacon is always delicious.  Recipe by Food Network.  Just make sure to cook the bacon partially before wrapping the shrimp with it.

Pork Wellington, Rutabaga-Sweet Potato Mash, and Green Bean Almondine