Woodland Fields' Progressive Dinner

If you don't know by now, my little slice acreage that I call home is in an area of Southwood called Woodland Fields. Well, me and my fellow homeowners decided to put on a Progressive Dinner. Every house had a tapa and a specialty drink. Signs were put out in front of the house, menus were made, and yes, even a map was provided (in the off chance someone got too drunk to be able to find their way home). The evening was a major success with only a little bit of shenanigans sprinkled in the mix. It was so successful that we have decided to make it an annual event!

The Menu:

House 1 (Matt and Mary):

Saucy Shrimp and Lemon Drop Martinis

Traveling cocktail: jello shots

**Let's all just admit the truth. It all went downhill from house #1. Those lemon drops were S.T.R.O.N.G.! Wow-e! What a way to start the night! And as a chaser? Jello shots! Oh yah, baby. I haven't had those since college. Good times, I'm telling you. Adults should make jello shots more often. However, a few words of caution: (a) if you have children, they will request one because "it's only jello mom!" (b) it is quite hard to travel with them. I believe there is a permanent red stain on the sidewalk from where one was dropped (Gasp! I know - alcohol abuse right?!)

House 2 (Jeremy and Ashley):

Pasta Fagioli Soup and Sgroppinis (haha, that looks like it would be said "S-gro-penis" LOL)

**I believe everyone enjoyed this. Although I can't be sure. I think everyone was too busy feeling the effects of the lemon drops. But I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed my soup and drink! :-)

House 3 (Terry and Catherine, Geof and Rebekah):

Bolas de Arroz con Pollo and Sangria

Empanadas and Mohitos

**Wow! What can I say? Delicious in every sense. First of all, I love Rebekah's sangria. It is by far some of the best I've ever had. Possibly it's because I have a passionate love affair with champagne, which just happens to be one of the ingredients in this sangria. And Catherine's empanadas? Yummy, although a tad spicy for my taste (sorry, I have a very sensitive pallate). But Jeremy was in love with them. I swear if one of those empanadas jumped off the plate and asked Jeremy to run away to Mexico with it, he would leave me for the empanada. Don't laugh - that's how much he loved them. And the mohitos?! Well, normally I'm not a huge fan of mohitos. I can't exactly put my finger on why. But these? Well, let's just say I had 2. They were delicious!

House 4 (Brandon and Laura):

Herbert Surprise and The Pink Drink

**Herbert Surprise was named because, well, the meal was a surprise! We ended up with 3 tapas to choose from: shrimp cocktail, potato skins, and wings. Yum!! And the pink drink was sort of like a hunch punch. It brought me back to those college fraternity parties where the frat guy would bring you a drink and say "it's just punch" in hopes of getting in your pants later that evening .... Oh come on! I know this happened to you! Unless I'm mistaken, the first accident of the evening occurred at House #4 - yes, pink drink was spilled on their basically white carpet. EEEEEKKKKKKK! Ok, I'll admit it - I was the culprit. But it was not, I repeat: was NOT, my drink! And whoever put their cup 1/2 full of pink drink up on the bar within elbows reach should also claim some of the blame! I can't help it that I was in a heated discussion with Samantha on possible upcoming legislation......

House 5 (Dustin and Nancy):

Chocolate fondue and cordials

**The last stop of the evening provided the dessert. Chocolate fondue - with or without Maker's Mark - and plenty of accurtamont (sp?) to go along with it. Then there was coffee with a variety of options to "spice" it up, if you know what I mean. And of course, what evening would be complete with a bonfire and smores?

The rest of the evening shall be kept quiet - but it shall live in infamy forever. Sort of like President Kennedy's assasination - who done it? Who knows! But we all remember it! ;-)

So, here is to a wonderful night of fun with friends and looking forward to next year!

The first house of the evening:

The third house of the evening (notice all the leaning???):

The fourth house of the evening (and yes, the pink drink came out of the carpet!):

The last house of the evening: