BFF Potluck with a side of Harry Potter

The BFF and I have known each other for a long time. By a long time I mean since we were three years old. I honestly do not remember life without her and her siblings (sister who I also consider a friend of mine and was also in my wedding party and brother who will forever be about 6 and annoying in my mind no matter how old he gets.) Her family is like my family and vice versa.

I know I can walk into her house, kick off my shoes, grab something to drink out of the fridge as I ask mid-walk what is in there to drink, and then curl up on the couch. It's the same here for her. She just has to deal with the dogs going bonkers because she is here and Frankie obsessing over her purse. (He insists on rubbing his head on it over and over again in random bouts of kitty weirdness.)

We had decided a while back that we were going to start doing potluck dinners, for lack of a better term with it only being two people. It technically works but I always think potluck as more so a group deal. Our work schedules mesh finally and we had been able to see each other more so on a regular basic.

I had recorded some specials on BIO for us Harry Potter geeks as well. There is a special on the characters, one on the creatures, and the actual bio show on the cast or kids as they call it. I will be speaking in a bad British accent at least twice tonight.

Tonight it is meatloaf w mashed potatoes and veggies with chocochip cookies for dessert. I'm in charge of the non-meatloaf parts. The meatloaf recipe is actually from a Disney cookbook that her mom found years back. I was really hoping it was this recipe though I didn't remember the Disney part. Her mom passed away less than a year ago so the recipe is even more special since it isn't just a recipe. It's a memory based in food. It still makes me teary eyed to think about her because I do still really miss her at times since she was my second mom but knowing we can keep her memory alive in numerous ways is important.

Do you have a recipe or food based tradition that is also based in the memory of a loved one who is no longer with us?