Civil Air Patrol’s Winter Ball at Orland Chateau

Each year in January for the past five years, we have attended the Civil Air Patrol winter ball. My middle son got involved when he was 12 and now his younger brother is also a cadet. It's a fun evening - and the food is always delicious. I love that it's at the same place - Orland Chateau - every year, partly because I know the food will be wonderful.

It's served family-style as banquet halls often do, but it's the best banquet hall food I've had. The beef and turkey especially were so good. I loved the scalloped potatoes, too and the minestrone soup. It was a lovely warm meal on a brutally cold winter night.