Children brought them together. Now, food fortifies the friendships.

These do-it-all women of the '90s rearrange family and work schedules to gather once a month at noon -- of all busy times -- for a meeting of the Goofy Gourmet Club, where they feast on such elaborate entrees as beef Wellington, crown pork roast and shrimp scampi.

Most of them met at St. Thomas Parish Day School in Owings Mills when their children were nursery-school age. Eight years later, they're still trading child-care advice, recipes and fancy meals over linen, crystal and flowers at each other's homes in the middle of the day.

"The nice thing is you get to experience a whole dinner," said Kathy Gambrill of Reisterstown. "Then you can make what you like and skip what you don't."

For the nine women -- whose addresses stretch from Timonium to Catonsville -- the potluck often serves as a dress rehearsal for their own dinner parties. But there's no pressure to steal the show.

"You can feel comfortable. The effort is appreciated here," said Janice Spencer of Reisterstown at a recent gathering. "It really is a fun group."

They also appreciate not cooking -- on these days, anyway -- for children who prefer pizza and PBJs over Thai chicken and gazpacho.

"We, as women, get to experience different recipes that the kids don't like," Spencer said. "It gets you to cook."

The women's monthly meeting is just one variation of the dinner clubs that have been popular for years. The earliest formats involved couples or singles bringing dishes to each other's homes for a night out.

Now, book clubs serve food as well as fiction. Graduate students and others have formed co-ops, sharing dinners several days a week. Even Internet bulletin boards and Web sites offer tips and food ideas (check out http://dinnercoop.cs.cmu.edu).

The women, who are mostly in their 40s, have invited their husbands a few times for special occasions but usually prefer to meet by themselves.

"Years ago, there used to be women's clubs and bridge clubs. We don't have that today," said Debbie Scott of Lutherville. "One of the biggest benefits isn't the food. It gives us a chance to talk over stuff."

Added Cheri Poklemba of Taylorsville, "The guys always want to know what we talk about."

No one can remember exactly how the club got its silly name. The women have a good time, they admit, laughing and joking through the leisurely meals. But they take the soup-to-nuts menu seriously.

Recently, they shared a midday spread of Chicken-Asparagus Lasagna Rolls, steaming Cranberry Consomme, salad and a Pepper-Cheese Bread that elicited oohs and aahs at Poklemba's gray-cedar home overlooking Carroll County farmland. They finished off the meal with a delicious meringue-topped bread pudding served with Whiskey Sauce -- and groans.

"I'm stuffed," moaned a sated Diane Lowe of Finksburg, as the others nodded in agreement.

As the women -- minus one member who couldn't make it that day -- drifted in beforehand, they nibbled on a nippy cream-cheese spread and crackers and sipped White Sangria from silver-rimmed goblets while planning the next meal. They also divided expenses for the day's dinner, totaling the cost of ingredients, so each person contributes equally.

They have bylaws, which they've tucked into three-ring binders with the hundreds of recipes they've collected over the years. They're even thinking of publishing a cookbook of these tested-and-critiqued recipes one day.

"I've gotten great salads and vegetable dishes," said Amy Hart of Upperco, who brought the lasagna rolls, a time-saving dish that can be assembled 24 hours ahead of time.

Each month's hostess is responsible for deciding on a theme -- Poklemba's was "Romantic Gourmet Getaway" -- and coming up with recipes. They search cookbooks, magazines, the library and computers for ideas.

No exceptional cooking expertise is required. For Vivian Schafer of Catonsville, the meals are a chance to visit with friends. "I wouldn't call myself a gourmet," she said. "I like people."

There have been some culinary casualties along the way. Just the memory of them brings smiles and gentle teasing among the women.

Scott -- who made the excellent braided cheese bread that would do any baker proud -- will be reminded forever, it seems, about the time she added too much salt to another bread recipe and had to bring a store-bought replacement.

But a scallop dish created the most impact. After that dinner, Schafer, who is leery of seafood, was convinced the mollusks were tainted, even though they weren't. She spent the day nervously waiting to get sick.

She didn't -- and neither did anyone else. But the women haven't served scallops since.

Next on the schedule is a brunch menu at Tracy Lacis' house in Reisterstown. The women said they plan to continue the gourmet club as long as they can juggle busy lives.

"So far, everybody still wants to do it," Spencer said. "Everybody really enjoys getting together."

Sharp Pineapple Spread

Serves 4

1/4 cup drained, canned crushed pineapple

3-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 to 2 teaspoons grated or prepared horseradish

assorted crackers

In a small bowl, stir together drained pineapple, cream cheese and horseradish. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours for flavors to blend. Serve with assorted crackers.

-- From "Better Homes and Gardens Favorite Recipes From Country Inns" (Better Homes and Gardens Books, 1991)

White Sangria

Makes 2 1/2 quarts

2 cups unsweetened apple juice

12-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed and undiluted

1 medium apple, cored and cut into thin wedges

1 medium orange, thinly sliced

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 (750 milliliter) bottle Chablis or other dry white wine, chilled

10-ounce bottle club soda, chilled

Combine apple juice and lemonade; stir well. Add apple, orange and lemon.

To serve: Pour fruit mixture into a large bowl. Add chilled wine and club soda, stirring gently to mix. Serve immediately.

-- From "Southern Living Complete Do-Ahead Cookbook" (Oxmoor House, 1991)

Pepper-Cheese Bread

Makes 2 loaves

1/4 cup warm water (105 degrees to 115 degrees)

1 package active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder

2 tablespoons sugar

1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)

1 1/2 cups very warm water (120 degrees to 130 degrees)

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 slightly beaten egg

1 slightly beaten egg yolk

1 tablespoon water

In a small bowl, combine warm water, dry yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and ginger; let stand 5 minutes or till bubbles form.

In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups of the flour, milk powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, pepper and salt.

Stir yeast mixture, cheese, very warm water, oil and whole egg into flour mixture. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 3 minutes. Using a spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (6 to 8 minutes). Shape dough into a ball; place in a greased bowl, and turn once to grease surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place till double in size (about 1 hour).

Punch dough down; turn out onto a floured surface. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, grease 2 baking sheets. Divide dough in half. Divide each half into three equal portions.

To shape loaves, roll each portion into a 16-inch-long rope. Braid by lining up three ropes, 1 inch apart on a prepared baking sheet. Starting in the middle, loosely braid by bringing left rope underneath the center rope; bring right rope under new center rope. Repeat to end. On the other end, braid by bringing outside ropes alternately over center rope. Press ends together to seal. Repeat, shaping remaining 3 ropes on second baking sheet. Cover; let rise in a warm place till nearly double (about 30 minutes.)

Brush loaves with a mixture of egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water. Bake in a 350-degree oven 20 minutes or till golden and bread sounds hollow when tapped.

-- From "Better Homes and Gardens Favorite Recipes From Country Inns"

Chicken-Asparagus Lasagna Rolls

Serves 6

3 sheets (10 inches by 7 inches each) ready-to-use frozen lasagna sheets (see note)

1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

1 cup, chopped, cooked chicken

1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

2 tablespoons diced pimento, drained

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1 slightly beaten egg white

1/2 of a 10-ounce package frozen-cut asparagus, thawed and drained

8-ounce tub cream cheese with chives and onion

1/2 cup milk

Place frozen lasagna sheets on a baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap and thaw for 30 minutes. Drain or set aside.

Combine ricotta cheese, chicken, Parmesan, onion, pimento, salt, garlic powder and egg white. Stir in asparagus.

Spread 1/3 of the chicken mixture over the lasagna sheet. Starting from the short edge, roll up jellyroll style. Cut the roll crosswise into six pieces. Place pasta rolls, cut side down, in a greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Repeat with remaining lasagna sheets and filling.

For sauce, in a small heavy saucepan, heat and stir cream cheese over medium-low heat till softened. Slowly add milk, stirring till smooth. Remove from heat; cool. Pour half of the sauce over rolls.

Cover and chill rolls and remaining sauce for up to 24 hours. (Or bake immediately in a 350-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or till heated through.) Bake chilled rolls, covered, in a 350-degree oven for 50 to 55 minutes or till hot. Heat remaining sauce over low heat, stirring frequently. Spoon sauce over rolls.

Note: If frozen lasagna sheets are unavailable, use 6 regular lasagna noodles, cooked. Cut each noodle in half-crosswise. Spoon a scant 1/4 cup of chicken mixture onto one end of the noodle. Roll up jellyroll style.

Per serving: 342 calories, 18 grams total fat (7 grams saturated fat), 74 milligrams cholesterol, 352 milligrams sodium, 23 grams carbohydrate, 2 grams fiber, 21 grams protein

-- From Better Homes and Gardens magazine, April 1996

Bread Pudding Supreme

Serves 8

1-pound loaf unsliced French or firm-textured bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (12 cups)

3 cups milk

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

4 egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large baking apple, peeled, cored and thinly cut into round slices

4 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1 recipe Whiskey Sauce (recipe below)

Grease an 8-inch-by-8-inch-by-2-inch baking dish; set aside. In a large bowl, combine bread cubes and milk; let stand 5 minutes. In another large bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar with an electric mixer till fluffy. Beat in eggs yolks and vanilla. Stir in bread mixture.

To assemble, in the prepared baking dish, layer 1/3 bread mixture, half of the apple, 1/3 more bread mixture and then remaining apple. Top with remaining bread mixture.

Place baking dish in a larger baking pan; set pan on oven rack. Pour hottest tap water into the larger baking pan to a depth of 1 inch. Bake in a 350-degree oven 45 minutes or till center appears set.

Meanwhile, for meringue, beat egg whites till soft peaks form (tips curl). Add the 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

Remove pudding from pan of water. Spread meringue over hot pudding, sealing meringue to edges of dish. Return baking dish to oven; bake about 15 minutes or till golden. Serve warm with sauce.

Whiskey Sauce

Makes 1 2/3 cups

1 beaten egg

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons bourbon

3/4 cup whipping cream

In a saucepan, combine egg, sugar and butter. Cook and stir just till thickened and mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat. Carefully stir in bourbon. Slowly, stir in whipping cream. Slightly cool before serving.

-- From "Better Homes and Gardens Favorite Recipes From Country Inns"

Pub Date: 03/10/99