FEEDING 60 MASTER GARDENERS

    Today we depart from our regular format of tasty treats and talk about how Penny and I feed 60 people once a month at the Master Gardener Monthly Meeting.

    

    And we don't do it all by ourselves. We have a great group of Volunteers who each month pitch in with help and food.

    The first thing we do is plan the main entree. That is Penny and my job. We try to do a nice variety of homemade meals.

    Since we serve 60 people in the space of 15 minutes, we have to be careful about what we cook. 

    It has to be FAST. That means we cook ahead of time, and re-heat that morning. We also try to plan for a few of the special dietary needs of a few members.

        

    Gluten-free and Vegetarian are always on our radar.

    This month we decided on Sausage Sandwiches and soup. Along with Onions and Peppers, it will make for a nice quick sandwich.

    The Sausages are already Gluten-Free, but we will need to make some Vegetarian and Chicken versions as well.

    With this information in hand, we sent out the word for folks to bring sides.

    The meetings are on the second Thursday of each month, so we are always planning. The minute the meeting is over, we start talking about next month.

Sometimes we even do a recipe dry run here at the homestead.

Sausage Sandwich with cooked Onions and Peppers.

    Preparations begin the week before with a quick inventory of the kitchen, so Penny knows if we need more sodas, paper plates, cups, etc. We want to make sure we do not run out of anything.

    Then a trip to SAM'S for anything we will need.

    Then the day before the meeting (WED) we start cooking.

    We awoke to a weather report calling for a ton of Florida rain, so we decided to get out and fire up the grills and get that part done. Then if it rained, we would be inside, chopping Onions and Peppers

for the crock pot. (Spoiler Alert: We got 4 inches of rain......The NEXT DAY) 

    Penny started with a bean soup, while I started grilling the Sausages.

SOUPS ON!!

Let's fire up the fire boxes

Big Geen Egg

And the Gas Grill.

Make sure your helper doesn't steal one. (POTUS 22 & 24 Grover Cleveland)

In progress

This is going to take some time.

Now that the soup is finished, Penny came out and started with the Green Egg.

We decided to grill the Italian Sausage on the gas grill, and the Veggie and Chicken sausages on the EGG.

Looking good!

We are very careful to make sure our food is cooked to the proper temperature.

It took three batches to make enough sausages.

Now that they are done, we need to throw them in the cold box, while we concentrate of the other items for the luncheon.

Usually, about this point in the grill process, I have an adult beverage.

But it's only 9:30 AM and that's early even for me. So let's get to the chopping part of our program.

I drew "Pepper" duty.

Penny gets the Onions.

Am I chopping correctly?

Into the Crock Pot we go

Crock Pot number two

Now we let them cook....

Looking Good !

After they are done, we cool them down and put them into the fridge.

(We use frozen water bottles for a quicker cool down.)

Now they go into the cold box until the next day.

The next morning (Thursday, we pack the car and head off to the meeting place.)

And we stop at PUBLIX for any additional items.

The first thing we do upon arrival is set up the coffee and beverage bar in the large meeting room. There is also a table for morning treats donated by members.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Penny gives some direction to Matthew Kemnitz.

And Jackie VanDusen starts preparing the silver ware.

We forgot to chop up some uncooked Onions, so Matt stepped in while Linda Blair chopped some green Onions for the soup.

And I tested the coffee.

Silverware is done!

Let's set up the trays, silverware and Buns.

And a row of Croc Pots.

Sally Santee is ready to serve the Soup!

Lisa Anthony has her sandwich and is waiting for some soup.

A look at the serving line. (Debbie Jones & Debra Lindsay)

Who's that white haired guy??

So, there you have it. Lunch for 60 hungry gardening folks.

    Unfortunately, we did not get as many pictures as we wanted, but we get SO busy it is hard to also take pictures. I should have asked for a volunteer to be photographer. Penny and I did not have the time to do it properly. 

Maybe next month.

And we are already planning that Lunch.

(SPOILER ALERT --- Meat Loaf & Mashed up taters.)

Stay tuned.

Special THANKS to our helpers.

Matthew Kemnitz

Jackie VanDusen

Linda Blair

Debra Lindsay

Joann Grosso

And those who brought sides.

Joann Grosso : Cheezy Taters

Debra Jones: Cuke Salad

Linda Blair:  Pinto Beans and Taco Sauce

Gail Thomas:  Fried Rice

Marilyn Hennesy: Potato Salad

Sally Santee: Her Texas Caviar was "OFF the hook". I am so stealing that recipe. She also made a Breakfast Casserole and a Pumpkin Cheesecake

Lisa Anthony: Southern Potato Salad

(This was soooo gooood ! We have begged her to make it next month.) 

Jo Lytle-Vidal : Tangerine slices

Joyce Tyson : Salad

Jenny Blanton : Vermicelli Salad

Oxana Deputat : Relish

Leni Perez: Mac & Cheese 

Lura Burg: Medit Pasta Salad & cookies

Iona Prebianca : Broccoli Salad

Kathy Conner: Baked Beans

As you can see, it is a GROUP effort to pull this off, and we have the best group!!! Thanks to all of you.

And that's a wrap for this edition.

Next time we will return to our regular programming and make a delicious recipe. I want to try a new Meatloaf.

I leave you with some cuteness.

See you next time.

God Speed Mother Nature

Well folks, we are B A C K with more fine food ideas. Sorry for the long gap, but life done got in the way. Prostate surgery, Radiation and Hormone treatment really put me back. Then lovely Penny had to take a fall and break her leg. After 8 days in the hospital and 2 weeks of in-patient therapy, she is really doing well.

I did a ton of cooking during her recovery, but nothing new.

That brings us to this week's endeavor.

I got to thinking. What do I look forward to?

Growing up in Indiana we waited with great anticipation for High School Basketball season.

And of course, the Indy 500.  

Now that I live in Florida (34 years) I look forward to other things.

Like Gator Football. (Even in the bad years)

AND ........My Bi-Monthly issue of Cooks Country. 

You knew I would get to food eventually.

This month's issue was jam packed with recipe's that I want to try.

SEPTEMBER was Penny's first time back to Master Gardener's Monthly Luncheon since her fall. We always provide lunch for the masses. 

This month I decided to try Cook's Country's version of APPLE SAUCE CAKE.

You can make this with "canned" apple sauce, or you can MAKE YOUR OWN.

I decided to make my own and that's what we are starting with today. 

Then we will cook it down, then make the cake.

You can make this without the cake and just eat it. 

In fact, I have made this apple sauce three times already and boy, do we enjoy it.

Here is what you need for the Apple Sauce.

First, we start with the apples. I used Granny Smith's (for tartness) and 4 Galas' (for Sweetness) Do not use Red Delicious.

Peel and cut up in small pieces. Place in your pot.

ADD, 1 cup of Packed Light Brown Sugar, 1 Cup of water and 1 tsp of sugar. Turn stove to Medium high.

SIDE NOTE: I made this a second time substituting Apple Cider for the water.  It added a bit more taste to the dish. I also made it without cinnamon as we have a friend who HATES cinnamon.)

Stir

Keep stirring. Bring to a boil then turn burner down to low. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When nice and soft, I use an immersible blender to blend it all up. I like to leave a few lumps, so people KNOW it's homemade.

Doesn't that look good???

Let it cool, then pour it into a bowl. Set aside or place in the cold box.

If you are serving this as apple sauce only, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on the top of each serving.   

To kick it up a notch, use Apple Cider instead of the water, and Pumkin Spice in place of the Cinnamon. I have tried both of these ideas and was very satisfied with the results.

Now let's make the cake!!

Ingredients for the cake

2 1/2 Cups - All-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

2 Cup apple sauce

16 TBL unsaled butter, melted and cooled slightly

1 cup PACKED (7 ounces) light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 TBL vanilla extract

AND THE TOPPING

1 CUP packed (7 OUNCES) light brown sugar.

6 TBL unsalted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp table salt

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted.

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup pecans toasted and chopped.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre-heat oven to 350.

Spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with vegetable oil spray.

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg. and cloves in a medium bowl.

Whisk applesauce, melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together in a large bowl.

Add the flour mixture to the applesauce mixture and whisk until combined.

(Or take the lazy way out and use your stand mixture...)

Transfer the mixed batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a rubber spatula.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out CLEAN.

(about 30-35 minutes) Rotate the cake halfway thru the baking process.

While you are waiting, have a nice cold adult beverage.

Place cake on a wire rack and set it aside to cool.

Make sure you keep it out of the 'Grover' zone.

Now we can make the topping.

Combine the Brown Sugar, butter, cream and salt in a medium saucepan.

Cook over medium high heat until the mixture is thickened, and large bubbles are bursting on the surface.

Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes, then whisk in the confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Working quickly spread icing evenly over the cake.

Sprinkle your nuts, (insert bad joke here) over the top of the cake.

Doesn't that look great?? Tasted great as well. And it was a big hit with the Master Gardeners group.

Normally I don't use nuts, as I really don't care for them. But they went perfectly with this cake and elevated it to the next level.

I will definitely make this recipe again. And I hope you make it as well.

I also encourage you to subscribe to Cooks County. I have never made a recipe from them that I didn't like.  Just CLICK HERE.

And join us here again as we explore the fascinating world of cooking.

See you then.

God speed, Mother Nature.