A Hard Day's Night
Today was all about tonight. I just must be slow, because it took the better part of the day to get the dinner ready, and I was steadily working away. I would occasionally sit down, but for the most part, that was my day. I think it is because in an effort to save money, I do a lot of the food prep myself instead of buying it already chopped, grated or cooked. My body is telling me that it was a long day!
I don't really mind. I think it is fun to cook for a little group of appreciative young people. They seem to be so very grateful for a home cooked meal! We served 14 tonight, and it would have been twenty one with the 4 missionaries and their investigators, but the investigators all cancelled when they realized we would be walking somewhere to hear about ways we can be of service in our community.
I came up with what I thought was kind of a novel idea for a YSA dinner. I have never been to a mac n' cheese restaurant in the U.S. but I have heard of them, so I looked online for some toppings and for a very good recipe for a homemade mac n' cheese. While I prepared and cooked, SK was putting a couple of miles on his feet looking for fresh limes and cayenne. He's really great to do that.
I made three 9 X 13 pans full of macaroni, topped with bread crumbs soaked in butter. It took a lot of white sauce!...a grating 3 pounds of sharp and mild cheddar. This was not a healthy meal. But it was a comfort meal. They are all seriously busy with essays and deadlines etc. It has been cold here today. It got into the 40's last night and so we turned on the heat this morning. As they entered the flat, they could smell the mac n' cheese and feel the warmth, and I think it just made them happy!
Toppings? Grilled chicken, diced bacon, green onions, peas, corn, crispy onions, potato chips, cayenne pepper, caesar salad, and the most popular by a long shot, fresh pico de gallo. I made about a quart, but will double that next time.
All of the toppings were eaten, and I still have one pan of macaroni left, which I will serve to the missionaries on Wednesday for lunch! That worked out beautifully.
Dessert was fresh apples/and or Lia's Rolo Cookies, which they thought was just a bite of heaven.
As soon as we were done eating, we hoofed it over to one of the oldest colleges on campus, where our YSA rep is attending school. He heard about a service opportunity and arranged for us to go hear about how we can serve. I was so impressed with these young people. Here they are so very busy with school, and they are thinking about serving an organization that looks after homeless people.
We had not paid much attention to how we got there. We just followed the group through narrow little dimly-lit streets, through the security check of Martin College, then out into a magnificent courtyard and into an old classroom, where we listened to the presentation. Then we retraced our steps to the outer entrance of the college, and found our way out - thanks to SK.
I was grateful that I held back a dozen rolo cookies, because tomorrow is "Have Cookies, Will Travel" time. We have the two farthest missionary apartments from us which we will inspect. We'll leave early in the morning. Sometime soon, I expect that we will both enjoy these excursions a lot more. For now, they still stressful.
I don't really mind. I think it is fun to cook for a little group of appreciative young people. They seem to be so very grateful for a home cooked meal! We served 14 tonight, and it would have been twenty one with the 4 missionaries and their investigators, but the investigators all cancelled when they realized we would be walking somewhere to hear about ways we can be of service in our community.
I came up with what I thought was kind of a novel idea for a YSA dinner. I have never been to a mac n' cheese restaurant in the U.S. but I have heard of them, so I looked online for some toppings and for a very good recipe for a homemade mac n' cheese. While I prepared and cooked, SK was putting a couple of miles on his feet looking for fresh limes and cayenne. He's really great to do that.
I made three 9 X 13 pans full of macaroni, topped with bread crumbs soaked in butter. It took a lot of white sauce!...a grating 3 pounds of sharp and mild cheddar. This was not a healthy meal. But it was a comfort meal. They are all seriously busy with essays and deadlines etc. It has been cold here today. It got into the 40's last night and so we turned on the heat this morning. As they entered the flat, they could smell the mac n' cheese and feel the warmth, and I think it just made them happy!
Toppings? Grilled chicken, diced bacon, green onions, peas, corn, crispy onions, potato chips, cayenne pepper, caesar salad, and the most popular by a long shot, fresh pico de gallo. I made about a quart, but will double that next time.
All of the toppings were eaten, and I still have one pan of macaroni left, which I will serve to the missionaries on Wednesday for lunch! That worked out beautifully.
Dessert was fresh apples/and or Lia's Rolo Cookies, which they thought was just a bite of heaven.
As soon as we were done eating, we hoofed it over to one of the oldest colleges on campus, where our YSA rep is attending school. He heard about a service opportunity and arranged for us to go hear about how we can serve. I was so impressed with these young people. Here they are so very busy with school, and they are thinking about serving an organization that looks after homeless people.
We had not paid much attention to how we got there. We just followed the group through narrow little dimly-lit streets, through the security check of Martin College, then out into a magnificent courtyard and into an old classroom, where we listened to the presentation. Then we retraced our steps to the outer entrance of the college, and found our way out - thanks to SK.
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| SK was enchanted by the name of this lane! |
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| On the street where we live....see the road sign on the right? |
I was grateful that I held back a dozen rolo cookies, because tomorrow is "Have Cookies, Will Travel" time. We have the two farthest missionary apartments from us which we will inspect. We'll leave early in the morning. Sometime soon, I expect that we will both enjoy these excursions a lot more. For now, they still stressful.
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