The week has arrived. The YC soccer teams are in town, enduring three-a-day practices, and I have the privilege to help feed the ladies’ team! Last year I fed them six meals – this year I’m only needed for three – so it seems “much easier” this time! :)
Added into the mix this week is a Baby Shower I’m helping host on Thursday. Also, a dear friend from church went to be with Jesus last week after battling cancer. Therefore, I’m helping provide a meal for her family on Monday, plus helping with food for a congregational meal following her funeral on Tuesday. We feel very blessed to serve in this way and have been having fun cooking all weekend in preparation! Yes I’m a little tired, but no I’m not overdoing it. If you didn’t know this already – I love cooking. Put me in a kitchen with a bunch of ingredients and I’m a happy girl. Our boys have also been a tremendous help! (They’ve also had the good sense to scram and make haste to the trampoline during the harried moments when Mama is carrying a huge pot of sauce across the kitchen, while the oven timer is beeping and the pasta is boiling over, which has also been very helpful.)
My goal while feeding others (especially in large crowds) is to keep the meals as simple as possible, while at the same time providing very tasty dishes so that the recipients know they are loved by our family.
Friday, we bought half of Walmart then went home to brown hamburger meat, bake cookies and put together lasagnas. You should have seen my shopping cart – I was wishing I had my camera with me! I don’t think I could have fit one more item in without it all falling out over the cart.
We unloaded groceries onto the floor of the kitchen and then worked together to get them
organized and put away. This is about half of what I bought.
As you can see, I do compromise when I’m cooking for a large crowd,
making most of the food from scratch but buying a few boxes and cans too. ;)
Cookies, cookies and more cookies. The sugar over-floweth from my kitchen this weekend.
The following menu plan probably won’t offer you much in the way of suggestions for feeding your family this week, unless you personally have 43 children (in which case, I beg you to please let me come help you wash dishes sometime). But, I needed for myself a very thorough “feeding the masses” plan so that I’m able to knock this week out efficiently. I’ve typed out everything I’ll be making and serving for others, but I didn’t actually take the time this week to type out the remaining meals for our family. For meals that include just the six of us, we’ll likely be eating leftovers from the larger meals or scrambled eggs, pancakes, hamburgers and veggies from the garden.
Sunday, August 14
Meal for Soccer Team (50 people) – Tammy’s Chicken Pasta Salad (x7), Grapes, Angeled Eggs, Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies (x4), Sugar Cookies (x2)
Monday, August 15
Lunchtime Meal for the P family (15 people) – Sloppy Joes (x3), Cheese Slices, Angeled Eggs, Sliced Watermelon, Carrot Sticks with Ranch Dressing, Frosted Brownies (these brownies, this frosting)
Dinnertime Meal for Soccer Team – Lasagna (x7), Tossed Salad, Green Beans, Honey Whole Wheat Bread (x4), Butterscotch Bars (x3)
Tuesday, August 16
Take to Funeral Meal – 4 dozen Chocolate Chip Cookies
Meal for Soccer Team – Beef Roast, Potatoes, Carrots, Gravy, Cream Cheese Corn, Homemade Dinner Rolls, Apple Crisp with Homemade Ice Cream
Thursday, August 18
Take to Baby Shower – Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies, Coconut Flour Muffins, Lemons (for water), Diapers, Cards and Gifts
(Yes I know diapers and gifts are not part of a menu plan, but I don’t want to forget anything so they’re going on this list!)
All other typically accomplished tasks such as science lessons and laundry folding are pending this week. I’ve mentioned before that it is more important to us that our children learn to serve than for them to learn their states and capitals. They’ll still find some math and reading time this week I’m sure. And really, matching socks are over-rated, don’t you think?
I love making lasagnas assembly line style – so easy!!
My posts may be irregular this week as I haven’t been able to spend much time this weekend writing. I do have a guest post and some fun giveaways lined up, as well as a big sale in the Heavenly Homemakers Shop to tell you about!! Watch for news on that soon. :)