Today was my first attempt at feeding the 80-100 people that come to our Break the Fast each month. I have been pee-my-pants excited about this calling. It's like hosting a large-scale dinner party. Tonight we did stroganoff, per request of a member of the bishopric. You can find the recipe here. I have added the recipe to the cute recipe organizer RZ got me. My co-chair Nick and I went to Cash N' Carry on Saturday for the shopping and I fell in love with the store. It's wholesale food and pretty much is just Costco with larger proportions. Amazing. Nick is going to be a great help for me because he's so low-key and I can get a little hyper about entertaining. I shared with him my vision of three stroganoff pots: traditional with beef and mushrooms, one without mushrooms for those who don't like them, and one with textured vegetable protein instead of beef for the vegetarians (Oregon represent). And he was pretty much like we're not doing that. And we didn't. And it turned out fine and we came within our budget of $100.
There was a bit of prep work for me to do at home. It took me 2 1/2 hours to slice all of the beef. Ground beef was suggested but I simply could not let go of all my hopes and dreams and I am unwilling to serve people stroganoff made with ground beef.
I know this photo is graphic, but I feel like everyone needs to experience 20 pounds of chuck roast. This all started as one piece and it was huge! And on sale for $1.87 a pound. Nice.
Then there were the onions to be chopped before church. This doesn't show them all-- there were fifteen in total. My hands, kitchen, and car all still smell like raw onions. Yummy. Not.
Because it's not summer and thus not key onion season, the onions were very pungent. I had just barely started slicing the tops off and my eyes were watering and stinging like crazy and I knew couldn't stand it for the whole time (it ended up being about 1 1/2 hours to chop the onions). Ski goggles to the rescue. It must have been quite a show when my roommate Casey came upstairs on her way out and saw me chopping fifteen onions in pajamas and ski goggles. You're so jealous.
And last of all, here I am stirring stroganoff in the church kitchen. Thank you Whit for the apron and Kirst for finding the red corduroy skirt. This pot was unbelievably huge. I started with just one pot, but as I stupidly thought RS would be enough time and didn't skip SS (afterall Megan was teaching) we had to divide some of the mixture into several pots to cook faster. We barely got it done in time and I was getting pretty stressed out (big surprise) but everyone on my committee was super nice and trying to calm me down. I thought the stroganoff tasted pretty good in the end, but it was too runny. I don't know if I needed more flour and water paste, or if I just didn't give it enough prep time due to the time crunch. And everyone who bright salad, bread, or dessert did a fabulous job. All in all it was a pretty good first experience. Next month I'm thinking stir-fry. Feel free to make any suggestions for a great menu to feed the masses. Also, if anyone would like some stroganoff just talk to me. We have enough left to feed a small army.
6 comments:
That is an awesome picture with the goggles. Sounds like it was great success!
Ok first of all, you are awesome! Where were you when I went to so many awful break the fasts at BYU? Where were you? haha. Second, that was quite the undertaking! I would have gone to Costco and bought something premade! third, THANK YOU for the raw meat pictures. Reminds me of every underdeveloped country which I've visited where raw meat hangs in huge portions dripping with blood and juices into the street. Wow. I'm impressed. Fourth--YOU NEED A FOOD PROCESSOR. Never again should you have to cut that many onions (though the goggle story is awesome and you must write that in your journal, or print out this blog post!). I miss you and am so glad that this feast went well! You're awesome!
umm guess who's getting a mini chopper for christmas...
1.5 hours on onions?? you do realize that's unnecessary right?
what a delightful feast! and you came in under budget! that's the truly magnificent part. can't wait to see how january goes.
Oh my land. The goggle picture is just as great as I imagined it to be!!
I want you to know how gleefully I sustained your call to break-the-fast. When they read that one in sacrament meeting, I considered applauding. I'm eagerly awaiting the month you make us all come in costume and sit at our tables, while your committee serves us fruity drinks in polka dot cocktail glasses. :)
Stroganoff was definitely a success, and I think your blog of the experience was an even bigger succes!
You are just lovely! Missing you all this Christmas!! have a very Merry one! Hugs!
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