Cooking for Over 100 is Reallllyyy.....

Hello! Happy New Year to all. And Happy New Year to all teachers and educators, as technically, our year is officially halfway through. That's what the end of January means when you are associated with a School Board. So a few new developments...

We had a great Christmas. I am now acting upon New Year Resolutions that actually began in September: walk, bike or jog to work whenever possible, complete with blinking LD lights, reflectors and anything else that draws attention to self-sustaining human transport on early, dark mornings in rainy Vancouver. My ourfit is the same everytime -- and, my umbrella in hand (when on foot) as I march onward like a parade of army ants. But I'm only an army of one. I like to assert my place on the sidewalk. But I won't go up against dogs -- nope -- Only one scary dog incident to report, and I now avoid that house like the plague and have deferred to the dog. I have gone the same route so many times that I now know if I am late/early by the other "regular" pedestrians I see on my way to work. That's pretty neat - human activity clocks. Who said you need a watch anyway? Said tongue in cheeks as I am from the White (ahhhhm) family -- sorry Dad.

So, the title of the entry. Were you wondering? Well, cooking for over 100 people (125 to be exact) is realllllllllyyyyyyy interesting & suprisingly non-stressful. With everything (ingredients) jumbo size, lots of helpers and industrial equipment, anything is possible. How do I know this, you wonder? Well, Stewart & I have been taking "en masse" cooking classes, learning about how to cook for large crowds. We have then been practicing and honing our skills once every couple weeks for Out of the Cold, a program that feeds some homeless folks. We provide a main dish with protein, a starch (rice, potatoe), salad, bread, and dessert. We have really been enjoying it and I've got to say that four people working together can do some amazing things in the kitchen! What I can't get over, is that I spend triple the amount of time prepping for a dinner party for 10, but yet we can feed 125 people and make it look like something you can do in your sleep. No disasters yet, but I'm lacking the serving skills. I tried to serve the Enchiladas once but I butchered the poor little guys by accident. I've also learned that when you are serving food to people you don't know, they are not polite enough to take the butchered ones your friends might say a reluctant "ok" to (He- he- he). The people who don't know you want the nice, untouched cheesy one in the corner and aren't afraid to demand it. Enchilada serving 101? Check.

We bought the groceries for dinner (125 people) from the Superstore, and this is the grocery list to the tune of our $400 budget, and many stares later, especially when we cleared out the chicken section:
- 18 packages of large chicken thighs
- 3 flats of condensed mushroom soup
- 2 5lb blocks of Mozza cheese
- 14 boxes of Stovetop Stuffing
- 10 kg bag of rice
- large block of butter

- 6 bags of ready to go salad
- 6 Red Peppers
- 6 red onions
- 6 large cans of cooked chickpeas

- 5 flats of yummy Nanaimo bars (28 per box)
- 3 giant tubs of chocolate ice-cream

From the list, you may gather that calerie counting has not been considered. We've been instructed that the heartier the meal for these folks, the better. So that's what we did. Thanks Mom for the Chicken recipe! It was a hit! And now, it's time for bed after cooking the afternoon away...
Amanda :)