My Christmas Eveis a heartwarming poem written by retired Ohio State Trooper, Bob Welsh.
The first time I heard this poem was when the retired trooper shared it before a small group and I found it on YouTube seven years ago. I shared in an old blog post.
I knew it was a special story and a few years later, I was delighted to see that the California Highway Patrol had embraced it and recreated the story in this touching video. It is bittersweet to share it when there is so much sadness in the law enforcement community right now. May God bless and protect those who continue to shine the badge and serve their community with honor and courage.
Merry Christmas to you all....wishing you peace and happiness in 2021!
Guess what.....more lasagna, LOL!
I really wanted to make Chicken Fettucine Alfredo, but since Covid has snafued any officers gathering at my table, I wasn't sure how well it would travel. I'm not a professional caterer, nor do I have all the warmers and equipment for catering, so I was worried the alfredo sauce wouldn't be hot, or it would spill in the car, or the noodles would all stick together - so many things could go wrong - and I would end up mortified if it wasn't terrific, so I erred on the side of caution. I hope to see these guys again after the new year, so maybe I'll have the Alfredo thing all figured out by then.
One thing that has stayed with me since that night, and what I love the most about what I do, is just sitting back and listening to these guys laugh and tell stories at the table. I love the camaraderie the officers have with each other. The thin blue line runs deep and they really do have each other's back (their 6). This has been a particularly tough year for all law enforcement officers, so being able to bring this small unit together before their shift to enjoy a meal at the same table made me very happy.
Part of the conversation during dinner (and they brought it up) was how to get me set-up with a food cart to sell my cream puffs. I mean, they were working on a price and a menu, LOL....($4/each or 3/$10). See what I mean....they're hilarious -- or maybe they just love them that much. But whatever the reason, their interest made me feel loved. They even had a location all planned out! It's definitely something I think about - like maybe in my retirement - but there would be so much to work out - ie: business license, food truck, kitchen facilities, safety, etc.
I used my two 'Rachel Ray Lasagna Luggers' again and they worked out great. They're still available if you've been looking for something like this - Macy's has them and, of course, Amazon. They're about $38/each.
Law enforcement officers need our support now more than ever. If you've been wanting to do something for the officers where you live, just do it! It will make you feel as good as it will them. It doesn't have to be anything big. They'll appreciate your support and kindness.
Stay safe my friends....until next time. ♥
Cream Puffs
Banana Pudding
Rachel Ray Lasagna Lugger -- keeps food hot!
I did a blog post on my food truck dream in 2018 and you can read it here. I think I like these two the best.
Last month, November 12, I had the pleasure of delivering lunch to CMPD's Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) at CMPD Headquarters. It was just one of those visits that went perfectly and as I update my blog (almost a month later), I'm smiling as I think back at how perfect the day was, despite the rain.
The rain was extremely heavy that day and emergency warnings were going off like crazy. Some roads were blocked due to flooding and I had to take a detour to get there. I'm not sure how, but l arrived 25 minutes early to set-up for an 11:30 am lunch.
It felt weird to roll out of bed at 6:00 am and immediately put two big pots of water on to boil for the lasagna noodles. But for ONCE, everything went like clockwork -- I couldn't believe it and I was so proud of myself.
The Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) joined the lunch too and everyone (RTCC and CIU) couldn't have been nicer. So warm and welcoming. It was one of those visits that left me smiling all the way home and still thinking about into the night. It just made me so happy to know that they enjoyed it and had been looking forward to it.
The RTCC monitors cameras all over Charlotte. They're able to catch car thieves, stolen tags, and missing people, to name a few. Their office is dimly lit with about 8 big screens on one wall that can be split into at least 4 cameras per screen. I found it all quite interesting.
After everyone fixed a plate, the Lieutenant and a CIU detective came up to me and gave me their department's 'challenge coin'. I don't think they freely give these out, so it made it all the more special. The ABC Unit gave me one a few years ago, so now I have a small collection started.
Because I'm not a professional caterer and lasagna travels so well, that's what I made. On the menu was Lasagna, Salad, Garlic Toast, Banana Pudding and Cream Puffs. I made 20 puffs and 24 servings of banana pudding and in 90 minutes the desserts were GONE! There was just a few servings of lasagna and salad leftover so we put that in the refrigerator for 3rd shift.
Despite the rain and gloom that day, I am reminded why I love doing this so much. Every visit is different because people are different. I think some officers 'get me' and some don't, and that's OK. The officers that day 'got me' and the old girl knocked this lunch out of the park! 💙
I started wrapping the napkins and plasticware due to Covid.
After everyone fixed a plate, the Lieutenant and a CIU detective came up to me and gave me their department's 'challenge coin'. I don't think they freely give these out, so it made it all the more special. The ABC Unit gave me one a few years ago, so now I have a small collection started.
With Covid-19 and other world events going on, it hasn't been a good time for the officers to gather at my table. I miss seeing my friends around the table and looking out the window waitng for the first patrol car to round the corner, but it's not about me....it's about them, so I have been making a few meal deliveries. I have delivered meals before, but with so much unrest right now, it felt different. So much pressure on law enforcement officers. Protesting at unprecedented levels; so much hate; so much uncertainty. And for all those that disrespect the badge, the officers have to protect even those who hate and protest against them. They're our protectors. We work, and they protect. We sleep, and they protect. I am so proud of my own CMPD and the few officers that I was honored to feed this past month. I made lasagna each time because it's so easy to transport. But after three deliveries and nine pans of lasagna in the last month, this will be it for lasagna for a while. I say that now, but truth be known, if they said that's what they wanted for dinner....that's what I'd make. Thursday, June 11 was lunch for the South Division. Whata nice visit. I haven't seen these officers since March when Covid-19 exploded so I was really looking forward to my visit. It is the South Division officers I have known the longest, even though so many from my early days of cooking have now retired. I usually set up my meals in the roll call room. I was there for about 2-1/2 hours as I watched the officers come, eat, and go. We kept our distance and we did a few 'elbow bumps' to say hello and goodbye. I'm smiling just thinking about it. That's my happy place. Friday, June 26 was dinner for the awesome detectives with the ABC Unit. Really, just a super bunch of guys. They have gathered at my table a few times and I have delivered once before. They all were so welcoming and made me feel like I was a family member they hadn't seen for a while. A few were sharing family and pet pictures with me from their cell phone while we enjoyed a nice dinner. They always make me feel like part of the family. I received a nice thank you note from the sergeant a few days later which surely guaranteed another dinner in their future. So nice....thank you, Sir. It was my pleasure. Saturday, July 18, I delivered lunch to the brave officers in the Independence Division. This was my first visit to Independence. After 10 years of cooking for my friends, I still get a little nervous when feeding a new bunch of officers, and nervous, in general, when I'm cooking for others, but the officers were very personable and made me feel welcome. I was so pressed for time I didn't take one photo. With 12 officers standing in line for food, taking a few photos for this blog post was not an option. The photos in this post are from my June 11 lunch, but the meals were identical. :) I tried my best to arrive 20 minutes early, but it's very hard. Everything is so unpredictable. Kitchen snafus, under-estimating cooking time, forgetting the ice (which is what happened Saturday). Oh, I remembered it, but I forgot to put it in the car. I'm not a professional caterer -- just a working girl -- and an 'old' working girl at that. The heat index was like 102 degrees outside, so after 6-7 trips from the kitchen to the garage to load the car, I looked like I had mowed the yard by the time I arrived. But I can't complain when these officers are working in this heat wearing a 6 lb. bulletproof vest and a 20 lb. duty belt. God bless them all! Now I know why one of my officers loves winter so much. This was the second time I made the lasagna the night before and popped them in the refrigerator to cook the next morning, but allowing enough time to bring them to room temperature takes longer than you would think. As a result, I had to cook them longer -- I just couldn't get them to heat through. So STRESSFUL! Because of the extra cooking time, I thought they were rather on the dry side, so I won't make these a day ahead again.
One officer invited me to do a ride-along which made me feel all the more welcome. They are more than happy for you to ride with them if you complete the required paperwork and application (and I have to complete it too each time), but I can't recall anyone ever asking me first. I have done four ride-alongs in the past 10 years (South, Steele Creek, Metro, and Hickory Grove). I enjoy seeing the response area each officer is protecting -- some roads I have never traveled. I'll enjoy a ride with Independence in the near future.
My long-time and best girlfriend in Tampa surprised me with a generous contribution towards my lunch for Independence. I won't call her out so not to embarrass her, but last week she sent me a photo taken several years ago of the two of us and another mutual friend. I was expecting the photo in the mail, but the check that fell in my lap was a big surprise. You are a true 'BLUE' friend, dear girl, and I love you. 💙 We all have that one 'forever' friend, and she is mine.
While coordinating this lunch, in one of my emails exchanges with the sergeant, he ended his email with "Thanks so much for caring for us."
It made me tear up a little.
You are very welcome, Sir....you are very welcome!
Last week was National Police Week. In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls, asNational Police Week. Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week is dedicated to honoring law enforcement officers and pays special recognition to those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of others. ~ NLEOMF
It is a time to honor the law enforcement officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. Many citizens choose this week to express their gratitude to the police officers in their own community. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way police departments all over the country honored their fallen. My own police department hosted a 'virtual' service and live-streamed it. I typically attend this service each year in-person, but as I watched from the comfort of my own home, there
was no doubt that much thought and preparation went into making the service
meaningful and just as special as if we had all gathered in the church. Because
of the ‘stay at home order’ still in effect, I think the live-streamed service gave many citizens a
first-time opportunity to watch.
In 2019, 135* officers in the United States were killed in the line of duty. Rest in peace officers.... time will not diminish our respect for you.
This video honors 32 officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, as well as surrounding agencies: Cornelius Police Department, Davidson Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Huntersville Police Department, Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, NC Department of Motor Vehicles (Enforcement).
When I hosted my 10th Annual Christmas Lunch for CMPD in December, I tried a new macaroni and cheese recipe. Trying out a new recipe for a table full of police officers is never a good idea, but after watching the video from 'Jehan Can Cook' on YouTube, I felt pretty good about it. And I was right....it was delicious!
I modified it a little though -- like Jehan's recipe called for Gruyere cheese and I wasn't exactly sure what Gruyere cheese was made of or how it tasted. I'm sure a mac/cheese I've ordered at some restaurants have used it, but it was kind of on the pricey side, so I decided to use more cheddar instead. And like many mac/cheese recipes, it also called for mustard, and I always leave that out. I just have never used it, and again, trying something new when feeding others is no time to test things out.
Since I'm not a pro-chef by any stretch of the imagination, after searching the internet for a good mac/cheese recipe, I learned that shredding your own cheese is key to making great macaroni and cheese (it melts more smoothly), but there is nothing easy by the trade-off. Shredding your own cheese is very time-consuming and take it from this inexperienced cook, shred it a few days ahead of time if you don't want to have a nervous breakdown. In the end, it will be a huge time-saver. As much as you can do ahead of time, do it!
My hand-held cheese grater is quite old (it doesn't even have the gripper at the bottom like the new ones), and grating 3 lbs. of cheese can take some time. When I hosted another dinner two months later (February 2020), my Christmas macaroni and cheese came up in conversation and how long it takes to shred cheese, and one of the sergeants said..."you need a food processor!"
Well, I wouldn't exactly call it divine intervention, but it was a wonderful coincidence -- the very next day while I was trying to wake up, I was thinking about my visit with everyone the night before. I made a pot of coffee and started scanning TV channels and QVC had a 9-cup Kitchen Aid food processor as their 'Today's Special Value w/ free shipping'. It was perfect and I knew I had to have it! It's too big; not too small.
This is Jehan's YouTube tutorial on this recipe:
Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
1 lb. Macaroni cooked according to directions on the package
2 lb. Sharp cheddar cheese, grated
8 oz Gruyere cheese ** or smoked gouda, grated
8 oz White cheddar, grated
4 cups whole milk
¼ cup butter
¼ cup flour
1 tsp Dijon or yellow mustard (optional)
¼ tsp black pepper or pepper sauce
½ tsp salt
1 egg beaten
** I substituted Gruyere with 8 oz. Mild Cheddar since I wasn't sure what it tasted like -- I already had 2 lbs. of Sharp cheddar. A friend of mine made this Christmas day and used Gruyere and she loved it! I'll try it next time.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 baking dish
then set aside.
In a large heavy bottom sauce pot over low heat melt butter.
Add flour and stir until smooth.
Add milk and cook until milk is warm and sauce has thickened
a bit. Set 1 1/2 cup of grated cheese aside, this will be for the top.
Add reminder of cheeses, black pepper, Dijon mustard, salt
and egg then stir until smooth. Add macaroni to the cheese sauce, stir making
sure the macaroni is well coated.
Pour into a large baking dish, sprinkle with remaining
cheese.
Place into oven and cook for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling
and golden brown.
So here we are....it's mid-April and the entire world is facing this pandemic called COVID-19. I am going on my 5th week of working from home as I'm sure many of you are as well.
My last meal for the South Divisionwas February 15. I didn't write about it, but it was a great day!
17 officers sat at my table throughout the day. It was a doubleheader (lunch for 1st shift and dinner for 2nd/3rd shift). It's so much fun listening to these officers enjoying a meal together.
Since that time, I have had to postpone all meals and cream puff deliveries. I had hoped to offer at least lunch and dinner 'To-Go' a few times, but after giving that idea more thought, I thought it best not to. That would mean a trip to the grocery store and, well, you just never know.
I am doing my best to follow the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control to protect myself:
* Clean your hands often. * Avoid close contact. * Cover your mouth and nose when around others. * Cover your coughs and sneezes. * Clean and disinfect. To learn more about the CDC guidelines, clickhere.
While I may be on my 5th week of working from home, police officers don't have that luxury -- they are left vulnerable and at risk to COVID-19. I don't expect it will be anytime soon when my friends can gather at my table, but until then, my blue candle continues to shine in my dining room window - all day, every day - to honor my friends behind the badge. It keeps me mindful to pray for them. I hope it keeps them mindful of the lady on the corner who cares about them. Stay well, everyone!
My work is interfering with my blogging! So busy at work....so busy at home, and I have so much to share! In particular, another CMPD volunteer assignment that I am very excited about (I'll save that for another post), and I celebrated my 10 year anniversary of cooking for my friends! I am having my blog redesigned to commemorate my anniversary. I wanted to share the highlights from my 10th CMPD Christmas lunch for the South Division. It was a hard meal to make because I had one of my busiest months ever at work and couldn't take off the time I needed to stay on track -- I thought I would have a nervous breakdown. I was getting so far behind, but thanks to my sweet and long-time friend, Melanie, who came to my rescue the night before. It was a very nice turn-out. After lunch, the 1st shift officers left to deliver the toys they had collected for the families who were having a rough time of it. I had just enough time to tidy up the kitchen and load the dishwasher when around 1:45 pm, several 2nd shifters stopped by. A new sergeant stopped by too who had never been to my home before, and that's always nice. I'll share the secret to the 'make ahead' mashed potatoes in another post, but what a time-saver that was, and the macaroni and cheese recipe I found on YouTube was restaurant quality. I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. My holiday lunch is always the highlight of my Christmas, and I look forward to it every year. I just wish it didn't go by so darn fast.
♥
I found this Mac/Cheese recipe on YouTube. It was EXCELLENT!
I'll share the recipe in another post!
Make-ahead Mashed Potatoes -- I'll share this secret in another post. Wow! What a time-saver!
What a lovely view....
Beautiful holiday flowers from my friends in the South Division.
