Angels in our midst!

In this season of miracles and giving, I was humbled and honored last week when my boss and colleagues presented me with an abundance of Harris Teeter gift cards … enough to sponsor 6-7 breakfasts or 3-4 dinners. There are not many times I find myself speechless, but I couldn’t talk through all the tears.  I was so touched by their sincerity and generosity.

I shared the news of my co-workers' thoughtfulness with my officers today.  I wanted them to know they had secret angels in their midst.  One Sgt. commented … “What a generous gift from your co-workers; it gives us a sense of appreciation the community has for us.”

Through your gift to me, you honored them.  You let them know, loud and clear, that they are appreciated!

You are all angels, I say, angels!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

      

Real maple syrup from Vermont...and all is right with the world!

What an amazing month this has been.  My friends and colleagues have been so gracious with their time and their gifts  to help support my breakfast and dinners.  I am posting yet another example of a gracious and giving heart.  

An enormous thank you to my friend and colleague, Kate B, for the special surprise I received in the mail.  Kate lives in Vermont, where all the great real maple syrup comes from.  I can finally say, without hesitation, that real maple syrup is the bomb!  A week after my video was unveiled, a special package arrived.  I saw that it was from Kate and couldn't figure out what she could be sending me (she usually gives me a heads-up when she sends business mail.)

Well....Oh. My. Gosh!  Kate had sent my officers a half-gallon of Carman Brook Maple & Dairy Farm real maple syrup.  Kate saw the syrup bottles in the video and wanted my officers to have a special treat. Not only was it a special treat for them, it was for me too -- I have never had real maple syrup before.  Shocking, isn't it!! 

Thank you Miss Kate.  Your syrup was christened with the debut of my pumpkin spice pancakes.  Everybody loved it and my officers and I all agree...there is nothing like real Vermont maple syrup.
  

Carman Brook  Maple & Dairy Farm

Click here for yummy maple syrup recipes!

A big thank you to the big hearts at Olive Garden – Pineville, NC

I would like to thank the Olive Garden for their awesome contribution towards my Tuesday night dinner last week.  I made Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and with that, of course, you must have a salad.  I mentioned to a friend and colleague about how blah my salads seem to be and how much time two heads of lettuce take to clean, then spin, then drain -- spin, drain, spin, drain, spin, drain!  It takes a LONG time – for me anyway! 

Before I knew it, my friend (thank you, Val) was on the phone to the Olive Garden asking about their service to the community and if they ever donate to causes, etc.  Without hesitation, the manager said they would love to help and donated two HUGE salads and two dozen breadsticks.  The salads were so big, I was able to extend an invitation for leftovers on Wednesday night and had one large salad to serve.  Six officers stopped by Tuesday night and another five on Wednesday. 

Thank you Olive Garden for extending your big heart beyond your restaurant walls.  Every officer who sat at my table thanks you also.  Your salad and breadsticks were an extra special treat! 

Spiced Iced Tea

Every now and then an officer will ask me for my sweet tea recipe. A few have called it 'the best tea in Charlotte'. Well, I don't know about all that, but I'm glad they like it. It has just a hint of spice that will leave your guests a little puzzled. They know there is something different about it, but they can't quiet figure it out.  

I hope you enjoy it too!  

Spiced Iced Tea

• 1 Bigelow ‘Constant Comment’ tea bags (flavored w/ sweet spice)  
• 3 family size Luzianne tea bags 
• 1 cup sugar
• Two quart tea pitcher

Remove the paper tags from each tea bag.  Put all 4 tea bags in the filter holder of your coffee maker. I will usually put the regular family tea bags on the bottom and the spiced tea bag on top. I don't know if it makes any difference, but that’s what I do. Pour 8 cups of cold water in the water reservoir and brew. 

Note:  If your family or guests like the spice flavor, try two Bigelow tea bags and 3 regular family tea bags. I have made it both ways, but usually just one.

Put one cup sugar in your two quart tea pitcher.  Pour the hot brewed tea in the pitcher w/ the sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add cold water to the 2 quart line. Stir again and chill.  If I need to serve pronto, I'll add ice cubes to the hot tea and stir until ice melts.  Then add water to the 2 quart line, if needed.

I usually brew 'decaffinated' tea because, unlike coffee, I can't tell a difference from the caffeinated. Use whatever brand you enjoy -- it doesn't have to be Luzianne. 

THREE Family Size Tea Bags

ONE Constant Comment Tea Bag

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes!

After reading DOZENS of recipes -- all made from scratch, I think I have been successful in finding just one recipe where the amount of spices and pumpkin complimented the Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete mix that I use.  When you’re cooking for a 6-8-10, and making lots of other things, there is no time for making some things from scratch, I'm sorry to say.  Does that really bother me?  Nope!  My previous two test batches were mushy and gummy, and these were light and fluffy.  And they are easy enough so I’ll be able to whip up a plain batch just in case someone isn’t crazy about pumpkin.  I can’t wait to make them on Saturday.  If you try them, let me know how you like them.     

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

2 cups Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete pancake mix
1-1/2 cups water

3 tablespoons Libby's Pumpkin Puree (no more or pancakes could get mushy)

¼ tsp All Spice

¼ tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Sugar

¼ c. chopped pecans (optional)

In a small bowl, mix the pumpkin, sugar and spices together. In a larger bowl, add the pancake mix, water and pumpkin mixture and mix well until the large lumps disappear (use a wire whisk if you have one).  Stir in the pecans if you’re using them.  I usually transfer the mixture to a plastic tea pitcher -- it makes it easier to pour.  Let stand 1-2 minutes to thicken.  Heat the griddle to 350 degrees.  After the griddle is hot, lightly grease to prevent sticking (I use spray Pam.)  Pour the mix on the griddle making 3-5 pancakes.  After the pancake starts to bubble and the bottom is a golden brown, flip it over.  Takes just a minute after you flip it, then it's done.  

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

Now you see it...now you don't!

It's always a special night for me when I get to cook dinner for the troops. 14 officers stopped by and two new officers knocked on my door. Note to self....'always make 3 casseroles instead of two' -- NO MATTER WHAT! 

I think they liked my banana pudding!

Is making pancakes from scratch worth the effort?

We all love being able to say 'I made it from scratch.' It gives you bragging rights and a little more pride and self-satisfaction. But honestly, there are so many great products on the grocery store shelves, it's not always worth the extra effort. And, in my opinion, in some cases, 'scratch' is not always 'better.' The troops seem to love my Applesauce Pancakes every other Saturday. I let them know they're 'Aunt Jemima' and when I see them gobbled up and how much they love them, my smile is just as wide....and I'm just as proud!

I came across this article on 'store bought' vs. 'scratch' pancake mix and I thought I would pass it along. The answer: "Save yourself the arm workout, because it doesn't seem to make any noticeable difference in pancake fluffiness." 

Link to article: 'Is MakingPancakes From Scratch Worth the Effort?'



8.20.11 ~ Applesauce Pancakes

I ♥ my dishwasher!

There was a lot of excitement this morning at AHOP. I can’t tell you the whole story yet, but soon. My alarm went off at 4:15 a.m. to get ready for the festivities, and there was not a minute to waste on the snooze button. Thank you to all eleven officers who stopped by to support Miss Ann's big day. Below are a few humorous pictures of my kitchen ‘after’ a typical breakfast. 

I (could) stay in the kitchen and clean up along while everyone is gathered at the table, but I choose to visit. Plus, breakfast has to be cooked really fast....there really is no time to clean up. I'm either cooking or visiting.  

You might think clean-up would be a chore -- it's anything but!  It's the time I reflect on the morning -- thinking about the officers who came and what kind of day they'll have, the funny stories, the relaxed atmosphere. It all goes by so fast.

Breakfast is a messy business. My dishwasher will get loaded (3 times) and the kitchen will get cleaned.....after my nap.     

 

Southern Banana Pudding......

I am happy to say my monthly Tuesday night dinners are gaining momentum. Seven officers stopped by for dinner throughout the evening and one new officer knocked on my door – HOORAY! Lots of leftovers though and I’m sick of spaghetti -- but it was tasty!  I have recently stopped using jar sauce and have started making my own. I did manage to take a picture of one dessert! Very easy to make - enjoy!  

Southern Banana Pudding

2 cups cold milk

1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Banana Cream Instant Pudding/Pie filling

1 (8 ounce) container Cool Whip Topping thawed

30 vanilla wafer cookies

3 bananas

Directions

1.  Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix.  Beat with wire whisk 2  minutes. Let stand 3 minutes. Gently stir in 1-1/2  cups whipped topping.

2.  Place 10 of the cookies on bottom of a 2-quart serving bowl. Top with 1/3 of the bananas and 1/3 of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers ending with pudding mixture. 

3.  Put 6-10 wafers in a Zip-Loc baggie and close (leave a small opening for air to escape), and

     take a rolling pin to crush the wafers, then sprinkle on top.

4.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 8

Southern Banana Pudding
(picture shown was a double batch to serve 16)

Guess who's coming for breakfast?

I love my breakfast Saturdays.  It turns my ordinary ho-hum weekend into something extraordinary and a day I look forward to.  7:35 am rolled around and no officers.  I started to worry there may have been some confusion due to the impromptu breakfast last weekend, but then I looked outside and noticed the roads were wet from a light rain -- that explained it.  Anyway, they arrived and, I'm happy to say, with appetites.

Among other things, I made my Applesauce Pancakes. Ridiculously easy to make: 

Applesauce Pancakes
2 cups Aunt Jemima Buttermilk Complete pancake mix
1-1/2 cups water
1 little 4 oz. cup of Motts Cinnamon Applesauce

Update 1.1.12 -- I have recently started adding chopped pecans and a splash of McCormick 'All Spice' to my Applesauce pancakes.  McCormick All Spice is a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove all-in-one. I am somewhat of a 'late bloomer' in the kitchen, so I am learning a lot of this as I go....but having a BLAST!  Some of you have shared with me that your kids and grandkids love the recipe as originally posted (without the pecans and All Spice). My advice to you is don't change it! If they love it, I would go with the 'if it ain't broken, don't fix it' concept. Split the batter if you want to try the All Spice and pecans and let them have a bite. I have a feeling they'll like it though. :)

Mix the pancake mix and water together until the large lumps disappear (use a wire whisk if you have one).  Add the applesauce and stir or whisk well.  Let stand 1-2 minutes to thicken.  I usually transfer the mixture to a plastic tea pitcher -- it makes it easier to pour.  Heat the griddle to 350 degrees.  After the griddle is hot, lightly grease to prevent sticking (I use spray Pam.)  Pour the mix on the griddle making 3-5 pancakes.  After the pancake starts to bubble and the bottom is a golden brown, flip it over.  Takes just a minute after you flip it, then it's done. 

Enjoy! 

To all of my officers, be safe and thank you for your service always.

p.s. I was brave this morning and slept in .....

No more babysitting the bacon!

When I cooked my first breakfast for the South Division 1st shifters on June 26, 2010, 11 officers came that first morning. There were so many police cars coming and going throughout the morning that a TV news truck pulled up and asked one of the officers what was going on. That still makes me laugh!

Anyway, it didn't take me long to learn that I needed to 'cook smarter' if I had to fry up three packs of bacon at a time. Thank goodness, some friends of mine (Frank and Diane) were visiting from Tampa that weekend and Diane told me about a chef on the Food Network who cooks bacon in the oven.  So I tried it and I really liked it. 

Martha Stewart has a fool-proof way to cook bacon.

Of course, I have to modify the way I do it because I 'partially' cook the bacon a few days ahead of a big breakfast. Then the morning of the breakfast, I cook it the rest of the way on a stove-top griddle. It's a HUGE time-saver.

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
• Line your rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Bake for 12-13 minutes, rotating the sheet once at the halfway through cooking time.
• SET A TIMER!  It is so much easier to forget about it when it's not on the stove. I set my timer for 7 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for another 5-7 minutes (check it at 5 minutes to see if it needs another minute or two.)  Ovens vary, so you might need a few extra minutes. I have a double-oven and the bottom oven tends to cook about 2-3 minutes faster than the top oven. Whether you're using one oven or two, I would start checking it after a total of 11 minutes. 
• Don't forget, my cooking time is for 'partially' cooked bacon. Cook longer as needed if you are ready to serve it.   

 
What I love about cooking a lot of bacon at one time is that if I have any left over, I can microwave individual slices for 60 seconds for a quick BLT or just a minute or two in the frying pan.

I store my partially cooked bacon in a Tupperware or Rubbermaid rectangle air-tight container and stack the back in-between paper towel sheets.

Just a typical Saturday morning at AHOP

Some friends of mine have been encouraging me to start a blog to document all of my cooking events for the CMPD.  Yesterday, the blog finally started to take shape and it developed a cute little personality, so I thought I would start the blogging process today.

Yesterday the rain woke me at 3:15 am.  It wasn't a breakfast Saturday, so I could sleep in.  But I started thinking about my officers and what kind of day they'd have if the rain continued.  The next thing I knew, I was sending an email to the two 1st shift sergeants to see if there was any interest in an impromptu breakfast.  One sergeant replied encouraging me to go back to sleep and said "are you sure you want to do this?"  He had been summoned the night before to be at the office at 3:30 am, so I think my email was a pleasant surprise.  So I got busy! Impromptu is always fun!  5 officers, 2 volunteers, laughter and great conversation.