Lunch for CMPD's RTCC and CIU....

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.

I stand with this line.....

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. What a 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!

♥

Honoring the Fallen.....

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, as National 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).

* Number as reported by the NLEOMF

♥

Cheesy Baked Macaroni and Cheese

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.
• Remove from oven. Allow to cool before serving.

For Jehan's website recipe, click here.

Christmas Mac/Cheese Photo

AHOP and COVID-19

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 Division was February 15. I didn't write about it, but it was a great day!

* Spaghetti w/ meat sauce
* Salad / Garlic Bread
* Cream Puffs and Banana Pudding
* Sweet Tea

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, click here.

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!

♥

AHOP's 10th Annual Christmas Lunch

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.

Dinner for the Hickory Grove Division....

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department jurisdiction is divided into 13 patrol divisions --North, University City, North Tryon, Freedom, South, Providence, Hickory Grove, Independence, Eastway, Central, Westover, Steele Creek, and Metro.   

Over the past 10 years, I have made the rounds with cream puff deliveries and, of course, hosting meals for the South Division in my home, but delivering dinner gets a little more complicated. It's a lot of back-and-forth communication and since I'm not a professional cook or caterer, I really have to stay as organized as possible so I don't forget anything and I arrive on-time.

And then there's the 'loading of the car ' -- that's a big job in itself. I dont' want to forget anything that would be easily assessible at home.

I have delivered dinner to the Metro Division several times and to Steele Creek once. The most recent dinner delivery - November 2 - was to the awesome officers of Hickory Grove. They were so warm and welcoming and I enjoyed my visit.

When I arrived on-site, I sent a note to the officer and sergeant who helped me coordinate the dinner. “I’m here”, I said. In about 5 seconds, the front door swings open and about 12 officers pile out to help unload the car...and it took every one of them. 

I love that part. It makes me smile big even thinking back. 

It took just a few minutes to set up everything and then everyone fixed a plate.

And just like that....it's over! These hard-working officers are back on the street doing what they do best -- protecting and serving the community.

The load on the way home was a lot lighter.  

This division will be moving soon to a new location and a brand new building. On December 1, I did a ride-along with Hickory Grove and the officer showed me their new building currently under construction. It's going to be beautiful and I couldn't be happier for them.   

♥

Why are chicken pot pies so hard to make?

I have made Chicken Pot Pie twice over the last decade for my friends behind the badge. Once in 2012 in individual ramekins and again in 2015.

In 2012, I made the gravy from scratch. It was a nightmare to make, but in the end it turned out great, but I vowed to never make it from scratch again.  

In 2015, I simplified the recipe by using Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup and canned vegetables. It was pretty good and I won't forget how Sgt. BJ raved about it, but for this lunch, I wanted a 'showstopper' pot pie for the officers at my table. 

Last week, I had a moment of temporary insanity and decided to make it from scratch (again).

I found this recipe on YouTube by chef, Laura Vitale, and tested it twice for myself. Each time I made it it was delicious! The thickness was just right and it had a good flavor.

I took a half-day off from work the day before my lunch and had the lunch prep under control. I made chef, Laura Vitale's recipe again, only this time, the gravy was way too thick and it was greasy.

What changed? Why didn't it turn out like the last two pot pies?

Well, here comes the problem of not being a professional chef, because I don't know what changed.  Was it because I tripled the recipe to make a giant Pot Pie? Maybe I didn't need to triple the butter or the heavy cream? I must've goofed it up somehow trying to triple the recipe. All I know is that I was at the grocery store at MIDNIGHT Friday night buying more chicken broth.

If you make it 'as written', I think you will also love it. By Laura Vitale (click here).

Saturday morning the alarm went off at 5:30 am and I shot out of bed like a piece of toast. The first thing I did was fire up the stove and I started making the chicken pot pie sauce again, but this time I used a different recipe. With the lunch just a few hours away, I couldn't risk another fail. The pot pie had to go in the oven at 9:30 am.

The second batch had a good flavor, by Food Network's Tyler Florence (click here), but I thought it was a little too soupy. Being a novice cook, I was afraid to start adding thickeners. Three hours before these officers were to arrive is no time to be experimental! Had this batch not turned out, I would've been ordering pizza.

All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon! Great conversation and these guys can make me laugh. The four officers who came have been coming to my house for more than 9-1/2 years and it was the first time this sergeant stopped by. By the time the last two officers left, it was almost time for 2nd shift to log-on, so I asked the sergeant to let them know in case they wanted to stop by and make a To-Go box (and a few did).

After the three 2nd shift officers left, I rested for about 90 minutes and around 4:00 pm, I made a To-Box and delivered it to an officer across town. 

So this old girl's job is not done -- the search for  the perfect 'fool proof' Chicken Pot Pie continues and I will find it! If anyone has a chicken pot pie recipe that you family raves about, I would love to hear from you -- please share in the comments.    

♥

Sweet Cornbread (click here)

Easy Southern Banana Pudding (click here)

Sweet Cornbread....

For years I have been looking for a good cornbread recipe. You know....the kind you get at family home-cooking restaurants. Mine has never measured up. It was always crumbly and, for the most part, tasteless. One restaurant chef actually gave me their recipe, but it was deliciously complicated, and I need 'easy' for this bunch, while not compromising goodness. I guess that's why I experiment so much.

While trying to perfect my Chicken Pot Pie recipe before inviting the troops back, I was also looking for a good cornbread recipe (they go hand-in-hand), and I found this recipe on the AllRecipes website. I really liked this recipe as it reminded me of cornbread I have had at a nearby restaurant. It didn't fall apart while trying to butter it and it had a lot of flavor.

SWEET CORNBREAD

From this recipe on AllRecipes

Ingredients
1 (8 ounce) package cornbread muffin mix (I used Jiffy mix)
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 (8 ounce) can canned cream corn
1/2 cup white sugar (I started to add just 1/4 c. of sugar, but decided to do as written)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. I used a muffin tin (12 muffins), lightly greased w/ butter and I sprayed Pam too. Original recipe called for a lightly greased a 9x13 inch baking pan, but I was worried there wasn't enough batter.
• Place the muffin mix a large mixing bowl. Stir in the milk and egg. Mix in the cream corn and sugar. If using a muffin tin, using a spring scoop makes it easy, if you have one. I filled the tins about 2/3 full.  
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of pan comes out clean. I started checking the muffins around 20 minutes.  

One officer benefited from a "test" Chicken Pot Pie to-go box. He recently transferred to another division and I don't run into him nearly as much as I used to (if at all), but he is very sweet to stay in touch, so a to-go box was the least I can do.

♥

Lasagna...tested and approved by the cops I cook for

I received a text message from an officer Sunday night asking for my lasagna recipe. The officer's birthday was the following day and her husband was making her birthday dinner. Asking for a recipe is the ultimate compliment for any cook, and an extra special compliment that my lasagna was birthday dinner-worthy.   

It took a little doing to pull the entire recipe together because the sauce recipe is in one place and the filling is in another. Not to mention explaining the 'building' of lasagna...that, in itself, is a big production. 

I don't have good picture of the lasagna on a plate, but I will next month and I will update this post.  

The sauce recipe is the Pioneer Woman's recipe (from the Food Network) and it makes a bunch! As written, it will make (3) 13x9" pans of  lasagna, or one large chafing tin (pictured below), but since it is somewhat time-consuming to make, I go ahead and make it as written, and then I can enjoy it during the week with spaghetti or freeze it.

SPAGHETTI SAUCE

Click here for the original Pioneer Woman's recipe 

Ingredients

• 5 pounds Ground Beef or Ground Round (I Used Ground Round)
• 3 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole large Yellow Onion, Diced 
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Diced  
• 6 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1 cup White Wine OR Low Sodium Beef Broth if you prefer (I used the beef broth since I'm cooking for the Po-Po)
• 2 cans 28 Ounce Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can (14 Oz. Size) Crushed Tomatoes  (14 oz cans are sometimes hard to find so you might have to buy 3 28 oz cans (instead of 2) and only use half of the 3rd can
• 1 can (small, 4-ounce) Tomato Paste
• 1 jar good store-bought Marinara Sauce (I used Ragu Traditional, but you use your favorite)
• 1 teaspoon Ground Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Ground Thyme
• 2 tablespoons Sugar (I used a little more than 2 tablespoons - it's tart)
• 2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

Instructions

Pioneer Woman's step-by-step photos and instructions, click here.

In a large pot over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef until totally browned. Remove meat from pot with a slotted spoon and put into a bowl. Set aside.  

Discard any grease in pot, but do not clean the pot. Drizzle in olive oil. When it is heated, throw in the diced onion and diced bell pepper. Stir it around for 1-1/2 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook for an additional minute. *Note: dicing the onion, green pepper, and garlic the night before is a huge time-saver.

Pour in the wine (or beef broth) and allow it to bubble up and reduce for about 1-1/2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and marinara sauce. Stir to combine, then add oregano, thyme, sugar, and salt. Stir, then add cooked ground beef and stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. 

LASAGNA FILLING AND LAYERING

40 years ago, the Mueller's Lasagna Noodle box had a recipe on the box called 'Classic Lasagna' and it was made with Cottage Cheese (not Ricotta). Being newly married at the time and an inexperienced cook, I followed the recipe as written and have been making it with Cottage Cheese ever since. If your preference is Ricotta, use that instead and I'm sure it will be delicious! 

This filling is for one (1) 13x9" pan of lasagna:

1 16 oz  Breakstone's Small Curd 4% Milkfat Cottage Cheese (or Ricotta)

2 cups Mozzarella Cheese (be careful not to use low fat -- it won't melt right)

1/2 cup Parmesan

2 eggs, lightly beaten
* Buy 2 packages of Mozzarella so you have two full cups left over to sprinkle on top (see below).

In a large mixing bowl add 2 cups (16 oz) cottage cheese (or ricotta), 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup Parmesan. Add lightly beaten eggs and mix well.  

After the sauce is ready, spray the bottom of the lasagna pan with spray PAM.

• Spread one cup of meat sauce to the bottom of the lasagna pan.
• Add three COOKED lasagna noodles lengthwise on top of sauce. Spread about 1/3 of cheese    mix on top of noodles. I do little even scoops, then try to spread it the best you can. Top with meat sauce (it's more than a cup - maybe 1-1/2 cups?) You want to make sure the noodles are covered well each time, but not so much you lose the filling.
• Repeat layers twice -- noodles - cheese mixture - sauce.
• After the last layer of cheese and sauce, add your last layer of noodles and top with meat sauce.  Make sure the ends are covered well with sauce so they don't burn.
• Cover lasagna with tin foil and bake for about 1 hour at 350 degrees. Take a peek at 50 minutes and see how it looks. If it looks really hot, remove foil and spread 1-2 cups of mozzarella on top and return to oven until melted and golden.

PHOTOS FROM MY OCTOBER 27th DINNER FOR CMPD METRO DIVISION:

As you can see, I haven't mastered the 'panoramic' photo feature on my phone.

Every officer signed this card that night with their own little message. I didn't include all the special comments in this photo.