Because of the great response we have gotten and this meal is only made 4/times a year we have settled on making cowboy meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, hot rolls and chocolate chip cookies.  I wanted to get someone other than Mike Bisaga to lead the meal prep, especially making the meatloaf in case he couldn’t attend in the future.  Anyone who has seen him work in the kitchen knows Mike is not only a great cook but also a skillful leader in making sure everything is done just right and on time.  Ken Welter had mentioned previously he would be glad to try so I contacted Mike to see if he could just instruct and observe w/me taking copious notes.  Mike arrived early and tried his best but couldn’t help pitching in as I saw him dicing bacon, garlic and onions for the green beans.  with Mike looking on and instructing Ken mixed and made 15 lbs. of meatloaf and Mike and I agreed it was our best batch yet.  (Maybe Mike is a better teacher than a cook?)  Ken would tell me things to write down for future reference and also sent me a detailed e-mail the following day with some other ideas.  I now feel confident we could survive a Mike miss even though he will be always welcomed.  Hopefully, Ken will be there the next time to reinforce what he learned and then we’ll work on getting Harold Bates to jump in and make the meatloaf in the future.  Harold had been at all five of the meal preps since I’ve been in charge and he cheerfully does whatever is needed.  Then we’ll keep adding on with anyone else that would like to try. I’m no cook but can organize and buy the ingredients so I guess Kenny Klimes knew what he was doing letting me be our liaison to RMH. 

We had three first time helpers:  Christor Beahm, Ed Ouimette, and Richard Doerr.  I couldn’t have asked for more.  They were all on time, pitched in on all chores enthusiastically and chatted with everyone and if you asked I’m positive they were glad to be there to experience all of it.

Tim Welsh has helped in the past and I asked him to bake the 72 or so chocolate cookies when he arrived.  Watching him prep with almost exact balls of dough meticulously spaced apart with precise brownness and crispness made me think he must have an engineering background.  We usually all try some freshly baked hot broken ones as we prep the meal but had to just sample a whole one as his turned out so good. 

 During our time there came a perfect moment to do more than cook a meal.  I overheard Tim talk about his experiences baking bread and I knew I had to connect him with Ricardo ( I had written about him last time as he’s been with his daughter for over a year here from Puerto Rico).  Ricardo prides himself as a really good bread baker who feeds everyone at the house on many occasions.  He lit up while conversing with Tim and I’m sure it made a memorable night in what has been a long journey for him. These are the type of experiences that seem to happen each and every time we are there.  Our next meal prep will be in May so come and join in. It will be here in no time as all of us older guys see time flying faster and faster.