The uber-pucker-y key lime pie (Did I add the lime juice twice?) that I only tasted myself after I had sent home generous slices with hurried guests. At least they were able to privately feed it to their garbage disposals without embarrassment.
The crunchy bean dish that was the result of an extra handful of beans added on Sunday morning. Surely they’ll have time to soften, I reasoned. Surely not.
And then there was our first Sunday lunch at this church.
This was the time that I confidently popped a ham into the oven before church—only to find out after church that I never turned it on. An audience of first-time acquaintances watched as I microwaved individual slices.
If only I could say, 7 years after that particular crisis, that I never make a mistake when having people over. In reality, the Lord continues to provide opportunities to kill my pride. But, I have developed a few rules for myself that at least minimize panic on Sunday at noon.
Rules for Sunday Lunch in a Fallen World:
1. The main dish must have a flexible portion size. “A few people” will multiply. Girls bring their brand-new-never-before-seen boyfriends. Visitors arrive at church with road-weary appetites. And 6 salmon filets are tough to stretch. Winners in the flexible category include soups, large cuts of meat that can be sliced thin, and pasta.
2. Most of the food must be do-ahead. Maybe Giada can whip up a little something minutes after walking in the door from church, accompanied by a hungry mob, but if it can’t be cooked on Saturday, I’m not attempting it. The exception to this rule is a dish that can cook in the oven or crock-pot slow cooker while we are at church.
3. If they offer to bring something, say yes. Most people are more than happy to bring a salad, bread, or a dessert. Those three items can span a range from store-bought to gourmet without embarrassment to the bringer, and at great time and money savings to you, the hostess. With this in mind, I love simple main dishes that can coordinate just fine with whatever salad or dessert walks in the door.
One dish that follows the rules is Red Beans and Rice, a New Orleans classic that has the added benefit of being cheap. Y’all come on in!
My worst weeknight meal for a guest was the time I served piping hot pasta on a warm summer night to a young man I barely knew. While eating dinner, I found out that he just came from work at the local spaghetti factory where the inside temperature was sweltering!
ReplyDeleteReminds me of a true story I heard from a pastor.
ReplyDeleteI dear older woman in the congregation made him an apple pie to thank him for his pastoral care.
She could barely see however and when the pastor cut into the pie at home he found it filled with nasty bits of hair, dust etc. He had to throw it away. What to tell the dear woman when she asked how he liked the pie? His answer:
"Mam, pies like that don't last long at our house!"
BDE
Great article. For a couple years now we have invited the entire church to our house for lunch each Lord's Day. The most who have come at one time was about 30. On that day we had to break out frozen pizzas and bags of chips to help fill the food need. Even if there isn't enough food or dishes, we never regret having all those people over and find it such a blessing we try to always do it.
ReplyDeleteI started to keep a few things handy for these unpredictable Lord's Days. I started to keep a stash of "fine china" (plastic ware) in my buffet for the days when I run out of plates and forks, or just "steam" for washing dishes afterward. I also keep extra easy to prepare foods in my pantry or freezer - like frozen pizza, chips, cheese and crackers, fresh fruit, whatever was on a good sale. I try to set the bread maker to have a loaf ready for us when we get home to help with making the food spread farther too. Folks love fresh bread, especially if you can throw a few spices in it and make it a little gourmet - like carraway seeds and dehydrated onions, or rosemary and garlic. Have a bit of butter or balsamic vinegar and olive oil on the side and people enjoy it.
When I lived in the South my experience was that folks either didn't offer to help clean up afterwards or they didn't want help cleaning up afterwards (when we went to someone else's house). but here I find that folks both want to help clean up afterwards and want help cleaning up if you go to their house. It took me a while, but I learned that I am not superwoman and "many hands make fast work" so I let them help me clean up as we continue fellowship over a sink full of dishes.
Heather
Reminds me of a true story I heard from a pastor.
ReplyDeleteI dear older woman in the congregation made him an apple pie to thank him for his pastoral care.
She could barely see however and when the pastor cut into the pie at home he found it filled with nasty bits of hair, dust etc. He had to throw it away. What to tell the dear woman when she asked how he liked the pie? His answer:
"Mam, pies like that don't last long at our house!"
BDE
Heather, I'm so encouraged by your emphasis on welcoming others, rather than becoming a slave to a Martha Stewart magazine-cover meal! Surely your church members leave your home feeling loved; and letting them help with the dishes probably encourages some of the best conversations of the afternoon. Plus. . .who doesn't love being greeted by the smell of fresh bread?! Thanks for sharing some wonderful ideas.
ReplyDeleteI love this post. And do you what? I totally needed to be reminded to let others bring something. Why do I always say "No" when they ask if they can bring something? No sure but when you look at the bread and salad...it really does save on money and those last minute details. I like this. So simple and yet something I've never really done. I guess it's nice to be invited to someone's house and not even have to bring anything and that is my thought behind it. But when I reverse it I'm glad to go to someone's house and not have to do anything but bring the salad!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melody, for your enthusiastic comments. They warm the cockles of a blogger's heart!
ReplyDelete