6. CHURCH AND CLUB SUPPERS AND LUNCHEONS

Almost all women who have a sense of civic responsibility—and who doesn't these days?—will eventually take a turn at serving on the committee for a church or club supper or luncheon. The group to be served will usually be large, whether the occasion is designed to promote sociability among members or to make money for the club treasury.

In any case, there must be careful and intelligent planning beforehand. An experienced general chairman will undoubtedly be selected, and she will choose sub-committee chairmen who will make up their own committees and give each member certain responsibilities. Some of the members should be from the younger group that will eventually be called upon, as they become ex­perienced, to head the committees.

Under the leadership of the general chairman, there should be a main committee to plan the menu according to the amount of money that will be available to cover the cost of the food. The number to be served and the size of the servings must be estimated carefully. If a complete meal is to be prepared on the premises by the volunteers, typed recipes should be furnished. It is usually impractical to ask one person or group to prepare more than fifty servings.

The responsibility for purchase of the food as well as for planning the menus should be the function of the main committee. The chairman should appoint other committees and assign the work accordingly. The following outline shows the breakdown:

Main Committee for Planning and Purchasing Food Preparation Committee Duties of Chairman:

Check supplies and assign duties to members.

Indicate time of arrival for each group.

Distribute typed recipes several days ahead so that cooks will be familiar with them. Serving Committee

Check tablecloths, napkins, dishes and silver. Check service tables in kitchen and route to be followed in serving and removing food.

Set tables and decorate dining room. Clearing-up Committee

Check dish-washing equipment and supplies of soap or detergents, dish cloths and towels.

As soiled dishes return to kitchen, scrape, rinse, wash, dry and replace in cupboards.

One member (or more) of this committee should be re­sponsible for keeping kitchen in order during food prep­aration.

In earlier days, it was customary to have much of the food prepared in home kitchens and there was stimulating com­petition among members of the group who took pride in presenting their best products. This plan is still used where there are no facilities at the club, church or school for preparing large quantity recipes, but it is less common today than previously. When it is followed, women who are known to be experts in the preparation of certain dishes should be asked to contribute their specialties. Less experienced cooks should be called upon for donations of staples such as coffee, sugar and cream. Sometimes a smorgasbord type of meal is chosen for which a great variety of cold dishes may be prepared at home in comparatively small quantities. This allows participation by a great number of people.

Perhaps you have memories of church suppers of your child­hood where it was common to see roast turkeys, chicken pies, and possibly fruit pies of the highest quality. Today, the cost of food is so high that it is not always practical to offer such favorites. During the height of the season there may be a turkey supper, but a profitable supper or luncheon usually depends on inex­pensive food attractively and tastily prepared. When chickens are plentiful and reasonable in price, a chicken fry might be planned, but it calls for much work at the last minute. Everyone will be satisfied if the chicken parts are cooked in the oven where there are facilities for this.

In general, such main dishes as spaghetti with a meat sauce, meat patties, meat loaf or Swiss steak are featured. There are certain advantages in the choice of these, as they may be prepared ahead of time and kept warm. Baked ham is always popular but an expert carver should be commandeered so that the most may be made of this. As fresh vegetables take time to prepare and are difficult to cook successfully in large quantities, it is usually more practical to serve frozen or canned vegetables dressed in some interesting fashion. Jellied salads or old-fashioned cole slaw that can be prepared ahead of time are in most cases a better choice than a tossed green salad that wilts quickly after mixing. If a green salad is on the menu, one member of the committee should be assigned to prepare it at the last moment. Desserts such as pies and ice cream are generally purchased, unless some of the members volunteer to make them at home.

Most of the recipes in this chapter will supply fifty servings. A few especially appropriate for a women's luncheon allow for twenty-five servings. If you plan to offer second helpings to those who desire them, the recipes should be increased by half. In other sections of the book will be found other recipes appropriate for a club meal. In order to make fifty servings, each ingredient should be multiplied accordingly. In some cases, the time of cooking must be increased slightly.

APPROXIMATE AMOUNTS TO BUY FOR FIFTY SERVINGS

Turkey or chicken for roasting—50 pounds

Chicken for frying or fricassee—25 pounds

Fowl for creaming or mousse—18 pounds

Ham for baking—25 pounds

Beef round for Swiss steak—16 pounds

Beef chuck for patties—12½ pounds

Ground meat for loaf—10 pounds

Bacon for garnishing baked beans—1 pound

Canned vegetables—2 No. 10 cans

Frozen vegetables—15 packages

Potatoes—20 pounds

Cabbage for cooking—12 pounds

Cabbage for salads—9 pounds

Carrots for cooking—12½ pounds

Carrots for relishes—6 pounds

Baked beans—3 No. 10 cans

Lettuce or other salad greens for garnishing—2 to 3 heads,

according to size

Tomatoes for salad—16 pounds Cranberries for sauce—4 pounds

Apples for sauce—16 pounds

Rolls—8 dozen

Butter for rolls—2 pounds

Extra butter or margarine for cooking as estimated Coffee—1 ½ pounds

Cream—1 ½ quarts

Ice cream—2 gallons

Sugar for coffee—1 pound

Other sugar for cooking—as estimated

Oil for French dressing—1 pint

Mayonnaise for salad—1 ½ pints

Tomato juice for salad—1 No. 10, 1 No. 2 can

Flavored gelatin for salads or desserts—8 packages

Unflavored gelatin for salads or desserts—2 packages

Seasonings, salad oil and shortening for which recipes call, should be checked so that they may be renewed or purchased fresh.

Roast turkey Cranberry sauce Candied sweet potatoes

Cole slaw

Buttered rolls Creamed onions Pumpkin or mince pie Coffee

Glazed baked ham Creamed potatoes

Scalloped corn

Jellied tomato salad

Ice cream Cookies Coffee

Meat loaf

Scalloped potatoes

String beans with celery

Sliced tomatoes

French dressing

Chocolate layer cake    Coffee

Meat patties Mushroom sauce

Oven-fried potatoes Sweet-sour red cabbage Celery Carrot strips Cherry tarts Coffee

Spaghetti with meat sauce

Quick and savory baked beans

Mixed vegetable salad

Buttered brown bread

Buttered rye bread Sponge cake a la mode Coffee

Oven-fried chicken Hot biscuits Cream gravy Potato puff Braised carrots

Jellied vegetable salad Upside-down cake Coffee

Squash pudding with lamb patties

Potatoes with parsley Spinach with lemon butter

Cole slaw

Devil's food Coffee

Swiss steak Buttered noodles with poppy seeds

Glazed onions

Vegetable relishes

(celery, carrot strips, cauliflower)

Apple pie or cobbler Coffee

Note: Buttered rolls should be served with each menu, unless other bread is listed.

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

Have 4 frying chickens, 3 ½ to 4 pounds each, cut into pieces for serving. Roll in seasoned flour and arrange in well-greased drip­ping pans. Sprinkle with melted shortening and bake in hot oven (450° F.) about ½ hour until lightly browned. Baste occasionally with mixed melted butter and other shortening. When chicken is browned, cover with 2 thicknesses of heavy paper or foil. Lower heat to 225° F. and cook another ½ hour until chicken is tender. Yield: 25 servings.

SWISS STEAK

16 pounds beef round, ¾ inch thick

3 cups flour, about

4 tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1½ pounds shortening, about

2 pounds medium onions, peeled and sliced

3 quarts water

Have meat cut into individual servings. Mix flour, salt and pepper. Place on board and roll meat slices well in this. Melt about ½ cup shortening in large skillet and brown meat in install­ments on both sides. Add more shortening with each installment of meat as needed. Transfer meat as it is cooked to large baking pans. When all the meat has been browned, add sliced onions to fat remaining in skillet and cook 3 or 4 minutes until lightly browned. Sprinkle with ¾ cup of flour and stir until well blended. Add 3 quarts water gradually and season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir until gravy thickens. Pour over meat, cover and bake in slow oven (300° F.) about 2 hours until tender. Yield: 50 servings.

Note: 1 pound sliced mushrooms may be cooked with the onions, if desired.

SWEET-SOUR RED CABBAGE

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup water

¼ cup vinegar

¼ cup butter

6 cloves

6 caraway seeds

1 bay leaf

Tabasco or cayenne

4 cups shredded red cabbage

2 cups sliced, pared apples

Combine sugar, salt, water, vinegar and bring to boil. Add butter, cloves, caraway seeds and bay leaf tied together in cloth bag, and Tabasco or cayenne. Add apples and cabbage. Cover and cook about 20 minutes until cabbage is tender. Remove cover, allow some of the liquid to evaporate and remove spice bag. Yield: 6 servings.

QUICK AND SAVORY BAKED BEANS

3 No. 10 cans baked beans

¾ cup bacon fat or other shortening

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 medium onions, sliced thin

1 teaspoon thyme

3 tablespoons salt

3 tablespoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon cayenne

¾ cup vinegar

2 cups water, tomato or fruit juice

¾ pound bacon

Mix beans with other ingredients except the bacon. Arrange in bean pots or large casseroles. Bake in slow oven (275° F.) 1 hour. Cut bacon into 1-inch strips. Place on top of the beans and continue baking in moderately hot oven (400° F.) about 20 minutes until bacon is crisp. Yield: 50 servings.

OLD-FASHIONED COLE SLAW

6 tablespoons flour

6 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons dry mustard

2 tablespoons salt

6 eggs, slightly beaten

3 cups milk, scalded

1½ cups vinegar

2 cups sour cream or whipped sweet cream

6 pounds cabbage, finely shredded

3 green peppers or pimientos, OR 6 canned pimientos, shredded

2 medium onions, finely minced

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly and combine with slightly beaten eggs. Stir in scalded milk and vinegar. Place in top of large double boiler and stir constantly over boiling water until dressing thickens. Cool and fold in cream. Mix vegetables in large bowl, and blend in the dressing. Serve garnished with salad greens and strips of pimiento and green pepper, or sliced stuffed olives. Yield: 50 servings.

SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT SAUCE

2 cups salad oil

6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 pounds onions, peeled and thinly sliced

8 pounds ground beef

2 pounds mushrooms, sliced

2 No. 10 cans tomatoes

2 quarts water

6 tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

6 bay leaves

12 cloves

5 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

2 pounds creamed cottage cheese

1 pound grated cheese

Heat salad oil. Add garlic, mushrooms, onions and meat, and brown lightly. Add tomatoes, water and seasoning. Simmer uncovered about 1 ½ hours until sauce thickens slightly. Have the cooked spaghetti ready. Add to sauce and heat thoroughly. Place a portion of cottage cheese on each platter. Add spaghetti and sprinkle with grated cheese. Yield: 50 servings.

CHICKEN MOUSSE

9 pounds fowl or roaster

3 cups cooked rice

2 cups soft bread crumbs

1½ cups chicken fat

1½ quarts chicken stock with fat

salt

pepper

nutmeg

onion juice, if desired

3 cans mushroom soup

3 cups milk and cream

¼ cup minced parsley

1 small can pimientos, minced

Cook chickens in water to cover, with sliced onions, diced celery, bay leaf and other herbs. Let simmer slowly until very tender. Drain and reserve stock. Bone and cut meat into dice. Add rice, bread crumbs, chicken fat and stock, and seasonings. Pack into greased tube molds, or place jelly glass in center of each casserole, and pack mixture around this. Bake in slow oven (325° F.) about 1 hour until set. Time will depend upon the size of molds. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes. Heat mushroom soup with milk and cream. Add minced parsley and pimientos. Turn mousse from molds onto deep plates and fill centers with sauce. Yield: 25 servings.

JELLIED TOMATO SALAD

2 packages unflavored gelatin

1 No. 10 can and 1 No. 2 can tomato juice

2 medium onions, sliced

4 cut celery stalks

2 bay leaves

8 whole cloves

1 pound(2 cups) sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1¾ cups vinegar

Soften gelatin in 3 cups cold tomato juice. Combine remainder with vegetables and seasonings. Cover and let simmer 10 minutes. Strain and add to soaked gelatin. Stir until dissolved. Add vinegar and pour into individual molds, or fill large flat pans to depth of 1 ½ inches and chill until set. Unmold, or cut into squares and garnish with salad greens. Yield: 50 servings.

Note: If tomato juice cocktail is used, the vegetables and bay leaves may be omitted.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...