It's Tuesday and it's all about food.

This morning I assisted the cooks for my church's Meals On Wheels Program.  We prepared American Goulash, mixed vegetables, dinner roll, and a fruit salad. Publix and Panera Bread Company donate the desserts and breads. We prepared 54 meals today,and our drivers delivered them to our local shut ins. Awesome job by an awesome crew!

Courtesy of Paula Dean  Goulash 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 lbs ground beef, (lean)
• 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 cups water
• 1 (29 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans fire roasted tomatoes( we used crushed tomatoes)
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons Hot Sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• kosher salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• parsley, to taste
•  Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the beef, and brown for 10 minutes, breaking up with the back of your wooden spoon as you stir. Add the onion and continue to cook, while stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.
  
  Step 2
  Add all the remaining ingredients, except the macaroni, and cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  
  Step 3
  Stir in the macaroni, cover with the lid, and simmer for another 30 minutes.
  
  Step 4
  Let mixture stand for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with garlic bread and garnish with fresh parsley.
  
  We topped this off with shredded cheese, as well. Dollop of sour cream is awesome on here, as well. 
  
  NUTRITION (PER SERVING): 384 calories, 12g fat
   
  

I just came home from the new Save A Lot grocery store.. mistakenly thinking the ad I rec'd in my mail today was current. Of course, not, the sale starts tomorrow. Well, I shopped anyway for just a " few " things.. about $100worth of "few things.."

That is not even the funny, or point of my telling you this. As I strolled the store, seeing what they have and doing my in head price comparisons, I see a can of " Somebody's Spam.".. and lo and behold, I HAD TO HAVE THAT CAN OF SPAM.

I remember it from my childhood, and thinking, I do not remember liking it. Yet, as occasionally I made some for my own children, I would slice it, fry it, slap it on some fresh bread, and tickle it with ketchup.. and really enjoyed it.

I got home and could not wait to fry it up... and you know what? I really enjoyed it. ( I am so not reading the label!!!)

Last Tues, I was the head cook at the MOW, and chose to make Mojo Pork Roast, Cuban Black Beans and Rice.. a mixed salad, and they got the usual dinner roll and goody bag, as well. The meal went over very well, and we served 58 people, including our new Pastor and his family.

I used Pork cushion meat, and this dish came out so good! I made my own Mojo, using oranges, lemons, limes, and spices  ( yes GARLIC) was in there!

Pork Cushion Roast with Mojo

The cushion comes , at least where I buy it at GFS, in a cryopac of 4. This is one of the 4 we roasted. The roasts totalled 13 pounds at $1.15 per pound. There is very little fat, and no bone on this roast.

We served 58 meals... total cost $50.45. Yes, some of the items, such as spices, we had on hand.

 Then add to that a HUGE pot of Cuban Black Beans and White Rice.. something like this on a grander scale:

Cuban Black Beans over  white rice, and Cilantro

Feed the world.. it's truly Soul Food.