I Eat A Portion

I’m no kind of cook. I can do basic hippie–stir fry tofu, make a watery vegetable soup. If I lived in a big city, I’m sure I’d eat takeout three times a day (leftover Thai for breakfast). So how is it that once or twice a month I find myself cooking hearty meals for a dozen people?
I have the pandemic to thank. Right at the start, I got worried about my neighborhood homeless shelter and gave them a call.
Years ago, I’d been on the board of the shelter. We were invited to spend an overnight there–and I did. I was writing up the experience, and a photographer from the local newspaper accompanied me. Lying in bunk beds, she–a beautiful and dynamic young woman–started fussing over her professional prospects. Should she continue? Make a change?
A homeless woman in the next bed said sleepily: dear, I think you have a lovely career.
That funny moment of connection has stayed with me.
My daughter cooked there as a teenager, with an interfaith group. And the cooks would stay for supper. Not during the pandemic, though. When I called I was told yes they needed meals, home cooked and delivered. The shelter had cut its numbers and was following pandemic protocols. It was eight residents and two staff.
I started cooking. I remembered food shouldn’t be too spicy, due to health issues. I imagined people would enjoy hearty familiar dishes–American and New Mexican. I asked and was told that the group liked salad.
Frankly I hate salad, so this was a challenge. Iceburg lettuce is pretty much the only thing I won’t eat (when we raised guinea pigs I wouldn’t serve it to them either.) But salad was asked for. I started in on tomatoes and cukes and fresh mozzarella cheese. Then started adding cooked spinach. Would sometimes give up and just buy bags of mixed greens.
Out of dim starving-student recesses of my mind I pulled elaborate baked bean casseroles with hot dogs, bacon, and onions. I modified a hippie dish–couscous–by adding lots of squash and chicken. I cooked pastas and stroganoffs and more. Served with a baguette or dinner rolls. Sometimes more cheese. Sometimes kid-baked cookies. I got good feedback on a white bean dish, so I rotate that it.
The cost is about $2.00 per person per dinner. I take a vegetarian portion out for my husband Rich. And I make a full portion for myself. We deliver it, and I come home and have it for supper.
Ostensibly I’m eating alone, but it feels like company.