Sweet Pork Salads Are Us

I could never fix Cafe Rio Salad for the center.  It is labor intensive and takes much time, especially if fixing a meal for 30 to 40, and I am on my own there pretty much.  But yesterday's lunch for the missionaries made it possible to serve it to the YSAs.

SK and I went shopping this morning to buy tomatoes, jalapenos, fresh garlic and avocados, so that we could make some more pico de gallo and guacamole, and another 15 servings of the cilantro-lime dressing that makes the salads so good.  We got home in time to spend a little bit of time with Elder and Sister Middlemas before they left for their home in Bornholm....a little Danish island off the coast of Sweden.  They will arrive late tonight and have a couple of days to get the apartment ready for the couple who will replace them on Sunday.

Elder and Sister Middlemas will come back here Sunday night and spend the night before embarking on a small round of visits to places they have served, seeing people they have come to know and love.  They will return a week later to get together with all the senior missionaries at President Sederholm's house, and then head off to Utah.  They are great people.

I spent the afternoon making a batch of cupcakes, making the pico de gallo and gathering everything I needed to make the meal tonight.  We carted a lot of stuff over to the center, and then began to reheat all of the food from our missionary zone conference....which, by the way, was yesterday, even though it seems like 2 months ago.

We went to the center as soon after 3 p.m. as we could get there and immediately began the preparations.  It took us until 6....the time we served dinner, to get all the food reheated, the lettuce chopped, the tables set and the guacamole made.

As near as I could tell, we served about 35 people, and had enough for many to have seconds.  Except for 2 young women who thought the meat was too sweet (I'm guessing most Danes would think it too sweet.)  I would say it was a great hit.  It is fun to see young people enjoying each others company while enjoying a meal.

Once again, I forgot to take pictures.  But it was a great evening, and a great day.....and that really WAS my day!

I loved getting everything ready, and I love to fix something for the missionaries - especially something they enjoy.  But yesterday and today have been somewhat difficult, mostly just in the fact that I spent a great many hours working on these meals.  It wasn't difficult.....just intense and requiring a great deal of mental and physical stamina.  I have done well getting everything done that needed to be done,....

But I am now soooo ready for bed.  Good night one and all.