Feed The Hungry

      I love cooking for an appreciative crowd! I feel something almost primal in preparing and serving food to hungry people, so I really appreciate Jesus' words, "...for when I was hungry, you gave me food." I also love the seven Corporal Works of Mercy, which include the admonition to "Feed the Hungry."

     I can't ever recall a time when we did not have adequate food. There may have been a short period where Mom had to be ultra-creative to put food on the table (like when she would buy powdered milk, reconstitute it, and mix it half and half with actual milk), but as a kid, I had no idea. There was never a fear of having nothing to eat; the only time anyone went to bed hungry was voluntarily ("That's the dinner, like it or not!").

     There was one menu item I loved. When Mom had to stretch a single ham steak into a meal for nine, she mixed flour, baking powder, butter, and milk, and baked it in a cast iron skillet. Once baked, it was cut into wedges and served with syrup and a sliver of ham. We called it "The Giant Biscuit." It was a favorite, but I had no clue it was born of desperation.

     With the pandemic, market instability, rising prices, and last year's Hurricane Ida, many of our local food banks have bare shelves. Families facing what is euphemistically called "food insecurity" or outright food emergencies have nowhere to turn. An article in last weeks newspaper highlighted the struggle.

     If you are in a position to do so, look up your local food bank and donate shelf-stable goods. Get together with neighbors and co-workers to put meals together for families in need. The list printed in our paper included:

Shelf-stable milk

Oatmeal or Grits

Peanut butter

Canned beef stew

Canned tuna or chicken

Canned soup 

Canned fruit and vegetables 

Dried beans

Rice

Pasta and pasta sauce

Cooking oil or olive oil

Ask also if there is a need for items related to hygiene, including feminine products, and items for babies (diapers, wipes).

     There will always be families and individuals in need. We are obligated by our shared humanity to help where we can.

                                 The Giant Biscuit

                              a.k.a "Skillet Biscuit"

I made a smaller 8 inch version for our household of 3. Double for a 10 inch skillet.

1 and 3/4 cup flour

1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tbsp salt

4 tbsp cold butter

1/2 cup buttermilk (or substitute)

Prepare an 8 inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray and set aside.

Combine dry ingredients. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork. Add buttermilk and  stir to just combine. Turn out onto a counter and knead briefly. Pat the dough into the prepared skillet and refrigerate while the oven preheats (425). Brush the top of the dough with milk or cream. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the biscuit is golden. Remove from the oven and rest 5 minutes before slicing .