I posted tonight about buying two new cookbooks...and it got me to thinking about cooking, family and traditions...with the holiday's right around the corner, those things are front and center on my list right now:)
I posted this on my personal wall that it didn't take much to make me happy...a night at home with my kids (we are going to watch Soul Surfer as soon as I get through with this) and two new cookbooks....
I LOVE cookbooks...I especially love the ones with stories in them about how the dish came about...who cooked it, and when they cooked it...I love the ones with pictures...Pioneer Woman has one of the best cookbooks I have ever had...it not only has delicious dishes...she takes all her own pictures and it shows step by step how to prepare them...what they should be looking like every step of the way, and she tells such great stories in them, and has pictures of her family in it...a great cookbook if you are a cookbook lover like me. Of course Paula Deen is still my favorite:) Her cooking is so much my style:)
One thing I started doing several years back is making notes in my cookbooks...If I cook a dish for a birthday dinner (a tradition in our family...everyone gets their choice of birthday dinner, whether it be restaurant or favorite dish prepared at home) I write next to the recipe, when I made it...if the kids liked it or not...changes I made to it...things I should change next time....I do this for me as a reference, but I also do it with the hopes that my kids will be as sentimental as me some day:) As my oldest gets older, I definitely see it happening to her:) I hope that one day when I am too old to be the one doing all the cooking and as my girls (and hopefully son) start going through my cookbooks finding recipes mom used to make for them, they will see my notes and they will mean something to them...and bring back memories of Christmas or a birthday party...those notes in my cookbooks are like a journal to the special meals I have made over the years...and if my kids turn out anything like me...those cookbooks with my notes in them will someday be something they treasure when I am no longer here...something maybe my grandkids will too:)
Friday, November 4, 2011
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Growing Pains...and blessings (it's long-but read to the end:)
It has been a while since I have written much more than our menus on here. I was thinking about that on Friday and have had the urge to get on here and pour out my heart since then...but am just now getting the chance to do so.:)
As a lot of our "regulars" know and some of you may be able to tell by my posts on facebook this past week...this last week was a week that tested me and made me question if I was really cut out for this...(even though really in my heart I KNOW I am doing what I am supposed to be doing:) we all have our moments when we question things and I had several of them this week...so I am going to share with you those moments, and how you, my customers affected my life this week without even knowing it and affirmed to me I am right where God wants me to be at this moment in my life:) And I am so truly thankful for being able to do something I love doing and helping families all around here.
It started on Monday...we were sick, every one of us. Me, my kids at home...my oldest daughter who helps me, Misti, my best friend who helps me some at the store...so there was just now way we could even open the doors on Monday, there was no one to cook...Of course I would love to be to the point where I had a huge staff that could keep things running when I get sick, but I am not there and honestly have realized in this that I care more about the quality that goes out of our doors than anyone else ever will, it's just part of being the owner and being a "hands on" person like I am...and I really do care that what you all taste is good and good quality and thats what keeps you coming back. I have saw a lot of restaurants go out of business because they started out great, and as they grew the owners couldn't keep up with it so they hire people to do it for them, quality goes down...they lose customers...and they go out. I want to be here for a long, long time:)So, at this point if I get really sick...my daughter is sick...or Misti is sick...all together, there is no way we can open our doors. Most understand, but we had a few mention it and seem to not understand that we are human, we get sick too...:) I just have to try to keep a smile on my face, but sometimes it gets hard.
So Tuesday I come back...feeling a lot better...My daughter does too, but Misti is still sick. So my daughter and I get there and start cooking...we have 2 BIG lunches and when I say big I am meaning we were feeding about 50 people between the two of them and it is just us two cooking:) Plus we are trying to get enough in the cooler to get started for regular walk-in customers....Now we make everything for these lunches from main dish, sides, desserts, and rolls....and while we are doing this, we have customers walk in and wonder where all the food is that is "supposed" to be in the coolers:) And I understand, I do...but we literally cook from scratch...this food doesn't just "appear" lol. I have one girl who helps a lot with desserts come in almost 2 hours late...and when I say something about it, she starts crying and walks out thinking she could go get her composure and come back in...well, we were in the middle of these two lunches, trying to cook for the coolers and come in 2 hours late and then walk out to cool off when we have so much work to do...that didn't work for me. She is like part of our family, in fact she married into the family...and is very hard for me to separate family and friendships from work, but I have to...at work, we may all be family, but I expect everyone to work. So, I let her go. It broke my heart..but ulitmately I have to do what is best for the store and things like that weren't working for the store.
So understand, we have two people on Tuesday doing all this food and trying our hardest to make sure you all had food to buy...we don't sit down, I don't even get to go pick my kids up from school most days...my daughter does it for me. We work non-stop to do this every day. Most of our customers who KNOW us KNOW this...but to someone walking in, and if we are running low on what is in our coolers, they will look at us like we are "playing house" or something...and when you usually have 4 in the kitchen and you only have 2 like I did this week...there was no way I could of physically done any more than I did. And I know customers didn't realize what was going on in the kitchen...but here it is, I believe in being honest, telling things like they really are...and this is what went on in our kitchen this week.
So then comes Wed....Misti is sick again....Me and Becca (my daughter) again, by ourselves trying to cook up a storm...main dishes...desserts...I don't even think we bothered with sides this day..we didn't have time:) I had ordered my food from our food distributor on Tuesday and expected it on Wed morning. We are dealing with a different company. I have told them I need my food in the mornings...but for some reason they keep routing me for afternoons...this week I didn't get my food until 5:00. So, I had to alter my menu for that day because I didn't have all the ingredients to make what was on the regular menu and couldn't just run to the grocery store to get them...I ran to Wal-Mart as soon as they told me it would be afternoon and bought enough ingredients to get through to make some of our menu items...and then I got to mixing up and cooking....by noon we were steady...people were just coming in back to back...My boy "helper" came to the store after noon to help me and Becca....I was mixing the Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, He was rolling them as fast as he could and dishing them up:) I would cook a little, wash my hands, run out to the front, wait on customers, run back to the kitchen, wash my hands, cook a little...that went on ALL DAY Wed. We never got caught up...we had about 65 customers Wed and normally a good day is 50. :)
We are SOOO thankful and blessed for days like that, but it was hard because you all couldn't get all the items you were used to getting when we are all there working like we should be...and I could of had an AWESOME day at the store had I had all the things that we normally have to sell to you all. It was very frustrating to me because I try so hard to give everybody everything they want. It is really hard for me to tell a customer "no" we don't have that, or we can't do that. I hate that feeling:) KNOW THAT. If you have a reasonable request, I WANT to do it for you...that is my nature, and I will stay late and come early many times to do it for people, but I am one person and can't do it all...and I am learning I have to say "no" sometimes because I simply can't do it:(
I didn't leave the store till about 9:00 Wed night. Thursday Misti finally was feeling well enough to come back to work and I was breathing a sigh of relief! So, there were at least 3 of us there cooking...because on Tuesday it was like a swarm of something came in and everything was sold! I think we had 2 containers of soup left in the cooler at the end of Wed. It is quite comical...when you think of it...but I simply couldn't keep up with it Wed! So Thursday we cooked our tails off, we never really got much ahead, but we tried! As we would cook, it was going out the door...the cooler never really got filled up:) I am sooo thankful, don't ge me wrong, we are thankful to have such loyal, good customers. But we had several new people walk in last week who had never been in before and they probably are laughing thinking "those ladies don't have much"...I want our coolers full....but more than that...I want our customers getting the food they want...so even if our coolers never get full, if we can help you, that's our goal.
Friday...We had planned 4 BIG lunches before noon...all together, we fed about 230 people in those lunches...There are 3 of us there cooking. We stayed late on Thursday and did lots of the prep work before hand...I know we still have "regular" customers going to come in to get food...but early in the morning we simply had to concentrate on these big meals . We did entire meals...Entrees, sides, rolls, desserts....I am constantly looking at the clock every day to determine what my next move should be...again I WANT everyone happy, but I have to prioritize:) These meals were at the top of my list that morning. I would of loved to been cooking and getting our coolers stocked up for customers to walk in...but we have limited space, so even with more staff...we can't handle much more than 5-6 in our kitchen without bumping into each other. lol. I know me and my girls run smoothly enough now that we can pull off lunches like this and we need them. If I want to stay in business, I need things like this. We all work extremely hard, but we can look at each other and know what each other is needing and getting ready to do, because we work so closely together all day. So I know as long as I watch the clock and keep things rolling, we can pull these lunches off...and we did...
But while we were doing these lunches were the customers walking in wondering why we didn't have our menu items for the day out yet by 11:00.:) I am sorry, I want to make everyone happy, and you almost always can get something out of our coolers, it may not be exactly what you want, but there will be something:) But I don't believe many people realize how extremely hard we are working back there to get this food ready...you all use us because it is good home-cooked food...that is why it is good...it takes time to prepare...and we do a pretty efficient job getting a lot out there...but we can't snap our fingers and it be out there...and we don't pull frozen food out of a freezer somewhere for you all. We cook it fresh, daily. We hand shred our fresh cooked chicken daily...(I don't buy canned or chunked frozen chicken) you can taste it in the quality of our food. I feel the need to say all this so everyone understands how hard we work to give you good quality food and we try to keep enough in the coolers...but this week with not a lot of help most of the week...We didn't have a lot extra.
During the preparation of the lunches I had one very sweet customer come in and want Chicken Salad...I had chicken chopped and celery chopped and in the fridge, but hadn't had time to put it together yet...I was working on feeding the Harding Academy Football team right at that very moment, (I literally had my hands in their Spaghetti when he walked in) I had saw him at my early morning trip to Wal-Mart and he asked me if I wold be making it, I told him yes, when I got through the lunches...he said around 11? I said I would as soon as I got the lunches out. :) Well, he came in while I was working on the 3rd lunch of the morning, and chicken salad wasn't done. He got a little irritated at me...and I was probably a little short with him and it has bothered me ever since...but I tried to tell him I hadn't got to do it yet...it was a 4.00 chicken salad...what am I going to focus on? Orders for the morning that will pay my grocery bill, or a 4.00 chicken salad? I don't want to have to be that way...but I am posting this to maybe help our customers know and understand, I will bend over backwards to make you happy and take care of you....but I can only do so much. As soon as I got the lunches out, I made the chicken salad:) I felt like I was being tested all week and had we had the help that we should of in the kitchen it would of ran much smoother. We are working on hiring someone right now.
Now, I told you the stresses and the "bads" of the week...but let me tell you the "goods" and how I know that even in weeks like this, I am where I need to be...I may not remember the days exactly, but I am going to tell you the things that you all, my customers have done for me lately to make me know that all this is worth the stess! I do love you all!
I have a customer who hadn't been in in a while...his wife was ill when he became a customer last year, when he came in I said "I haven't seen you in a while" He tells me his wife has died, and he was just now getting able to get out and do things...he starts to tell me about it and you could see the tears in his eyes and hear him choking up, his hand is on my counter, I just take my hand and place it on his and tell him he doesn't have to talk about it, it's ok...I have another very good, sweet, precious customer who is sitting in the chair in the front waiting on us to put a banana pudding together(again, one of those weeks, we usually have them out there) and she hears this...She gets up, comes over to my other customer and hugs him. These two people don't know each other...they are just both my customers. She comforts him and talks to him. When he left we had all hugged:) As I am writing this my eyes have tears, because it's little things like this that make this job so much more than a job to me...You all are important to me, and if God can use me in some way by doing this to help people that's what I want.
I have another very good customer that I have known for years. She comes in to get food almost weekly. Not for herself, but to help others. She has a list of people in her church or friends that are going through something or having babies or whatever the reason...she works and she doesn't have time to cook for them, but she wants to take them a home-made meal. She told me on Friday something that touched my heart more than she probably knows...She had a job offer in another town close to her home. She said she made a list of pros and cons....one of the cons if she took the job was that she wouldn't have a place to come get food for people like she does with us. I had to hug her neck when she told me that...because I needed to hear that on Friday after the week I had.:)
I have another customer turned friend who came in one day this week to get a chicken salad (that darn chicken salad gets me in trouble:)) and I didn't have it all mixed together yet. She came in to talk to me while I was mixing it up and also trying to cook a few other things:) and she asked could she help me, she realized we were so busy and trying to get things out. She scrubbed in...and helped label dishes for us and get them out in the cooler for us. Now I realize this may sound like a small thing, but it wasn't. It helped me so much. And it also shows me how much people really do care about us and what we are doing here. I just gave her her chicken salad...and that is the way she is...last year at Christmas when I had no time to decorate a tree for Christmas because I was so busy filling orders...she went and picked out ornaments for the store for me...and decorated my tree. She has been a blessing to me and I want her to know that:)
I don't know if any of you read my blog a long time ago about Mr. Van Patton...my 93 year old customer who used to come in every Wed. ...well, he is unable to drive now and has to depend on his daughters to bring him in if I am going to get to see him...He always brightens my day and I truly love him. His daughter Nancy came in (this was last week) at the end of the day and her and I were having our usual long conversations about life...then we hear a horn blow...She says "oh, dad is in the car!" I couldn't believe we had been visiting while he was out in the car! So as she leaves, I go out with her to her car to see my precious Mr. Leon....I open the car door and lean in to give him a hug...I tell him that I am so sorry we talked so long, I didn't realize he was out there...and he kisses me on the cheek and says it is ok...it is worth it for him to get to see me. :) I hug him again, and we both tell each other we love each other...and we do...he has become someone so special to me..and I think I have to him too! He was one of my very first customers and we just bonded. He is the most precious man. The store brought him in my life..that's another blessing there:)
This lady I don't really know...she is a new customer who brought her two daughters in...I love kids. Anyone who knows me knows I do. The sweet ones:) Even the mischevious ones:) but sweet little ones melt my heart! And these two little girls were just melting it away! They were just talking and I was asking them questions and talking to them...and the oldest one just took to me...she was just telling me about her sister and her family and what food they liked...she was maybe 5? I was just taken by this little girl she was so adorable...and they got ready to go...and she started to walk out with her momma, and she just turned around and ran back to me and gave me a hug like she had known me forever...she didn't know that she tugged at my heart...just sweet, precious, innocent....not holding anything back...wouldn't it be nice if we could all be that way? Later her mom sent me a message on facebook thanking me for being so sweet to her girls...but how could you NOT be sweet to such precious kids? Thank you" momma" for raising such good kids with good manners!
I had a customer who is such a kind hearted lady who I love to visit with when she comes in, come in on Friday and tell me that she didn't know why, but God layed it on her heart to bring me this pamphlet...It was about our words...and what they do...how appropriate for me this week!:) God put me on her heart for a reason because my words probably weren't as sweet all week as they should of been. She said she knew I was a single mom, and she was too for years, and God had just put me on her heart that day....she blessed me and I thank God that my customers care enough about me to do little things like that. That little act that she did for me, changed our relationship. She went from friendly customer that I talk to...to FRIEND.
Then theres Nicki...my sweet little red-headed helper I miss so much! She started staying home with her kids back in the beginning of August, and while I am so happy she is able to do this, I miss her! She came just for the day a week or two ago to help out and visit...I realized then how much I missed her..having her back in the kitchen with me:) She read on facebook about my week this week and she came by on Friday to check on me...of course I never really had time to talk to her and visit like I would of liked to...but her coming by to tell me she missed me and loved me meant so much to me! Another person the store brought into my life and I truly love! She helped me more than she knows...in so many ways. She kept me straight.:)
I am so thankful for all of you. I may have an "off" week, which I had last week..but we will be fine:) It is all part of growing, trying to juggle, and make it all work. I appreciate those of you who have been there since I opened my doors and have been so supportive of me...and I appreciate all the new cusomers who give us opportunity to feed your families. I love what I do...I couldn't do it if I didn't! Especially last week:)
We will get in a groove again and I am praying this week runs smoother than last. It will, because I am going to make sure WE run smoother than last.:)
This is more than a job to me. This is in my heart. I eat, sleep and breathe The Mixing Bowl. I go home thinking about what so and so told me they want for dinner next week....I remember who is allergic to what...I do...I don't have to write it down...I remember, and if they call me...I can tell them if they can eat it or not...and they are shocked that I remember....lol. Just want you all to know what you mean to me! And if I am ever stressed and having a bad day and it shows and I seem grumpy...(like I probably did a lot last week) know I still appreciate you all so much! That's one thing for sure I never want you all to question. I know you can go somewhere else to get your food, and I appreciate the trust you put in us!
Cindy
I am pretty certain I am leaving out lot't of important stories that happened this past week or two...but when I get so busy and stressed my mind sometimes quits working....but I love getting to know you all. I love that some of you are like family and close friends...I love that
As a lot of our "regulars" know and some of you may be able to tell by my posts on facebook this past week...this last week was a week that tested me and made me question if I was really cut out for this...(even though really in my heart I KNOW I am doing what I am supposed to be doing:) we all have our moments when we question things and I had several of them this week...so I am going to share with you those moments, and how you, my customers affected my life this week without even knowing it and affirmed to me I am right where God wants me to be at this moment in my life:) And I am so truly thankful for being able to do something I love doing and helping families all around here.
It started on Monday...we were sick, every one of us. Me, my kids at home...my oldest daughter who helps me, Misti, my best friend who helps me some at the store...so there was just now way we could even open the doors on Monday, there was no one to cook...Of course I would love to be to the point where I had a huge staff that could keep things running when I get sick, but I am not there and honestly have realized in this that I care more about the quality that goes out of our doors than anyone else ever will, it's just part of being the owner and being a "hands on" person like I am...and I really do care that what you all taste is good and good quality and thats what keeps you coming back. I have saw a lot of restaurants go out of business because they started out great, and as they grew the owners couldn't keep up with it so they hire people to do it for them, quality goes down...they lose customers...and they go out. I want to be here for a long, long time:)So, at this point if I get really sick...my daughter is sick...or Misti is sick...all together, there is no way we can open our doors. Most understand, but we had a few mention it and seem to not understand that we are human, we get sick too...:) I just have to try to keep a smile on my face, but sometimes it gets hard.
So Tuesday I come back...feeling a lot better...My daughter does too, but Misti is still sick. So my daughter and I get there and start cooking...we have 2 BIG lunches and when I say big I am meaning we were feeding about 50 people between the two of them and it is just us two cooking:) Plus we are trying to get enough in the cooler to get started for regular walk-in customers....Now we make everything for these lunches from main dish, sides, desserts, and rolls....and while we are doing this, we have customers walk in and wonder where all the food is that is "supposed" to be in the coolers:) And I understand, I do...but we literally cook from scratch...this food doesn't just "appear" lol. I have one girl who helps a lot with desserts come in almost 2 hours late...and when I say something about it, she starts crying and walks out thinking she could go get her composure and come back in...well, we were in the middle of these two lunches, trying to cook for the coolers and come in 2 hours late and then walk out to cool off when we have so much work to do...that didn't work for me. She is like part of our family, in fact she married into the family...and is very hard for me to separate family and friendships from work, but I have to...at work, we may all be family, but I expect everyone to work. So, I let her go. It broke my heart..but ulitmately I have to do what is best for the store and things like that weren't working for the store.
So understand, we have two people on Tuesday doing all this food and trying our hardest to make sure you all had food to buy...we don't sit down, I don't even get to go pick my kids up from school most days...my daughter does it for me. We work non-stop to do this every day. Most of our customers who KNOW us KNOW this...but to someone walking in, and if we are running low on what is in our coolers, they will look at us like we are "playing house" or something...and when you usually have 4 in the kitchen and you only have 2 like I did this week...there was no way I could of physically done any more than I did. And I know customers didn't realize what was going on in the kitchen...but here it is, I believe in being honest, telling things like they really are...and this is what went on in our kitchen this week.
So then comes Wed....Misti is sick again....Me and Becca (my daughter) again, by ourselves trying to cook up a storm...main dishes...desserts...I don't even think we bothered with sides this day..we didn't have time:) I had ordered my food from our food distributor on Tuesday and expected it on Wed morning. We are dealing with a different company. I have told them I need my food in the mornings...but for some reason they keep routing me for afternoons...this week I didn't get my food until 5:00. So, I had to alter my menu for that day because I didn't have all the ingredients to make what was on the regular menu and couldn't just run to the grocery store to get them...I ran to Wal-Mart as soon as they told me it would be afternoon and bought enough ingredients to get through to make some of our menu items...and then I got to mixing up and cooking....by noon we were steady...people were just coming in back to back...My boy "helper" came to the store after noon to help me and Becca....I was mixing the Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, He was rolling them as fast as he could and dishing them up:) I would cook a little, wash my hands, run out to the front, wait on customers, run back to the kitchen, wash my hands, cook a little...that went on ALL DAY Wed. We never got caught up...we had about 65 customers Wed and normally a good day is 50. :)
We are SOOO thankful and blessed for days like that, but it was hard because you all couldn't get all the items you were used to getting when we are all there working like we should be...and I could of had an AWESOME day at the store had I had all the things that we normally have to sell to you all. It was very frustrating to me because I try so hard to give everybody everything they want. It is really hard for me to tell a customer "no" we don't have that, or we can't do that. I hate that feeling:) KNOW THAT. If you have a reasonable request, I WANT to do it for you...that is my nature, and I will stay late and come early many times to do it for people, but I am one person and can't do it all...and I am learning I have to say "no" sometimes because I simply can't do it:(
I didn't leave the store till about 9:00 Wed night. Thursday Misti finally was feeling well enough to come back to work and I was breathing a sigh of relief! So, there were at least 3 of us there cooking...because on Tuesday it was like a swarm of something came in and everything was sold! I think we had 2 containers of soup left in the cooler at the end of Wed. It is quite comical...when you think of it...but I simply couldn't keep up with it Wed! So Thursday we cooked our tails off, we never really got much ahead, but we tried! As we would cook, it was going out the door...the cooler never really got filled up:) I am sooo thankful, don't ge me wrong, we are thankful to have such loyal, good customers. But we had several new people walk in last week who had never been in before and they probably are laughing thinking "those ladies don't have much"...I want our coolers full....but more than that...I want our customers getting the food they want...so even if our coolers never get full, if we can help you, that's our goal.
Friday...We had planned 4 BIG lunches before noon...all together, we fed about 230 people in those lunches...There are 3 of us there cooking. We stayed late on Thursday and did lots of the prep work before hand...I know we still have "regular" customers going to come in to get food...but early in the morning we simply had to concentrate on these big meals . We did entire meals...Entrees, sides, rolls, desserts....I am constantly looking at the clock every day to determine what my next move should be...again I WANT everyone happy, but I have to prioritize:) These meals were at the top of my list that morning. I would of loved to been cooking and getting our coolers stocked up for customers to walk in...but we have limited space, so even with more staff...we can't handle much more than 5-6 in our kitchen without bumping into each other. lol. I know me and my girls run smoothly enough now that we can pull off lunches like this and we need them. If I want to stay in business, I need things like this. We all work extremely hard, but we can look at each other and know what each other is needing and getting ready to do, because we work so closely together all day. So I know as long as I watch the clock and keep things rolling, we can pull these lunches off...and we did...
But while we were doing these lunches were the customers walking in wondering why we didn't have our menu items for the day out yet by 11:00.:) I am sorry, I want to make everyone happy, and you almost always can get something out of our coolers, it may not be exactly what you want, but there will be something:) But I don't believe many people realize how extremely hard we are working back there to get this food ready...you all use us because it is good home-cooked food...that is why it is good...it takes time to prepare...and we do a pretty efficient job getting a lot out there...but we can't snap our fingers and it be out there...and we don't pull frozen food out of a freezer somewhere for you all. We cook it fresh, daily. We hand shred our fresh cooked chicken daily...(I don't buy canned or chunked frozen chicken) you can taste it in the quality of our food. I feel the need to say all this so everyone understands how hard we work to give you good quality food and we try to keep enough in the coolers...but this week with not a lot of help most of the week...We didn't have a lot extra.
During the preparation of the lunches I had one very sweet customer come in and want Chicken Salad...I had chicken chopped and celery chopped and in the fridge, but hadn't had time to put it together yet...I was working on feeding the Harding Academy Football team right at that very moment, (I literally had my hands in their Spaghetti when he walked in) I had saw him at my early morning trip to Wal-Mart and he asked me if I wold be making it, I told him yes, when I got through the lunches...he said around 11? I said I would as soon as I got the lunches out. :) Well, he came in while I was working on the 3rd lunch of the morning, and chicken salad wasn't done. He got a little irritated at me...and I was probably a little short with him and it has bothered me ever since...but I tried to tell him I hadn't got to do it yet...it was a 4.00 chicken salad...what am I going to focus on? Orders for the morning that will pay my grocery bill, or a 4.00 chicken salad? I don't want to have to be that way...but I am posting this to maybe help our customers know and understand, I will bend over backwards to make you happy and take care of you....but I can only do so much. As soon as I got the lunches out, I made the chicken salad:) I felt like I was being tested all week and had we had the help that we should of in the kitchen it would of ran much smoother. We are working on hiring someone right now.
Now, I told you the stresses and the "bads" of the week...but let me tell you the "goods" and how I know that even in weeks like this, I am where I need to be...I may not remember the days exactly, but I am going to tell you the things that you all, my customers have done for me lately to make me know that all this is worth the stess! I do love you all!
I have a customer who hadn't been in in a while...his wife was ill when he became a customer last year, when he came in I said "I haven't seen you in a while" He tells me his wife has died, and he was just now getting able to get out and do things...he starts to tell me about it and you could see the tears in his eyes and hear him choking up, his hand is on my counter, I just take my hand and place it on his and tell him he doesn't have to talk about it, it's ok...I have another very good, sweet, precious customer who is sitting in the chair in the front waiting on us to put a banana pudding together(again, one of those weeks, we usually have them out there) and she hears this...She gets up, comes over to my other customer and hugs him. These two people don't know each other...they are just both my customers. She comforts him and talks to him. When he left we had all hugged:) As I am writing this my eyes have tears, because it's little things like this that make this job so much more than a job to me...You all are important to me, and if God can use me in some way by doing this to help people that's what I want.
I have another very good customer that I have known for years. She comes in to get food almost weekly. Not for herself, but to help others. She has a list of people in her church or friends that are going through something or having babies or whatever the reason...she works and she doesn't have time to cook for them, but she wants to take them a home-made meal. She told me on Friday something that touched my heart more than she probably knows...She had a job offer in another town close to her home. She said she made a list of pros and cons....one of the cons if she took the job was that she wouldn't have a place to come get food for people like she does with us. I had to hug her neck when she told me that...because I needed to hear that on Friday after the week I had.:)
I have another customer turned friend who came in one day this week to get a chicken salad (that darn chicken salad gets me in trouble:)) and I didn't have it all mixed together yet. She came in to talk to me while I was mixing it up and also trying to cook a few other things:) and she asked could she help me, she realized we were so busy and trying to get things out. She scrubbed in...and helped label dishes for us and get them out in the cooler for us. Now I realize this may sound like a small thing, but it wasn't. It helped me so much. And it also shows me how much people really do care about us and what we are doing here. I just gave her her chicken salad...and that is the way she is...last year at Christmas when I had no time to decorate a tree for Christmas because I was so busy filling orders...she went and picked out ornaments for the store for me...and decorated my tree. She has been a blessing to me and I want her to know that:)
I don't know if any of you read my blog a long time ago about Mr. Van Patton...my 93 year old customer who used to come in every Wed. ...well, he is unable to drive now and has to depend on his daughters to bring him in if I am going to get to see him...He always brightens my day and I truly love him. His daughter Nancy came in (this was last week) at the end of the day and her and I were having our usual long conversations about life...then we hear a horn blow...She says "oh, dad is in the car!" I couldn't believe we had been visiting while he was out in the car! So as she leaves, I go out with her to her car to see my precious Mr. Leon....I open the car door and lean in to give him a hug...I tell him that I am so sorry we talked so long, I didn't realize he was out there...and he kisses me on the cheek and says it is ok...it is worth it for him to get to see me. :) I hug him again, and we both tell each other we love each other...and we do...he has become someone so special to me..and I think I have to him too! He was one of my very first customers and we just bonded. He is the most precious man. The store brought him in my life..that's another blessing there:)
This lady I don't really know...she is a new customer who brought her two daughters in...I love kids. Anyone who knows me knows I do. The sweet ones:) Even the mischevious ones:) but sweet little ones melt my heart! And these two little girls were just melting it away! They were just talking and I was asking them questions and talking to them...and the oldest one just took to me...she was just telling me about her sister and her family and what food they liked...she was maybe 5? I was just taken by this little girl she was so adorable...and they got ready to go...and she started to walk out with her momma, and she just turned around and ran back to me and gave me a hug like she had known me forever...she didn't know that she tugged at my heart...just sweet, precious, innocent....not holding anything back...wouldn't it be nice if we could all be that way? Later her mom sent me a message on facebook thanking me for being so sweet to her girls...but how could you NOT be sweet to such precious kids? Thank you" momma" for raising such good kids with good manners!
I had a customer who is such a kind hearted lady who I love to visit with when she comes in, come in on Friday and tell me that she didn't know why, but God layed it on her heart to bring me this pamphlet...It was about our words...and what they do...how appropriate for me this week!:) God put me on her heart for a reason because my words probably weren't as sweet all week as they should of been. She said she knew I was a single mom, and she was too for years, and God had just put me on her heart that day....she blessed me and I thank God that my customers care enough about me to do little things like that. That little act that she did for me, changed our relationship. She went from friendly customer that I talk to...to FRIEND.
Then theres Nicki...my sweet little red-headed helper I miss so much! She started staying home with her kids back in the beginning of August, and while I am so happy she is able to do this, I miss her! She came just for the day a week or two ago to help out and visit...I realized then how much I missed her..having her back in the kitchen with me:) She read on facebook about my week this week and she came by on Friday to check on me...of course I never really had time to talk to her and visit like I would of liked to...but her coming by to tell me she missed me and loved me meant so much to me! Another person the store brought into my life and I truly love! She helped me more than she knows...in so many ways. She kept me straight.:)
I am so thankful for all of you. I may have an "off" week, which I had last week..but we will be fine:) It is all part of growing, trying to juggle, and make it all work. I appreciate those of you who have been there since I opened my doors and have been so supportive of me...and I appreciate all the new cusomers who give us opportunity to feed your families. I love what I do...I couldn't do it if I didn't! Especially last week:)
We will get in a groove again and I am praying this week runs smoother than last. It will, because I am going to make sure WE run smoother than last.:)
This is more than a job to me. This is in my heart. I eat, sleep and breathe The Mixing Bowl. I go home thinking about what so and so told me they want for dinner next week....I remember who is allergic to what...I do...I don't have to write it down...I remember, and if they call me...I can tell them if they can eat it or not...and they are shocked that I remember....lol. Just want you all to know what you mean to me! And if I am ever stressed and having a bad day and it shows and I seem grumpy...(like I probably did a lot last week) know I still appreciate you all so much! That's one thing for sure I never want you all to question. I know you can go somewhere else to get your food, and I appreciate the trust you put in us!
Cindy
I am pretty certain I am leaving out lot't of important stories that happened this past week or two...but when I get so busy and stressed my mind sometimes quits working....but I love getting to know you all. I love that some of you are like family and close friends...I love that
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Menu for the week of August 29-Sept 2nd
Menu for the week of August 29-September 2nd. We are catering a lot of meals this week so as you can see some of our menu items repeat themselves this week because that is what we have orders for. As always, we will try to have more dishes than what is on the menu for you to choose from in our cooler. We are always taking “special” orders and we make extraJ We also usually have Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad made up for a light lunch or snack.
Monday: *Chicken and Dumplin’s
*Poppy Seed Chicken
*Chicken Spaghetti
*Pork Roast With Vegetables
Tuesday: * Fettuccine Alfredo with or without Chicken (just call early and let us know if you want the chicken left out)
*Poppy Seed Chicken
*Chicken Spaghetti
Wednesday: *Chicken and Spinach Lasagna
*Poppy Seed Chicken
*Cheesy Meaty Spaghetti
Thursday: *Mexican Chicken
*Beef Fajitas (call early to order these) We will make a limited number)
Friday: *Classic Meaty Cheesy Lasagna
*Classic Meaty Cheesy Spaghetti
*Poppy Seed Chicken
We always have a variety of desserts to choose from in our cooler.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Menu For This Week
Menu for the week of July 25- 29
Monday: Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Taco Soup
Beefy Classic Spaghetti
Spinach and Chicken Lasagna
Tuesday: Chicken Spaghetti
Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken Noodle Soup
Wednesday: Poppy Seed Chicken
Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Thursday: Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken, Shrimp, and Andouille Sausage Gumbo
Friday: You Pick! (Choose from our dishes available in the cooler)
As always, we will have a few extras not included on the menu, so feel free to call and see what is cooking!
Don’t forget to try one of our signature desserts! Eagle Brand Banana Pudding and Heavenly Chocolate Mousse are offered daily.
Small casserole is 8.99 (feeds 2-3) Medium (feeds 4-6) 16.99 Large (feeds 8-10) $24.99
Monday, July 11, 2011
Weekly Menu
Menu for the week of July 11- July 15
Monday: Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Classic- Meaty, Cheesy Spaghetti
Tuesday: Asian Chicken Salad (NEW!)
Wednesday: Corn Bread Salad (NEW!)
Poppy Seed Chicken
Cheesy Chicken Noodle Bake
Thursday: Mexican Chicken
Friday: Chicken Spaghetti
As always, we will have a few extras not included on the menu, so feel free to call and see what is cooking!
Don’t forget to try one of our signature desserts! Eagle Brand Banana Pudding and Heavenly Chocolate Mousse are offered daily.
Small casserole is 8.99 (feeds 2-3) Medium (feeds 4-6) 16.99 Large (feeds 8-10) $24.99
Monday, June 27, 2011
Weekly Menu
Menu for the week of June 27- July 1
Monday: Poppy Seed Chicken
Chicken and Spinach Pasta in a creamy alfredo sauce.
Tuesday: Chicken and Spinach Lasagna (with a cream sauce)
Classic 3 Cheese-Meaty Lasagna (in a red sauce)
Wednesday: Poppy Seed Chicken
Mexican Lasagna Stack (NEW)
Thursday: Chicken Spaghetti (in a cream sauce)
Friday: Making Fourth Of July Sides and Desserts such as Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Chicken Salads, Pasta Salads, Corn Casseroles, Banana Pudding, Lemon Icebox Pies, Strawberry Pretzel Salads, plus more…
As always, we will have a few extras not included on the menu, so feel free to call and see what is cooking!
Don’t forget to try one of our signature desserts! Eagle Brand Banana Pudding and Heavenly Chocolate Mousse are offered daily.
Small casserole is 8.99 (feeds 2-3) Medium (feeds 4-6) 16.99 Large (feeds 8-10) $24.99
Monday, June 20, 2011
Weekly Menu
Menu for the week of June 20- 24
Monday: Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas and Poppy Seed Chicken
Tuesday: Chicken and Spinach Lasagna
Wednesday: Poppy Seed Chicken and Classic Lasagna
Thursday: Smothered Pork Chops (served over rice and topped with French fried onions)
Friday: Home-Made Chicken Pot Pie (topped with puff pastry)
**We now offer Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad and Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad as a daily menu item! These make an excellent lunch for those on the go or a delicious but lighter dinner option!**
As always, we will have a few extras not included on the menu, so feel free to call and see what is cooking!
Don’t forget to try one of our signature desserts! Eagle Brand Banana Pudding and Heavenly Chocolate Mousse are offered daily.
Small casserole is 8.99 (feeds 2-3) Medium (feeds 4-6) 16.99 Large (feeds 8-10) $24.99
Thursday, June 16, 2011
A little story about my dad...and a Happy Fathers Day to you men out there.
Growing up, my dad did more cooking than my mom did. He would go into the kitchen and take a little of this, and a little of that and make something delicious. You wouldn't think you would have all the ingredients for a meal, but he could whip something up! My grandma (his mother) was like that too. I always loved being at her house, because I knew she was always going to make me fried eggs, (sunny side up) toast, and some sort of meat almost every day for breakfast...and she wouldn't just hand us the plate...she would say "you want me to mash your eggs for you"...and of course, we did. It made her feel special to "mash" the eggs for us so we could sop up the yolks with our toast...lol. I don't think I ever "mash" my eggs that I don't think about my grandma. Those two people influenced me and my cooking more than anyone else in my life.
When I was young and first married I wanted my grandmas recipe for meatloaf. I asked my dad for it. I lived here and they still lived in Idaho. My daddy wrote it down for me on a little piece of notebook paper. He wrote all his little personal notes on it to tell me just how I was supposed to mix it and how to make the sauce to go on top...and at the top it says "MOMS MEATLOAF" and mailed it to me. That was over 20 years ago and I still have that little ripped out peice of notebook paper. It has yellowed, has spatters on it...but that is one of my most sentimental things I have. It was written by my daddy, and it was my grandmas recipe. I have it tucked in the back of one of my favorite cookbooks and from time to time I will take it out and think of them both and smile. They are both gone now. My grandma died when I had just had my oldest daughter and my daddy died when he was 52. I was 27.
Both of my parents died at a young age, and I really have had a hard time with Mothers Day and Fathers Day. My mom was 49, she had a heart attack. My dad was 52 and had a cerebral aneurysm. They missed out on my kids growing, neither of them got to meet my twins. So holidays are bittersweet for us. I know if my parents were around, they would both want to be a part of this. My dad especially. This would of been right up his alley. He would of been trying to tell me how to cook it HIS way. lol. With Fathers day coming up, I wanted to share a little about my dad. I miss him every day and wish I had had more time with him.
I think I will have to make some of my grandmas meatloaf soon!
Happy Fathers Day to all you men!
When I was young and first married I wanted my grandmas recipe for meatloaf. I asked my dad for it. I lived here and they still lived in Idaho. My daddy wrote it down for me on a little piece of notebook paper. He wrote all his little personal notes on it to tell me just how I was supposed to mix it and how to make the sauce to go on top...and at the top it says "MOMS MEATLOAF" and mailed it to me. That was over 20 years ago and I still have that little ripped out peice of notebook paper. It has yellowed, has spatters on it...but that is one of my most sentimental things I have. It was written by my daddy, and it was my grandmas recipe. I have it tucked in the back of one of my favorite cookbooks and from time to time I will take it out and think of them both and smile. They are both gone now. My grandma died when I had just had my oldest daughter and my daddy died when he was 52. I was 27.
Both of my parents died at a young age, and I really have had a hard time with Mothers Day and Fathers Day. My mom was 49, she had a heart attack. My dad was 52 and had a cerebral aneurysm. They missed out on my kids growing, neither of them got to meet my twins. So holidays are bittersweet for us. I know if my parents were around, they would both want to be a part of this. My dad especially. This would of been right up his alley. He would of been trying to tell me how to cook it HIS way. lol. With Fathers day coming up, I wanted to share a little about my dad. I miss him every day and wish I had had more time with him.
I think I will have to make some of my grandmas meatloaf soon!
Happy Fathers Day to all you men!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Menu for the week of June 13-17
The Mixing Bowl
511 West Arch
501-305-4845
Menu for the week of June 13-17
This week is going to be a little different than most…as we won’t be doing a Monday thru Friday Menu…We have so many orders thru this week that that will be hard to stick to and we will be short handed on Thursday and Friday as we have some of our girls going out of town for the weekendJ
So instead, I am making a list of all we are cooking this week. We are going to cook as much as we can every day and as many different dishes as we can every day so that when you all come in, you will have a selection to choose from.
If you have ordered from us before, you know we always cook more than what is on our menu, and I post it on facebook as we do it. We are always getting calls for a lunch or dinner here or there, so we make extras and have in our cooler. J
This week we are making: Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salads (Fresh Daily) with butter croissants. $4.75
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salads. This is a delicious cold pasta salad with shredded chicken, crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, shredded cheddar, and our own home made ranch dressing.
Poppy-Seed Chicken: This is our best selling dish. We have orders for this almost every day. So therefore we make it almost every dayJ.
Chicken Spaghetti: This is a cream based sauce with chunks of chicken breast, sauted onions and bell peppers give this a delicious flavor.
Chicken and Spinach Lasagna Rolls: We are trying something new. The chicken and spinach lasagna is becoming very popular…we are making these into rolls. And topping with our home-made cream sauce. Yum.
Capellini Pasta with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Artichokes. This will be made on Thursday. I asked on facebook and had several responses.:) We will make our creamy parmesan and mushroom sauce to go with this.
And I’m sure much much more. Please Check facebook for daily specials or call usJ 305-4845
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Menu for the week of May 31-June 3
The Mixing Bowl
511 West Arch
501-305-4845
Menu for the week of May 31-June 4
Tuesday: Chicken-Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad….this is a cold pasta salad made with rotini pasta, chunks of chicken breast, and crumbled bacon, diced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, and a little shredded cheddar, with our home made ranch-sauce. Tuesday: Classic Lasagna (Lasagna noodles layered with a home made meaty tomato sauce and ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.) We will also have Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad with Croissants.
Wednesday: Poppy-Seed Chicken (Needs no explanation! J)
We will also be making Smothered Beef Enchiladas. Ground beef seasoned with green chilies and Mexican seasonings, then rolled into flour tortillas, nestled on a cream sauce and then topped with more sauce and shredded cheddar.
Thursday: Mexican Chicken: Ours is made with Doritos and a zesty cheesy sauce with chunks of juicy chicken and a blend of seasonings. Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas: Tender chicken, blended with a sour cream cheese sauce with a little kick. Not spicy…just flavorful. Rolled in your choice of flour or corn tortillas. If you want corn tortillas, please call us and tell us and we will make some for you.
Friday: Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. We start with a home-made Alfredo sauce made with real cream, butter and Parmesan, then add in diced chicken and toss with fettuccini noodles. Pasta Carbonara: Pasta tossed with home-made alfredo, bacon and peas…this combines to make a mouthwatering combination of flavors!
Casserole Prices are as follows: Small: feeds 2-3 8.99
Medium: feeds 4-6 16.99
Large: feeds 8-10 24.99
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Solicitors...funny story
Alright...let me start this off by saying I am usually patient with solicitors. I feel for them. Until they won't take no for an answer, or they keep calling back even when you tell them you are not interested and to please "Put you on the DO NOT CALL LIST"...so here's where this story comes in...
For the past couple months The Mixing Bowl has been getting calls from a certain company trying to sell us something we are not interested in. I have asked them over and over again to please remove our name from their list....they keep calling. As some of you may know I have a lady who helps me out at the store who is from the Philippines. One day the solicitor called and we were laughing and said the next time they called since they won't give up, that we would just let our little Cathy talk to them in her language and confuse them and they would maybe give up calling on us. I know, sounds mean...but she was up for it...and hey, they won't quit calling.
So today the phone rings...I see the 855 number that has been calling and I hand the phone to Cathy...all of us are grinning thinking we are going to show them....lol. Cathy starts speaking...and she pauses....and looks confused...and she starts speaking again (in her Philippine language) and the rest of us are looking at each other thinking NO WAY...the person on the other end is speaking back to Cathy in Philippino and they are carrying on a conversation...back and forth....We were all dying laughing and couldn't believe it. We still couldn't get away from the solicitor! haha. It was just too coincidental and what were the odds of that? We laughed about that all day today!
For the past couple months The Mixing Bowl has been getting calls from a certain company trying to sell us something we are not interested in. I have asked them over and over again to please remove our name from their list....they keep calling. As some of you may know I have a lady who helps me out at the store who is from the Philippines. One day the solicitor called and we were laughing and said the next time they called since they won't give up, that we would just let our little Cathy talk to them in her language and confuse them and they would maybe give up calling on us. I know, sounds mean...but she was up for it...and hey, they won't quit calling.
So today the phone rings...I see the 855 number that has been calling and I hand the phone to Cathy...all of us are grinning thinking we are going to show them....lol. Cathy starts speaking...and she pauses....and looks confused...and she starts speaking again (in her Philippine language) and the rest of us are looking at each other thinking NO WAY...the person on the other end is speaking back to Cathy in Philippino and they are carrying on a conversation...back and forth....We were all dying laughing and couldn't believe it. We still couldn't get away from the solicitor! haha. It was just too coincidental and what were the odds of that? We laughed about that all day today!
Monday, May 23, 2011
Menu for the week of May 23-May 27
The Mixing Bowl
501-305-4845
Menu for the Week of May 23-27th.
Monday: Chicken Spaghetti....Poppy Seed Chicken...Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad/
Tuesday: Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas....Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Wednesday: Poppy Seed Chicken...Chicken Tortilla Soup
Thursday: Shepherds Pie...Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Friday: Mexican Quiche...this will come in one size. The price for this will be 14.99 and will serve approximately 6-8 slices. This will be a great dish for the weekend!
Casserole Prices are as follows. Small (feeds 2-3) 8.99 Medium (feeds 4-6) 16.99 and Large (feeds 8-10) 24.99
We almost ALWAYS have more than what is on the menu. We get calls for lunches and we always cook extras! Just call us or check on facebook, we are pretty good about updating what we have in our coolers on there.
501-305-4845
Menu for the Week of May 23-27th.
Monday: Chicken Spaghetti....Poppy Seed Chicken...Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad/
Tuesday: Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas....Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Wednesday: Poppy Seed Chicken...Chicken Tortilla Soup
Thursday: Shepherds Pie...Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Friday: Mexican Quiche...this will come in one size. The price for this will be 14.99 and will serve approximately 6-8 slices. This will be a great dish for the weekend!
Casserole Prices are as follows. Small (feeds 2-3) 8.99 Medium (feeds 4-6) 16.99 and Large (feeds 8-10) 24.99
We almost ALWAYS have more than what is on the menu. We get calls for lunches and we always cook extras! Just call us or check on facebook, we are pretty good about updating what we have in our coolers on there.
Monday, May 16, 2011
The Mixing Bowl is Celebrating its First Year This Week!
We will be cooking lots of your favorites and having daily specials…Check us out on Facebook to see what we are doing for the day…or call us and ask.
Dishes this week will be Chicken Spaghetti, Poppy Seed Chicken, Chicken and Wild Rice, Texas Tortilla Bake, Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad, Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, Chicken and Dumplin’s, Shredded Beef Enchiladas, Smothered Beef Enchiladas, and much more…please call us to find out what we have, but as we grow we are finding it hard to stick to one dish on our menu for the day….We usually have 4 or 5 dishes to choose from in our coolers at any one time!
Today (Monday) we are giving away a free Banana Pudding (the 5.00 size) with every medium or large entrée purchase. Every day will be something different that we will offer special this week. Check online or call us! Thanks for making our first year a success and we hope to be here for many years to come!
The Mixing Bowl
501-305-4845
Saturday, May 14, 2011
What a difference a year makes!
Today I was talking to a friend about all the changes we have been through in a year here. There really have been so many changes!
When I found this little house last year there was still snow on the ground. This was such a nice "quaint" little place that had lots of character (I felt) I called Tammy Ghent (she and her husband Steve are the owners) I lease it from them. One of the first questions I asked her was if it had a big kitchen....she said YES...we met, looked at it, and immediately I could envision what it could be. Out of all the places I looked at, this one had everything I needed at a price I felt was reasonable. It had a large kitchen, (to fit commercial appliances we would move in) it had room to grow...(which I plan to do, Lord willing)...it had a room my kids could use to "hang out" in...and it felt like "home" which is what I wanted to create for our customers.
I told Tammy and Steve I wanted it and they got busy right away fixing it up and getting it ready...I got busy right away trying to find equipment to put in my kitchen. Doing this on a budget with no loans was no easy task! Every month we would buy one or two pieces of equipment, after spending thousands of dollars trying to get my kitchen ready, the kitchen store we were buying equipment from told us someone else in Searcy was buying equipment from them to do the same thing I was doing. MY HEART SANK! This was an idea that had been in me for about 6 years, and to finally be doing it, thinking no one else in our town had ever done it...and then find out at the exact time I was...someone else was doing it too. If I hadn't already invested so much and signed a year lease...I probably would of changed my mind and given up. Thankfully I didn't!
The first day I started cooking there I truly had no clue how to cook for LARGE crowds...I didn't even turn on the open sign for over a week...I decided if people walked in and it wasn't just perfect till we got the hang of it...if the open sign wasn't on...maybe they would be forgiving. I hoped they would understand we were doing a "practice run"...and they did. I did pretty much everything by myself except for a little help from friends and my children. It was nothing for a customer to walk in and I would be back in the kitchen cooking, and I would turn the stove off and go run the cash register...then go back to the stove. I did that for 2 months. Sometimes packing the kids up at night with pillows and blankets because I had so many orders that I knew had to be filled and I was the only one to cook...and I would literally cook almost all night...get a little nap, get up, change clothes and customers would come in and never know it! It was the hardest couple months work of my life!
People would say I needed to hire someone to help, and I did...but I knew I had to have enough customers to pay to hire someone. I had no business loans to start this...no huge savings...I was a single mom...so I did all I could do to make what customers I was getting happy...and hope I kept them....and I have kept so many of them! I finally got to hire someone, and she was a wonderful worker and helped me more than she knows. I finally felt like I could breathe a little...I swear 2 months went by that I don't know if I shaved my legs or not....lol I have had a couple people help me on and off..and each of them have taught me something and there will always be a little part of them in the dishes we prepare here. There is Kelly's cream cheese corn (which she called everyones favorite corn) there is Crystals Butterfinge'r pies (yep, she is the one who brought this one to The Mixing Bowl!) There is Nicki's Texas Sheet cake and her delicious sausage balls! And I am lucky enough to be having one of my best friends from high school help me some and she is a cooking diva! Misty brought the Heavenly Chocolate Mousse to us, as well as lot's of other great ideas. These girls have helped me more than they know...not everyone of them is still around...but I will remember and appreciate all they have done to help me get started.
We TRY our hardest...we cook for you all like we cook for our families....and we really do cook with lot's of love....we know food allergies, we know who likes what (if you become a regular) we really have grown attached to quite a lot of our customers...and if for some reason we don't see you for a while...we are kind of like old mother hens wondering about you!
I have never had a job that I loved like I love this. I have always heard if you do what you love you will never work a day in your life...I am not saying I don't feel like I am working, because sometimes after a really hard day my back hurts so bad I don't think I can stand up straight...lol but if I have to work...(since money is not just falling off trees:) this is the best job that I could ever ask for! I love it! I love the girls who help me! I love our customers!
I hope The Mixing Bowl continues to grow and be blessed the way we have this year...I hope this is the job I retire from. Thank you all for helping us to make it our first year! I promise that I will always try to provide you all with the best service and food possible and a fair price. You all have truly enriched my life and I am so very thankful for you.
Cindy
When I found this little house last year there was still snow on the ground. This was such a nice "quaint" little place that had lots of character (I felt) I called Tammy Ghent (she and her husband Steve are the owners) I lease it from them. One of the first questions I asked her was if it had a big kitchen....she said YES...we met, looked at it, and immediately I could envision what it could be. Out of all the places I looked at, this one had everything I needed at a price I felt was reasonable. It had a large kitchen, (to fit commercial appliances we would move in) it had room to grow...(which I plan to do, Lord willing)...it had a room my kids could use to "hang out" in...and it felt like "home" which is what I wanted to create for our customers.
I told Tammy and Steve I wanted it and they got busy right away fixing it up and getting it ready...I got busy right away trying to find equipment to put in my kitchen. Doing this on a budget with no loans was no easy task! Every month we would buy one or two pieces of equipment, after spending thousands of dollars trying to get my kitchen ready, the kitchen store we were buying equipment from told us someone else in Searcy was buying equipment from them to do the same thing I was doing. MY HEART SANK! This was an idea that had been in me for about 6 years, and to finally be doing it, thinking no one else in our town had ever done it...and then find out at the exact time I was...someone else was doing it too. If I hadn't already invested so much and signed a year lease...I probably would of changed my mind and given up. Thankfully I didn't!
The first day I started cooking there I truly had no clue how to cook for LARGE crowds...I didn't even turn on the open sign for over a week...I decided if people walked in and it wasn't just perfect till we got the hang of it...if the open sign wasn't on...maybe they would be forgiving. I hoped they would understand we were doing a "practice run"...and they did. I did pretty much everything by myself except for a little help from friends and my children. It was nothing for a customer to walk in and I would be back in the kitchen cooking, and I would turn the stove off and go run the cash register...then go back to the stove. I did that for 2 months. Sometimes packing the kids up at night with pillows and blankets because I had so many orders that I knew had to be filled and I was the only one to cook...and I would literally cook almost all night...get a little nap, get up, change clothes and customers would come in and never know it! It was the hardest couple months work of my life!
People would say I needed to hire someone to help, and I did...but I knew I had to have enough customers to pay to hire someone. I had no business loans to start this...no huge savings...I was a single mom...so I did all I could do to make what customers I was getting happy...and hope I kept them....and I have kept so many of them! I finally got to hire someone, and she was a wonderful worker and helped me more than she knows. I finally felt like I could breathe a little...I swear 2 months went by that I don't know if I shaved my legs or not....lol I have had a couple people help me on and off..and each of them have taught me something and there will always be a little part of them in the dishes we prepare here. There is Kelly's cream cheese corn (which she called everyones favorite corn) there is Crystals Butterfinge'r pies (yep, she is the one who brought this one to The Mixing Bowl!) There is Nicki's Texas Sheet cake and her delicious sausage balls! And I am lucky enough to be having one of my best friends from high school help me some and she is a cooking diva! Misty brought the Heavenly Chocolate Mousse to us, as well as lot's of other great ideas. These girls have helped me more than they know...not everyone of them is still around...but I will remember and appreciate all they have done to help me get started.
We TRY our hardest...we cook for you all like we cook for our families....and we really do cook with lot's of love....we know food allergies, we know who likes what (if you become a regular) we really have grown attached to quite a lot of our customers...and if for some reason we don't see you for a while...we are kind of like old mother hens wondering about you!
I have never had a job that I loved like I love this. I have always heard if you do what you love you will never work a day in your life...I am not saying I don't feel like I am working, because sometimes after a really hard day my back hurts so bad I don't think I can stand up straight...lol but if I have to work...(since money is not just falling off trees:) this is the best job that I could ever ask for! I love it! I love the girls who help me! I love our customers!
I hope The Mixing Bowl continues to grow and be blessed the way we have this year...I hope this is the job I retire from. Thank you all for helping us to make it our first year! I promise that I will always try to provide you all with the best service and food possible and a fair price. You all have truly enriched my life and I am so very thankful for you.
Cindy
Monday, May 9, 2011
Weekly Menu
Monday May 9- Friday May 13
Monday: Canberry Pecan Chicken Salad with croissants. Chicken and Dumplin’s. Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad.
Tuesday: Classic Lasagna. Baked Ziti.
Wednesday: Poppy Seed Chicken. Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole.
Thursday: Mexican Chicken with Doritos. Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Friday: Pork Chops with Corn Stuffing. Sausage and Hashbrown Breakfast/Brunch Casserole. This one is great for the weekend!
We have a few items in the freezer today (as of Monday) Poppy Seed Chicken, Chicken Spaghetti, Mexican Beef Stack and Tamale Pie.
Small casserole is 8.99 (feeds 2-3) Medium (feeds 4-6) 16.99 Large (feeds 8-10) $24.99
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Weekly Menu!
Tuesday May 3-Friday May 6
Tuesday: New Dish: Salsa Verde Enchiladas. Made with chicken and corn tortillas and a blend of cheeses, with salsa verde….a new twist on our enchiladas. We will also be making our Classic Sour Cream and Chicken Enchiladas. These are packed full of chicken in a creamy cheesy zesty sauce. Rolled in flour tortillas and topped with a blend of cheeses and cream sauce.
Wednesday: Poppy Seed Chicken…needs no explanationJ This is our most often requested dish here at The Mixing Bowl and is a favorite of many customers! We will also be making Texas Tortilla Bake. This dish is full of Tex-Mex Flavor! Ground beef, velveeta cheese, tortilla chips, cream cheese, green chilies are the flavors that combine in this dish to make it another favorite here!
Thursday: Mexican Beef Stack (NEW) Layers of seasoned ground beef, cheeses, black beans, corn, sour cream, all “stack” up to make this dish a mouth watering Mexican dish…great for Cinco de Mayo!
Friday: Chicken Spaghetti…ours is in our own creamy, cheesy, blend of sauce…with sauted onions and bell peppers blended in, this is one of our most popular dishes hereJ Also trying a new recipe called Tamale Pie…as the name implies…the ingredients you find in tamales, but made into a casserole.
We will be keeping our cooler stocked with plenty of extras and several desserts so feel free to call and see what we have!
Don't forget to pick your mom up some of our banana pudding or lemon icebox pie for Mother's Day Sunday!!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Our Menu
I apologize for not posting the menu on Monday. This has been kind of a crazy week in that we have had several special orders with Easter, Graduation parties, Retirement Parties etc, that we haven’t stuck to a menu real well. We have tried our best to have many of your “favorites” in the store on hand for you to run in and pick up. But of course, we don’t mind if you want to call us any time and just check to see what we have in our cooler.
Today (WED) we have Poppy Seed Chicken, Chicken Divan, Home made Vegetable Beef Soup, Taco Soup, Texas Tortilla Bake and for a side we have our green beans with bacon and brown sugar (like green bean bundles, just not bundled) For dessert we have banana pudding, lemon icebox pie, oreo pie and red velvet cake by the slice. Home made bread available today too.
Thursday we will be making Chicken and Dumplin’s and also a Ham and Cheese Souffle…along with sides and desserts.
Friday we will be cooking up for Easter…we have been requested by many to make Chicken and Dressing…so we will. We are also making our Hashbrown and Sausage breakfast Casserole. This would be great to pick up and bake for breakfast on Easter morning. We will also be making Home made Cinnamon rolls ready for you to let rise at your house and bake on Sunday morning. These are delicious, due to the time they take to make…numbers of these are limited. Call early to orderJ We will be making our green beans and ritzy corn casserole as sides…banana pudding, lemon Icebox pie, Oreo pie, chocolate mousse, and butterfinger pies….I’m sure we will have more on Friday than just this…we are always cooking.
Check us out on facebook to see daily what we are doing. Thank you all so much for your business! We appreciate you!!!!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Weekly Menu
Menu for the week of April 11- 15
Monday: Chicken and Dumplin’s (with drop style dumplin’s) and Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad (a cold pasta salad with ranch dressing, peas, cut up chicken breast, crumbled bacon and cheddar cheese).
Tuesday: Chicken Broccoli Fettuccini- NEW! (chicken, broccoli and fettuccini pasta tossed in a home made alfredo sauce)
Wednesday: Poppy-Seed Chicken (Needs no explanation! J) and King Ranch Chicken (chicken mixed in a creamy, cheesy sauce with rotel tomatoes and layered with flour tortillas)
Thursday: Beef and Cheesy Potato Casserole- NEW!! (a layer of a seasoned ground beef mixture, topped with sliced potatoes and cheddar cheese)
Friday: Chicken and Rice Casserole- NEW!! (chicken, rice, almonds and diced pimentos mixed with a cream sauce and topped with a cheesy, crumb topping)
As always, we will have more than the menu items available in our cooler so feel free to call and see what we have to choose from! J
Meal prices are as follows (please note- they have changed): Small (feeds 2-3) $9.50
Medium (feeds 4-6) $17.50
Large (feeds approx 10 servings) $25.50
Banana Pudding is $8.00 (made with eagle brand milk and real whipping cream) serves approx. 6.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Trying to please everyone:)
First off let me start this off by saying I was a little hesitant to write this post...but felt the need to:)
Today was the first day in almost a year of doing this that a customer really almost made me cry...and not those sweet tears that some of you bring to me....tears because I had let them down. I really really try to make sure we have all the orders done and waiting in the cooler or in the oven for you at the time you tell me you want it...and feeding around 80 families a day with only 2 or 3 of us cooking at most times, I think we do a really efficient job. But today we messed up on a pretty big order. Don't know how...don't know what happened to this customers order, but when she came in to pick it up, it was gone. It was our fault.
She happened to be going to a church potluck and needless to say, she was upset. I don't blame her. I hurried and made her a large banana pudding which she had ordered and just gave it to her...no charge....offered to get the food ready and deliver it hot to the church...no charge...free food to about the tune of 85.00 but she was unhappy with us and refused...then I offered to give her 2 free meals...and she said no....I know it put her in a bind...of all the customers today that we waited on today and got their meals fine, it had to be this one we messed up on.
We really don't have things happen like this often at all. But I just want to get the poing across...we are human, not one of us is perfect. But I try very very very hard to keep everything running smoothly and customers being happy is the most important thing to me in my business.
I know she was in a bad mood because what she expected did not happen. I was embarrassed that the mistake had been made. There were several customers in and out of the store during this and I know she wanted to make sure they knew we had made a mistake, and again...I don't know, she had probably had a very stressful day getting things done and it would be upsetting...but I could of done if for her...and gave it to her...but she refused and said she should of went somewhere else to get her food. Well, that was like a knife in my heart, and I felt like I would start to cry right then and there. But I had customers and I tried to hold it together and be as professional as I could be in that situation. I probably lost a customer right then and there, but that was not what hurt as bad as feeling like I had let a customer down.
I want you all to understand, I am hard on myself, I am hard on the girls who work for me, and I put the best quality ingredients in our dishes...and I put my heart into this! Those of you who have become my "regular" customers know this....you have become our friends....our reason for working like we do. But as hard as we try, sometimes we will make a mistake...but I will always try to make it right. I would rather lose a dollar than lose a customer! This is my name, this is a business I love and feel blessed to be doing. But I work my tail of every day...and so do the girls who work here.
In ending this, I want to tell each and every one of you "Thank You"...I know you could go somewhere else to get your meals, and I consider it a priviledge that you let us be part of your families meals. I appreciate that most of you are so precious and patient with us and we love you for it. I appreciate that daily people tell me how much they appreciate what we do, so that it gives them more time with their families enjoying dinner together.
Things like what happened today fortunately don't happen often (this was a first time like this) But if you are ever not happy with anything you get in our little shop, I want to know, I want to have the chance to make it right. Because without you all...we couldn't be doing this.
Today was the first day in almost a year of doing this that a customer really almost made me cry...and not those sweet tears that some of you bring to me....tears because I had let them down. I really really try to make sure we have all the orders done and waiting in the cooler or in the oven for you at the time you tell me you want it...and feeding around 80 families a day with only 2 or 3 of us cooking at most times, I think we do a really efficient job. But today we messed up on a pretty big order. Don't know how...don't know what happened to this customers order, but when she came in to pick it up, it was gone. It was our fault.
She happened to be going to a church potluck and needless to say, she was upset. I don't blame her. I hurried and made her a large banana pudding which she had ordered and just gave it to her...no charge....offered to get the food ready and deliver it hot to the church...no charge...free food to about the tune of 85.00 but she was unhappy with us and refused...then I offered to give her 2 free meals...and she said no....I know it put her in a bind...of all the customers today that we waited on today and got their meals fine, it had to be this one we messed up on.
We really don't have things happen like this often at all. But I just want to get the poing across...we are human, not one of us is perfect. But I try very very very hard to keep everything running smoothly and customers being happy is the most important thing to me in my business.
I know she was in a bad mood because what she expected did not happen. I was embarrassed that the mistake had been made. There were several customers in and out of the store during this and I know she wanted to make sure they knew we had made a mistake, and again...I don't know, she had probably had a very stressful day getting things done and it would be upsetting...but I could of done if for her...and gave it to her...but she refused and said she should of went somewhere else to get her food. Well, that was like a knife in my heart, and I felt like I would start to cry right then and there. But I had customers and I tried to hold it together and be as professional as I could be in that situation. I probably lost a customer right then and there, but that was not what hurt as bad as feeling like I had let a customer down.
I want you all to understand, I am hard on myself, I am hard on the girls who work for me, and I put the best quality ingredients in our dishes...and I put my heart into this! Those of you who have become my "regular" customers know this....you have become our friends....our reason for working like we do. But as hard as we try, sometimes we will make a mistake...but I will always try to make it right. I would rather lose a dollar than lose a customer! This is my name, this is a business I love and feel blessed to be doing. But I work my tail of every day...and so do the girls who work here.
In ending this, I want to tell each and every one of you "Thank You"...I know you could go somewhere else to get your meals, and I consider it a priviledge that you let us be part of your families meals. I appreciate that most of you are so precious and patient with us and we love you for it. I appreciate that daily people tell me how much they appreciate what we do, so that it gives them more time with their families enjoying dinner together.
Things like what happened today fortunately don't happen often (this was a first time like this) But if you are ever not happy with anything you get in our little shop, I want to know, I want to have the chance to make it right. Because without you all...we couldn't be doing this.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
What makes a home?
What makes a home? That is a question I have pondered on this week. While talking to some customers who have become friends this week I was talking about "home" and then it got me to thinking...what really makes a home?
When I first moved into my house a couple years ago, I remember looking around and thinking I didn't know if I could ever feel like I was "home" here. It was almost 1000 square feet smaller than the home I had built with my now x-husband. At the time we built our home...I thought that would be the place I would be forever...that I would raise my children, that I would have my grandchildren come visit....that was my home!
When my husband and I divorced a few years ago, (which honestly has been very hard for me to admit to people and hard to talk about...we have 4 children and there is a lot of guilt for me that goes along with the feeling like we let them down.) But I was the one to move out of our "home"...we had built our house right next door to his parents and on his family land...I think moving from our home...and moving our kids from our home was the hardest and most heartbreaking feeling I have ever been through.
At first when we moved here, there was excitement from the kids to be in a new neighborhood in town with lot's of friends to hang out with.. But it didn't take long to start missing their old "home"...we went from 4 bathrooms to 2.5, 5 bedrooms to 4, and a whole life of memories. It took me forever to quit calling my old house my home....I would catch myself saying "home" when I referred to their dads house for months. Our house was nice...but it wasn't home...not yet. After about 9 months of being here, bringing in this and that, hanging pictures, cooking meals, playing games, making memories here, new memories...this became "home"...I have actually noticed my kids calling our house "home" and our old house "dad's house"... (they call it that way to him too) My kids love their dad, and he and I are still good friends...but his house doesn't have that "home" feeling any longer. Even my X-husband comes to our house a few times a week just to spend time with the kids...I don't mind. I want him involved with them as much as possible. But they would rather he do that than go out to the "old" house all the time.
So as I was talking to my friends the other day...It got me to thinking, Is home where mom is? Is home where there are candles burning and making the house smell sweet, is home where there is something good cooking in the oven? Is home just a feeling? Is it more a feeling than an actual place? I think so. I want everyone who comes to my house to feel welcomed...and I guess why I am writing this on The Mixing Bowl Blog is that that is an extension of my home....My family and I spend so many hours there that it feels like our home also:) I want it to always feel warm and inviting and hope when you are there you feel that feeling.
When I first moved into my house a couple years ago, I remember looking around and thinking I didn't know if I could ever feel like I was "home" here. It was almost 1000 square feet smaller than the home I had built with my now x-husband. At the time we built our home...I thought that would be the place I would be forever...that I would raise my children, that I would have my grandchildren come visit....that was my home!
When my husband and I divorced a few years ago, (which honestly has been very hard for me to admit to people and hard to talk about...we have 4 children and there is a lot of guilt for me that goes along with the feeling like we let them down.) But I was the one to move out of our "home"...we had built our house right next door to his parents and on his family land...I think moving from our home...and moving our kids from our home was the hardest and most heartbreaking feeling I have ever been through.
At first when we moved here, there was excitement from the kids to be in a new neighborhood in town with lot's of friends to hang out with.. But it didn't take long to start missing their old "home"...we went from 4 bathrooms to 2.5, 5 bedrooms to 4, and a whole life of memories. It took me forever to quit calling my old house my home....I would catch myself saying "home" when I referred to their dads house for months. Our house was nice...but it wasn't home...not yet. After about 9 months of being here, bringing in this and that, hanging pictures, cooking meals, playing games, making memories here, new memories...this became "home"...I have actually noticed my kids calling our house "home" and our old house "dad's house"... (they call it that way to him too) My kids love their dad, and he and I are still good friends...but his house doesn't have that "home" feeling any longer. Even my X-husband comes to our house a few times a week just to spend time with the kids...I don't mind. I want him involved with them as much as possible. But they would rather he do that than go out to the "old" house all the time.
So as I was talking to my friends the other day...It got me to thinking, Is home where mom is? Is home where there are candles burning and making the house smell sweet, is home where there is something good cooking in the oven? Is home just a feeling? Is it more a feeling than an actual place? I think so. I want everyone who comes to my house to feel welcomed...and I guess why I am writing this on The Mixing Bowl Blog is that that is an extension of my home....My family and I spend so many hours there that it feels like our home also:) I want it to always feel warm and inviting and hope when you are there you feel that feeling.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Menu for the week of February 21-25
Monday: Fettucini Alfredo with chicken...
Home made Chicken Noodle Soup...
Tuesday: Mexican Chicken with flour tortillas
Wednesday: Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Thursday: Chicken Spaghetti (cream based sauce with cheese)
Classic Beef Spaghetti with home made meat sauce topped with shredded Mozzarella
Friday: Chicken and Dumplin's
We usually have much more in our cooler than what we post on our menu, because we are always making special orders for our customers, so we cook extra and put it in our cooler. Feel free to stop in and check or give us a call and we will tell you exactly what we have:)
Remember on Mon-Wed-Fri we have home made sour dough bread available...fresh baked.
Our Phone number is 501-305-4845 and our address is 511 W. Arch St. Searcy AR 72143
Home made Chicken Noodle Soup...
Tuesday: Mexican Chicken with flour tortillas
Wednesday: Stuffed Bell Pepper Casserole
Chicken and Rice Casserole
Thursday: Chicken Spaghetti (cream based sauce with cheese)
Classic Beef Spaghetti with home made meat sauce topped with shredded Mozzarella
Friday: Chicken and Dumplin's
We usually have much more in our cooler than what we post on our menu, because we are always making special orders for our customers, so we cook extra and put it in our cooler. Feel free to stop in and check or give us a call and we will tell you exactly what we have:)
Remember on Mon-Wed-Fri we have home made sour dough bread available...fresh baked.
Our Phone number is 501-305-4845 and our address is 511 W. Arch St. Searcy AR 72143
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Menu for the week of Feb. 14-18
Monday..Since I am posting this on Tuesday this is a little late:) But we had a "Sweethearts Meal" with Lasagna, Home made Bread, A side of your choice, and dessert. :)
Tuesday: King Ranch Chicken...This is a new menu item and is sooo good. Sort of like Mexican Chicken, but a little less cheesy and made with flour OR corn tortillas (your choice) . A soon to be favorite (I'm certain of it!:))
Wednesday: Another new dish we are trying out! Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo...This is a recipe from a good friend of mine in Louisiana, and she makes the real deal! So we are gonna give it a whirl! We will also be making our Poppy Seed Chicken, which has become a Wed. favorite. This is our best selling item on our menu.
Thursday: Texas Tortilla Bake...those of you who have tried this can tell all about it! Almost every person who has eaten this has raved about it. Made with ground beef, Velveeta, stewed tomatoes, green chilies, flour tortillas, cream cheese, and topped with Monterrey Jack....this has been requested over and over!
Friday: Another NEW dish! Can you tell we are trying to keep our menu from becoming boring? lol
Swiss Chicken Supreme....Whole Chicken Breasts, topped with Swiss Cheese, then we will top with a home made cream sauce...then breadcrumbs...we will assemble this and have it ready for you to take home and pop in your oven for 45-50 munutes...and enjoy!
Now that I am learning about "blogging" I will try to do this every Sunday for the following week.
The cost of our casseroles are....for ground beef and chicken casseroles...8.99 for a small (feeds 2-3) 16.99 for a medium (feeds 4-6) and 24.99 for a large (feeds 8-10)
We try to make sides and desserts daily and prices depend on what we make and our cost. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 501-305-4845. We are open Monday thru Friday from 10:30-6:30...Saturday, by appointment only.
Tuesday: King Ranch Chicken...This is a new menu item and is sooo good. Sort of like Mexican Chicken, but a little less cheesy and made with flour OR corn tortillas (your choice) . A soon to be favorite (I'm certain of it!:))
Wednesday: Another new dish we are trying out! Shrimp and Chicken Gumbo...This is a recipe from a good friend of mine in Louisiana, and she makes the real deal! So we are gonna give it a whirl! We will also be making our Poppy Seed Chicken, which has become a Wed. favorite. This is our best selling item on our menu.
Thursday: Texas Tortilla Bake...those of you who have tried this can tell all about it! Almost every person who has eaten this has raved about it. Made with ground beef, Velveeta, stewed tomatoes, green chilies, flour tortillas, cream cheese, and topped with Monterrey Jack....this has been requested over and over!
Friday: Another NEW dish! Can you tell we are trying to keep our menu from becoming boring? lol
Swiss Chicken Supreme....Whole Chicken Breasts, topped with Swiss Cheese, then we will top with a home made cream sauce...then breadcrumbs...we will assemble this and have it ready for you to take home and pop in your oven for 45-50 munutes...and enjoy!
Now that I am learning about "blogging" I will try to do this every Sunday for the following week.
The cost of our casseroles are....for ground beef and chicken casseroles...8.99 for a small (feeds 2-3) 16.99 for a medium (feeds 4-6) and 24.99 for a large (feeds 8-10)
We try to make sides and desserts daily and prices depend on what we make and our cost. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 501-305-4845. We are open Monday thru Friday from 10:30-6:30...Saturday, by appointment only.
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