Beef for Fifty Men

Every year, on the day after Easter, Parker Ford Church has held a men’s dinner.  Officially called the Men’s Fellowship Dinner, the meal goes back to the mid-1950’s when my dad, Ray Willauer; and uncle, Herb Yost, started the tradition.  The church had just constructed a separate building for use as a fellowship hall, and Uncle Herb remembers that the first dinner was held in that new building.  So, the year of the first dinner was most likely 1957.

However, there was one problem:  There was no kitchen in the new Fellowship Building.  The food had to be prepared elsewhere and brought in.  That was most likely how my dad and Herb were “elected” to head up the dinner.  They lived across the street from the church!  (My mother, and the Yosts still live in separate halves of the same double house that both couples “went to housekeeping” in.) Dad made the roast beef in our oven, and Uncle Herb put the foil-wrapped potatoes in his.  The only other hot food was corn, and that was made “stove-top,” and also brought in.  (A kitchen was eventually constructed in 1961, I believe in response to the men having to cook the food remotely and carry it in.)

Over the years, the menu has not changed one iota:  Roast beef, baked potatoes, corn, cole slaw, applesauce, and rolls with butter.  Tomato juice for anyone who wants it, and iced tea and coffee for beverages.  Pie and ice cream round things out for dessert.  I think the only thing that has been added over the years is sour cream for the potatoes and horseradish for the beef.  Simple…plain…and truly a man’s meal.

Dad and Uncle Herb continued to organize the dinner ever year, until Dad became ill in 1989.  Other men took over, and I began to assist Frank Weaver about twelve years ago, baking the potatoes at home, and bringing them from Skippack in an insulated chest.  (They would stay hot for hours in there!)  When Frank passed away, I begin to coordinate the dinner with the able assistance of a small army of men.  Even Uncle Herb continues to play an active part…more than fifty years after the first dinner.

The source for the beef also has not changed in 54 years.  Kolb Bros. Meats in Spring City, (431 Stony Run Road), has provided the bottom round roasts every year for every men’s dinner at PFC.  They are one of the few remaining  family-run, old-fashioned butcher shops in the area.  In fact, up until about ten years ago Kolb's still had a truck that serviced area homes; a butcher shop on wheels that would pull right into your driveway with a full line of custom meats.  When Matt and Lauren were being babysat by Bobbie Gauger in Parker Ford, they got excited when the butcher truck pulled into the driveway, and they loved the cheese samples they would get from Randy Kolb.

Master butchers, Roland and Randy Kolb, stand ready to meet your meat needs.

Our count for the men’s dinner has ranged from 65 to 85 over the last four years, so I was a little surprised when the final count for this year was only 55.  I had pre-ordered 50 lbs. of beef about two weeks in advance of this year’s dinner, and then called Kolb's to see if I could reduce the quantity.  (Not even Parker Ford Church men can each eat a pound of roast beef!)  The friendly people at Kolb’s assured me that they would do what they could, but reminded me that full bottom round roasts weigh in at around 15 lbs. each.

When I picked up the order, the final total weight of the three roasts was 43¾ lbs.  Technically, at a half pound per person, that’s still enough for 87 people, but remember, this is a men’s dinner.  According to my records, PFC men eat about .6 lbs of beef per guy.  I decided to “buy back” the smallest of the three roasts and only make the two largest ones.

Bottom round roasts fresh from Kolb Bros. Meats, Spring City, PA

Arriving at the church at 8:00 a.m., I prepared the roasts by placing them in disposable aluminum chafing dish liner pans, placing each disposable liner in an actual chafing dish pan for support.

These are LARGE roasts!  To provide perspective, each pan is 20" long.

I sprinkled Kosher salt and black pepper liberally over each.  I next peeled and halved about 3 pounds of yellow onions, putting half in each pan.  I usually place pieces of celery in the roasting pans, but left the celery at home!  I added no water and covered each tightly with aluminum foil, placing a chafing dish lid on top of each roast.  By 8:30 a.m., both roasts had been placed in a 275° oven.  The key to a tender and moist roast is “low and slow.”  Keep in mind that no matter what size roast you are making, these procedures will guarantee moist and tender beef.

Liberally sprinkle each roast with Kosher salt and black pepper.
I usually include celery along with the yellow onions, for flavor.

I left the kitchen for an 8:30 a.m. Elders’ meeting, and returned to find that faithful men’s dinner helper, Don Trauger had washed and foil-wrapped 60 potatoes.  As they were ready for the oven, we put them in at 10:30 a.m.  We checked on one of the roasts, and it was already starting to brown.  Almost ¾” of juice had collected in the pan.  Gravy was anticipated and mouths were already watering!

Assisted by Jim Hollen, we dished out and covered the cold items on the menu, preparing everything to be served family style.  When we left the church, we asked the pastors to “tune” their noses to the kitchen in the event of any unanticipated disasters.

Fortunately, there were none.  When I returned at 3:30 p.m., this is what I found.  The pans were almost filled to the brim with wonderfully-seasoned beef stock, and both roasts were well-done.  In addition, all 40 lbs of potatoes were done baking!

Roast One - beautiful!  Can you see the steam?

160°-165° is the temperature at which beef is considered well-done.  You can’t read the temperature on the digital meat thermometer below, but it is registering 198°.  Yes, the meat was done all right!  Fearing that the meat might have gotten dry…especially with all of the juice that the roasts had produced, I immediately removed the roasts from the oven, left them covered, and allowed them to “rest.”  Allowing roasted or grilled meat to “rest” before carving or serving is critical.  It allows juices to be reabsorbed, or at least re-distributed in the meat.

Roast Two - simply gorgeous!

After about a half hour, I began to siphon the meat juices from the bottom of the pan using a turkey baster.  For good quality gravy, you want mostly juices and only a little fat.  Gently siphoning from the bottom of the pan allows the fat to stay floating on the top of the juices.  Stop siphoning when you start getting fat.  I obtained 3 quarts of beef stock and put it aside to be thickened for gravy closer to serving time.  I allowed the roasts to continue to “rest” another half hour and began slicing with an electric knife at 4:30 p.m.  The meat was so tender and moist.  I was glad that I left it rest for an hour.  Even after resting outside of the oven for an hour, the meat was still too hot to handle.

The sliced beef was placed in disposable half pans with about a cup of water in each.  They were then covered with foil and returned to a 180° oven, along with the finished baked potatoes to keep everything warm until our 6:00 p.m. serving time.  Five minutes before 6:00, Rob Brunner heaped the beef on serving platters and we were ready for Pastor Tim to offer the blessing before the meal.  After the meal, only about two pounds of beef were leftover.  The PFC men had broken a new record!  Each had consumed an average of .66 lbs of roast beef.

Following dessert, Mike Wolfe, a PFC congregant, treated the men and boys attending to a magic show.  Mike was assisted by his son, Chris.  Part of the show was the illusion “Metamorphosis,” which included handcuffing and “sacking” one of our pastors, Josh Bytwerk, before placing him in a locked coffin-like box.  Within seconds, Josh and Mike had traded places, wowing everyone in the audience…even though several of those attending wondered aloud if Josh’s wife, Shelby, might like Josh in the more “controlled” state!

Hat Trick of Easter Side Dishes

There are few non-negotiables when it comes to food for our holiday meals.  Not that we do anything all that radical, like sushi for Thanksgiving or anything.  Several family members have “moved away” from pork products, so we will have to have another Easter main course in addition to the traditional ham.  There still are several non-negotiables that do exist, but believe it or not, they’re in regard to the side dishes.  Such is the case for all holiday meals, and if I forget or try something new, I generally hear about it from one or more family members.  “Where’s the ______?” is usually the manner in which the absence is communicated.

There are three side dishes that are a part of every Easter dinner for us.  They are baked pineapple casserole, asparagus with water chestnuts, and (don’t laugh) green bean casserole.  I know…I know…green bean casserole is about as basic as you can get, but not for all dads who are in the kitchen.  This still has the potential to be terra nova for some readers.  Pineapple casserole is also pretty common, but the same plea for patience and understanding applies for those of you who are more experienced.  First, asparagus with water chestnuts.

Of all three recipes, asparagus with water chestnuts is the easiest.  The tender pieces of asparagus coupled with crunchy slices of water chestnut makes a nice contrast, and they complement each other well.  Buy about two pounds of asparagus.  Look for bunches that are bright green and for individual stalks that are about as thick as your little finger.  (Remember, we’re talking “dad fingers” here!)  There should not be too much of the bottom of the stalk that is white.  The stalks should be firm and the surface of each should be smooth.  The tips should be a purplish color or reddish-brown and also firm.  If they are soft or mushy, put them back.

Hydrating improves asparagus

I usually like to hydrate asparagus for at least a day before cooking it.  When you get the bunches home, keep the rubber bands in place.  Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, cut off about ¾” to 1” of the whole bunch at once and discard.  If more of the bottom of the stalk is solid white, you may want to remove more.  Stand the bunches in a dish of cold water about ½” deep, cover with a plastic bag, and place in the refrigerator.  (This kind of works the same way as cutting off the bottom of your Christmas tree before bringing it into the house.)

The more angled the diagonal, the more inner stalk is exposed

After at least 24 hours, prep the asparagus by cutting each stalk into diagonal slices.  Cutting diagonally makes a nice presentation, and also exposes more asparagus flavor.  The pieces from the stalk bottoms should be a little smaller than the thinner upper parts.  This helps to equalize cooking time, so that all pieces reach uniform doneness at the same time.

Asparagus with Water Chestnuts

Ingredients:

Asparagus (2 lbs. or about 5-7 cups)

¼ cup butter (1/2 stick)

½ teaspoon salt

¹/₈ teaspoon black pepper

1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, sliced

Place the asparagus in a microwave-safe dish with lid.  Cut butter in slices and arrange on top of asparagus.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Do not add water chestnuts yet.  Cover and microwave on high for 7 minutes.  Open the can of water chestnuts and drain them.  Stir the water chestnuts into the asparagus.  Microwave uncovered on high until asparagus is just tender, (approx. 5 minutes longer).  Keep in mind that if microwaved asparagus is covered while it stands before serving, it will continue to cook and may become overdone or mushy.  It’s always better to under- rather than over-cook.

Baked Pineapple Casserole

This popular dish may already be familiar to many of you.  It’s also easy to make, and really good.  I suspect the recipe has evolved over the years, starting out in the 1950’s made with 5 lbs. of sugar and a pound of butter.  The version my mother passed onto me calls for a cup of sugar and a ½ cup (1 stick) of butter.  At that intensity of sugar, it’s no longer a side dish, but a premature dessert.  Over the years, I’ve cut the sugar back to ¾ cup, and then to ½ cup, without any negative side effects.  It’s “better” with more sugar, but how much processed white crystalline disaccharide do you really need?  Try it with ½ cup and go from there.  You could also probably cut back on the butter, but I’ve never tried that.  (I do have my limitations!)

Preheat oven to 350°

Grease a casserole dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray.  In a separate dish, microwave ½ cup (1 stick) butter until just melted.

Combine with the melted butter:

3 eggs

½ cup sugar

½ cup milk

Stir or whisk until well-blended.

Add:

1 can (20 oz.) undrained crushed pineapple.  Mix thoroughly, and set aside.

Cut 8 slices of bread (I use wheat bread, but some people prefer white) into ½” cubes and place in greased casserole dish.  The bread I used this time was right out of the freezer.  It sliced easier and it seemed like there were fewer crumbs.

Make bread cubes about 1/2" and don't forget to grease the dish

Add above mixture and combine thoroughly.  Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes.

Ready for the oven

This casserole tastes just like French toast…if you forget the pineapple.  We know this from experience!

Green Bean Casserole

This family favorite shows up at all holiday meals, as well as at lots of gatherings in-between.  It is incredibly popular and most likely nothing new…except for the dad who is truly new to the kitchen.

Save prep and clean-up time by mixing the following in the casserole dish you’ll use for baking this side.

Combine:

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (Do not follow the directions on the can.)

¹/₃ cup of milk

1 teaspoon soy sauce (Not all soy sauce is created equal.  I prefer Kikkoman’s)

¼ teaspoon black pepper

Whisk the above ingredients until smooth.

First ingredients blended, ready for the green beans

Open and drain 2 cans (16 oz. each) French-style green beans.  (Some folks prefer cut green beans, and either work.)  Incorporate (mix) the drained green beans into the soup mixture until blended.  Add one half of a 3 oz. can of French’s fried onions and incorporate into the green beans.

Ready for the oven

French’s fried onions can be hard to find in some grocery stores.  Many stores have wised up and now place them beside the green beans, or at least in the canned vegetable aisle.  (I’m telling you, this recipe is really popular.)  If not, rather than canvas the whole store, ask a clerk where they are.  I know that we men are hunters by nature and this can be like asking for directions, but save yourself some time.  I’ve actually observed a number of husbands calling their wives on cell phones and asking where to find certain items in the grocery store.  Seriously…do you really want to be a topic of discussion at the next book club meeting?  Just ask a store clerk.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven to stir and add the remaining onions to the top.  Return casserole to the oven and bake for 5 minutes more to brown the onions on top.

To double this recipe and serve a large group (10+), use a 6 oz. can of fried onions, of course, but stir in ¾ of the can, topping the casserole in the last five minutes with the remaining ¼ can of onions.  The reason for this is that regardless of a regular or doubled recipe, the surface area of the finished casserole stays the same, (if you are using the same size baking dish).

Here’s a cool aspect to these three sides.  If you start with the baked pineapple, then put the green beans in the oven after they have been prepared, you’ll have time to prepare and microwave the asparagus side while the other two are baking.  Potentially, all will be done at the same time…the mark of an incredibly good cook!

Enjoy and have a blessed Easter with your family and friends!  He is risen!

Frosting Face-Off or "The Clash of the Icings"

In response to my first blog post, (Wacky Cake, 3/11/11), a number of readers suggested perfect matches for an accompanying icing.  The suggestion that got my attention was peanut butter.  Elisa, an admitted PB addict, actually slathered straight peanut butter on top of the cake.  Talk about a peanut butter devotee!

In order to get a good peanut butter frosting recipe, my first thought was to contact Nancy Ruoff, the current cafeteria manager at Royersford Elementary School, and the only cafeteria manager with whom I worked as a principal.

Nancy Ruoff, Royersford Elementary Cafeteria Manager

Nancy’s peanut butter frosting is wonderful, (or as my son Matt says, “Wunnerful.”)  I contacted Nancy, only to discover that she has no recipe!  [Insert sad face here!]  As is the case with most excellent cooks, she “just makes it.”  

I started to look for peanut butter recipes online, as there were certainly none in my repertoire…none even in my range of experiences.  And really, once you’ve reached the perfection achieved by Nancy Ruoff, why would you look elsewhere?

Nancy promised to pay attention the next time she made her frosting in order to write down how she makes it.  In the meantime, Ina Garten’s peanut butter icing was recommended.  (For those of you who don’t know, Ina Garten is a cookbook author and Food Network personality.)

Ina Garten, The Food Network

Photo by thekitchendesigner.org’s photostream 

licensed under Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 Generic

Now you may have noticed a subtle change in my cake-topping lingo.  I refer to Nancy’s cake coating as “frosting,” and Ina’s, (we’re not actually on a first name basis), as “icing.”

While many think that the terms are interchangeable, they are not.  Growing up in Latshaw’s Bakery, we called mostly everything “icing,” but the term “frosting” was used occasionally in reference to the cakes that Dad made.  Here is what I’ve learned from experience, and what, for the most part, has been confirmed by my research.

Icing is thinner and can be runnier.

Frosting is thicker and stiffer.

Frosting stays where you put it, (for the most part).

Icing hardens faster, getting a crust on it more quickly.

Frosting stays moist and workable or pliable longer.

Icing is more “solid.”

Frosting is “fluffier.”

Icing is generally sweeter.

Frosting generally has more butter or shortening in it.

Frosting pipes well.  That means that you can “squirt” decorations on cakes more easily with it.

Both are good.

Just as I was getting ready to try Ina Garten’s recipe and post the results for those who were anxiously waiting for a peanut butter icing recipe, Nancy Ruoff came through.  In her email she provided --- for the very first time in the history of the world --- her beloved and famous peanut butter frosting recipe.

What to do?

I had already posted that I would be trying Ina’s recipe, (I even had the ingredients), but the level of dedication and commitment to Nancy as a faithful co-worker and friend would not permit anything other than following through with hers.

I decided to make both and do a taste test.  It would be risky business.  I knew Nancy’s recipe was good, but what if Ina’s was judged to be better?  Would it jeopardize my long-time friendship with Nancy, who has helped me in so many ways?  Would I even be able to accurately replicate Nancy’s recipe and do it justice?

I decided to go for it.  After all, since retiring it’s not like I’ve had any stress.

Below are both recipes.  Both are pretty straightforward.  Interestingly, both call for one cup of peanut butter.  But….well, wait and see!

First some terminology & tips:

“Cream” means to start with all ingredients at room temperature and using a paddle attachment on your electric mixer, beat until well-blended…NOT whipped.  Creaming is an important first step in making icing or frosting.

As you cream the ingredients, use a stiff spatula or scraper to scrape down the sides of the bowl, (after turning off the mixer!), to make sure that everything is blended completely.

If you don't have one of these plastic bowl scrapers, get one!
This is like the ones that Dad used at Latshaw's Bakery.

After all ingredients are added and blended (creamed), increase the speed of the mixer to whip the icing/frosting to the desired consistency.

Ina Garten’s Peanut Butter Icing (She credits “Kathleen” for the recipe)

Cream together:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 cup peanut butter

5 Tablespoons butter (unsalted, if you have it)

¾ teaspoons vanilla

¼ teaspoon salt (Kosher salt is recommended.  Use less if you use salted butter)

Add:

1/3 cup heavy cream

Whip on high speed until mixture is light and smooth.

Nancy Ruoff’s Peanut Butter Frosting

Cream together:

4 Tablespoons butter

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup peanut butter

Add:

1 lb. confectioner’s sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 oz milk

Continue beating until fluffy and smooth enough to spread.  Add an additional 1 to 2 Tablespoons of milk to make the frosting to your desired creaminess.

Now, check this out:

Ina Garten’s icing is on the left, Nancy Ruoff’s frosting is on the right.

Wow!  Nancy’s recipe made more than four times the volume.  (That's probably because one pound of confectioner's sugar is equal to more than four and a half cups!)  Also keep in mind that both have exactly 1 cup of peanut butter in them.  Guess which one is going to have a more intense peanut butter flavor?  My concerns about taste test results were becoming heightened.  

Regardless, I frosted both cakes.  Both were easy to apply.  The icing was a little easier to spread, but the frosting could be applied in a thicker coating.

Now for the taste test.  I took both cakes to the monthly Church Board meeting at Parker Ford Church.  At a break in the meeting, each person received samples of Wacky Cake with the two icings, labeled “A” and “B”.  It was to be a blind taste test.

Can you tell which is which?

It was interesting to listen to the conversation and comments.  Momentary panic set in when someone heard me respond to a question about the two cake samples.  When I said, “They’re both the same,” it was initially interpreted that the icings were the same and that the whole taste test was a ruse.  (They know me too well at Parker Ford Church, as that is definitely something I would do.)  I assured everyone that everything was on the “up and up.”

Here are the results:  15 people tasted the samples and voted by a show of hands.  The winner, by one vote, was Nancy Ruoff’s frosting!  The people who liked the Ina Garten icing voted for its intense peanut butter taste, just as I suspected.  Those who liked the frosting voted for it based on the fact that it’s a really good frosting, and is their idea of what a cake should be covered in.

What do the results tell me?  There is room in this world for both icing and frosting!  Try them both.  The choice is yours!

Dump (Dollop, Disperse & Sprinkle) Cake

“You won’t believe this recipe I have!”

It was the excited voice of Aunt Joyce, or as she was originally known, “Auntie Joyce,” at least until we were “too old” to call her that…in public anyway.  Aunt Joyce Hahn, my dad's sister, was a favorite aunt.  She was always on the move, always having fun, and always taking us along for the ride.  Five nephews, but she “got” what boys are all about, and as a result we were the beneficiaries.

It was not uncommon for “A.J.,” as she was also known, (now that was cool), to call us at 6:00 on a summer morning, sounding as bright and chipper as the sunrise.  “I’m thinking about going to Ocean City for the day.  Anyone want to come?”

We’d be ready in 10 minutes, load into her bright yellow '64 Dodge Coronet, and off we’d go, stopping to pick up fresh fruit for the beach at a farm stand along the way.  Hot cinnamon buns at Simm's upon arrival were part of the routine.  A.J. would jokingly caution us, "Don't tell your father," (the baker).  And then always a box of Steel's Fudge or Shriver's salt water taffy to take home for the poor unfortunate souls who couldn't go along.

On this particular day, she had come across a recipe for Dump Cake.  “Can you believe it?” she asked.  “You just dump everything together and put it in the oven.  C’mon, let’s go to the store and get what we need.” 

And off we’d go.

Making this recipe brought back a flood of happy memories.  A.J. was bigger than life.  Her love of life when added to her love of her five nephews, made for good times.  She not only understood boys, she also took the time to figure out what made each of us tick.  And supportive?  She and Uncle Bink supported us in everything we did.  It was something different for each of us; from Little League to music to backyard projects like gardening or interests in "critters" and nature.  When I became licensed into the ministry and started to preach at area churches, A.J. & U.B. were always there, sometimes bringing along other members of “David’s Fan Club,” as Aunt Joyce called it.

Their caring and generosity carried over to their great nephews and nieces.  One December, Aunt Joyce and Uncle Bink took everyone on the North Pole Express, a steam locomotive ride with Santa, complete with hot chocolate and candy canes.  Almost everyone loved it (see below), but no one more than Aunt Joyce.

My daughter, Lauren, greets Santa with apprehension.  Aunt Joyce is in the foreground.

This recipe became one of her favorites, but not because it was so easy to make.  Joyce was an incredible cook, and had a variety of more complicated recipes that were signature dishes for her.  I think she liked this one solely because you got to just dump everything together, although, in reality, this cake is more accurately named "Dump, Dollop, Disperse, and Sprinkle."  It’s incredibly easy, and quite good.  And this week, all you have to do is follow the pictures....

You’ll need these five ingredients and a 9”x13” baking dish.
Glass works well, but I know that a metal baking pan will also do fine.

Pre-heat oven to 350°

Ingredients:

1 (20 oz.) can of crushed pineapple, undrained

1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling

1 Deluxe yellow cake mix (any kind will do)

1 cup chopped pecans or pecan pieces

1 stick (1/4 lb.) butter (keep refrigerated until you’re ready to use)

DUMP the undrained can of crushed pineapple into the baking dish

Spread the pineapple evenly on the bottom of the dish

Spoon out DOLLOPS of the cherry pie filling.  Try to cover as much of the pineapple
as possible.  The pie filling really can’t be spread easily once it’s sitting on the pineapple.

DISPERSE the cake mix evenly on top of the pineapple and cherry pie filling.
Make it as even a layer as possible, and not thicker in the middle.

SPRINKLE the chopped pecans, (or other nuts of your choice),
evenly across the top of the cake mix.

Cut the cold stick of butter into thin slices and place them evenly
on top of everything.  Put the baking dish in the center of the oven
and bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes.

Check after 45 minutes.  Make certain that it’s golden brown
and that the top is not too soft or “gushy.”  (Mine took the full 55 minutes.)

Side view of how it all comes together!

Let it sit for at least 15-20 minutes before serving.  Use a sturdy spatula to serve, as the cake will be fairly loose in consistency and a little “sloppy.”  It’s great with ice cream.  This recipe serves 8-10.  This cake is always better served warm, and is easily re-heated in the oven or microwave.

There you have it:  As easy as pie…(well, you know what I mean).  This is a great recipe to make with your kids.  After all, how could you possible damage a “Dump Cake?"

I have more recipes to share from A.J.  Many are in her own handwriting, given as part of a wedding gift.  I especially like her tomato juice recipe.  It has a distinctive taste all its own.  She also encouraged other cooks in the family to write down their favorite recipes and I've always appreciated that she took the initiative to do that.  Aunt Joyce is one of those special people, who, even though she is gone, continues to live on in a very real way.  Thanks, A.J.  You were the best!