Is it possible to cook for 12+ for dinner on Sunday and still go to church?
By mamacathie
@mamacathie (3928)
United States
September 19, 2009 4:26pm CST
Yes it is! All of our kids, mother-in-law, and grandchildren come over after Sunday morning church services dinner. We have anywhere between 10 and 13 every single Sunday. These range in age from 82 years old down to six months old. The trick is not to allow cooking to cause me to have to miss church and Sunday School, so I do what I can on Saturdays.
If I am going to use the crock pot, that just has to be turned on before going to bed on Saturday night, but if there is lots of cooking then it has to be done on Saturdays. For example, this Sunday we were going to have BBQ chicken, fried okra, creamed potatoes, fried green beans and macaroni and cheese with dessert. I will put the frozen chicken in the crock pot on Saturday night and smother with BBQ sauce before I go to bed. I’ll peel and cube the potatoes on Saturday and boiled them and leave them still in the water to let them sit until morning.
When we get home from church on Sunday, I will probably take the chicken out of the crock pot and put it in a huge pan that is lined with aluminum foil and slide in oven to brown while finishing up the rest of dinner. I will put my macaroni in the microwave and let it cook while dumping the green beans in a pan and adding butter and seasonings to fry and cook dry. I will slice the okra and beat the egg and mix them together and then add the meal so they are breaded really well. After the macaroni is done and I have the cubed Velveeta cheese added to it to melt, I will put the stewed potatoes in the microwave sao they can warm up while I have the grease getting hot to fry the okra.
After the potatoes are warm, I will drain the water off and mash them and add butter, milk and seasonings. Then I’ll make sure the cheese has melted and is stirred all through the macaroni with milk and butter added. The green beans should be cooked dry and the chicken should be browned.
The dessert that I am fixing is always fixed on Saturdays and I do not have to worry about getting it ready after church. This is how I get a meal ready for my army on Sundays after the morning church services and do NOT even have to miss Sunday School or Sunday morning preaching.
Do you cook Sunday dinner or eat out? Do you have all your family over or do you go to someone else's house for dinner?
3 people like this
5 responses
@AmbiePam (86018)
• United States
19 Sep 09
My Nana used to do that. She was also the pastor's wife, a Sunday school teacher, and played the organ for each church service. I don't know how she did it. And her food was always phenomenal! That woman was amazing. My sister loved her homemade chicken and dumplings, and I loved her tabouli. She had a big family coming over for lunch after church (her own and her in-laws usually), and she knew my Papaw would always invite someone who attended church that day to join them.
Nana doesn't do that anymore. She is taking care of my Papaw who has dementia, and she has her own health problems. She doesn't get to go to church anymore either. But on occasion she'll make a meal when she knows family is coming. And it is always a treat.
2 people like this
@mamacathie (3928)
• United States
19 Sep 09
That is so precious! Those are great memories for you! Now she is doing what she needs to be doing, taking care of your Papaw! God bless you and thanks for commenting.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (86018)
• United States
20 Sep 09
I don't have many memories of Sunday dinners at their house. I lived near them until I was four years old. I've lived three hours away from them for 24 years now. But I have definitely gone to see them on Sundays before. Before my Papaw retired, I'd get to see them at least every three months. She cooked Sunday lunch every week for my cousins though.
1 person likes this
@rosepedal64 (4188)
• United States
20 Sep 09
When I was a child my mother always had that big Sunday dinner. My aunt and uncle would come with there kids. My dad was a elder of the church and we always attended church. My mom has had a big meal. It was till I was older that I figured out how she managed to do this. She prepared the meat either the night before or got up earlier. I myself now don't have a big family and the in-laws don't have those big dinners on Sundays. I do miss those wonderful Sunday dinners. You have a wonderful Sunday and thanks for the memories..
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
20 Sep 09
It seems that you have perfected your cooking to meet the crowd of hungery guests after the sundey services. It showed you have planned out your menu very well and not in a rush to cook for the whole bunch of people. Sunday is my off day and it is either eating out or waiting for an invitation from my sister who is normally free to cook on sundays. I like her food cos she specialize in chinese cooking and it is all delicious food as she usually tries out her collection of recipes to get our comments and feedback. Of course I will always give her a thumbs up as it will mean another free sunday dinner. 
1 person likes this
@rdadey (484)
• Canada
20 Sep 09
I use to cook Sunday dinner when I wasn't working, sometimes it had to be supper. The past year my wife and daughter have taken jobs where they usually work on Sunday and usually my daughter works evenings while my wife works during the day. It's rare for all three of us to be home at the same time for a meal. I hate that.
It's possible to cook for a big crowd and not mess things up with timing. For some people they will struggle to even cook for a few people because it doesn't come naturally to them. For many it is natural and they can pull off anything. You see some people who never measure anything because they know, I think you know what I mean.
My mother was like that. She could pull off a full meal in 20 minutes if a crowd came unexpectedly. I don't think anyone ever complained either, she was an amazing cook.
As for me, I hate eating my own meals, even if you were a bad cook I would rather eat your food than cook, I'll do the dishes. I've never had any complaints and I have worked as a cook when I was younger, but I just hate doing it.
For large meals, having things ready before hand and having a set of steps to follow in your mind, will have you place your food on the table all at the same time.
1 person likes this
@jgmarble5050 (45)
• United States
8 Mar 12
You are very well organized. Cooking is such a pleasure when you can share it with family and friends.
My son and daughter-in-law have 10 kids, plus she is the minister at their Church. Needless to say she doesn't miss church nor do the kids go hungry. It really is about being organized. Thanks for sharing.
