Getting Creative

Both guests and volunteers at the Wednesday Community Meal loved these cheesy pigs in a blanket. Yum!

It was one of those days at the Wednesday Community Meal when we needed to use some creativity to make a little of this and a little of that go a long way.

From Good Samaritan Hospital our gleaners had brought us large containers of soup, a tray of Spanish rice, three trays of enchiladas, a large container of plain rice, a tray of sweet and sour shrimp and chicken, a small pan of spare ribs, a small pan of a vegetarian tofu and garbanzo bean dish and a small pan of peas and carrots— wonderful food but not enough to feed the more than 250 guests we were anticipating.

Fortunately we had shredded cheese, refried beans, diced tomatoes and tortilla chips in the pantry so using the rice, we were able to make five hotel pans of a layered Mexican casserole. We of course added seasoning - chili powder, cumin, garlic and salt - and in the end made a tasty and homey dish that our guests loved. After all, who doesn't like a cheesy casserole topped with crushed tortilla chips?

We also had nearly 60 all-beef hotdogs left over from the week before so I made a gigantic batch of cheesy focaccia dough (I multiplied the recipe by 16) so we could wrap the hotdogs in the dough and make pigs in a blanket. And with the extra dough we made rolls that we could serve as a side.

Thankfully volunteer Kate brought in some beautiful tender skinned yellow potatoes from her garden which we roasted with diced onion until they were golden brown. We served the potatoes as a side when the rolls were gone.

Our roasted potatoes made with home grown yellow potatoes and diced onion, tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt, black pepper, garlic, and Italian herbs.

In the end we served 263 meals and had just enough for everyone.

Here is the focaccia recipe we used for the pigs in a blanket. In the past I've made crescent dough for the pigs in a blanket but this recipe is easier and the cheese adds a nice touch.

 Cheesy Focaccia Dough
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
31/2 to 4 cups flour
1 Kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil
2/3 cup shredded sharp cheese

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add the sugar and let set for 5 minutes until the yeast begins to bubble. Add the salt and olive oil. Mix well.

Finally, add the cheese and flour, 1 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Knead the dough four 5 to 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic. Cover the dough and let it rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

To make the pigs in a blanket, divide the dough in thirds. Roll each third into a large rectangle that is about 8 x 12 inches. Cut the dough into long strips and roll each strip around a hot dog. Set the wrapped hotdogs on a sheetpan to rise for 30 minutes.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.