There have been lots of news stories about people pitching in and pulling together to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. One of my colleagues with a flat-bottomed boat rescued more than 50 people and 13 dogs in Northwest Houston. Volunteers have poured into Southeast Texas from all around to help with the rescues and begin the cleanup. Folks who were unaffected are helping out those who were in any way they can – with donations, with muscle, with prayers and moral support, with organizational skills to help run shelters or aid distribution centers, with spare bedrooms for the displaced.
At Glover Gardens, we’re firing up the kitchen to cook and freeze meals for a couple of families who are too busy to cook while they’ve begun the demolition and cleanup phase. They’ll be doubling up in one unaffected house while working together on the flooded one. Our contribution is tiny compared to the heroism so many have shown, but it feels good to help. Deal with a storm by cooking up a storm.
There’s a strong emotional pull to make comfort food, so today’s goal is to make these dishes from the Glover Gardens Cookbook:
- Sweet Potato Biscuits: Family History, Love on a Plate
- Food Magazine Treasures: Serrano Ham and Corn Pudding
- A Fresh Take on a Classic: Glover Gardens Chili
And if there’s time, perhaps even “Mema Rolls,” the best yeast rolls ever, a tried and true recipe from my paternal grandmother (you’ll learn a little bit about her if you check out the Sweet Potato Biscuits story and recipe). There are already two frozen main courses, my No Name Soup (AKA “everything but the kitchen sink and I never make it the same way twice”) and Chicken and Sausage Gumbo (haven’t documented this family favorite yet).
Gotta go – cooking up a storm today!
Copyright 2017, Glover Gardens Cookbook
Meanwhile, we have four visiting dogs. They bark with a Texan accent. Yep, we are fostering them. They have tags so eventually we’ll get them back to their people. But, for now our dogs seem happy to have visitors.
That is AWESOME! It has been so heart-wrenching to see all of the impacted pets. I hope to see some pictures of your foster “family”.
Thank you. We have six dogs — two are medium poodles, four are cocker spaniels. All but two are rescue dogs. We live with them. So, when the shelters from which they came, need help, they usually contact us. We help even when we are traveling. Now there are ten dogs roaming around… funny thing, the dogs who live here are really good hosts to their new friends.
As NOLA itself is a good host. But wow, ten dogs! That’s a lotta kibble!
No kibble. I haven’t trusted dog food manufacturers since 2010, during the Chinese dog food scare. We make our own. Ground turkey, rice and three veggies. We make a batch about every ten days.
Wow. You should publish the recipe! Your commitment is super-commendable. I made my son’s baby food for about his first year…for similar reasons…and then I got tired.
I want all of these, especially the corn pudding. As a Texan (now living in Oklahoma) I too have been comfort food cooking. So heartbreaking everything going on in the coastal region!
Colleen, what is your comfort food? I’m interested…
I can believe the damage done by the storm, it is so sad. I love that you are cooking meals for people! That is such a kind gesture and so helpful for them! Loving your blog btw 🙂