| | Very recently I read a comment on a well known/followed cooking blog, about how she hated making pancakes due to how long it takes to make enough for everybody, thus making it necessary for some to eat before others so that they don't end up with cold pancakes. While doing the 'fall retreat', one of the ideas I thought I should blog about contains the solution to just such a situation. When I was cooking up at camp, we had these absolutely wonderful pass through warming ovens. When I filled a platter full of pancakes (enough for one teams table), I would cover it three fourths (3/4 ths) of the way with plastic wrap and then from the kitchen side, slide it into a warming oven. When serving time came, we could take it out from the dining room side and hand it to the "hoppers". As I said, those warming ovens are wonderful!!! I use to fervently wish I had one of mine own. Then one day it dawned on me, I do! Well, not a large one which can hold seventeen trays ... but I have something I can use in the same manner - my oven. Yes, my regular stove's oven. It works great!!! When I first start getting ready to make pancakes, or french toast, or omelette's, or fried chicken, or pork chops, etc., the first thing I do is turn the oven on. I turn mine on to the "warm" setting. The oven's in the lodge don't have such a setting, so I set them to 200. Then when I get done with one batch of something, I either place it on a platter which I in-turn place on a cookie sheet and slide into the oven, or I line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and do it that way. Then when the next batch is ready, I pull the pan out, quickly add to it, and slide it back in again. Doing things this way means that I can make a large number of filled omelette's and still have everybody eat at the same time :-} Tips: I had said, that at camp we at least part way covered the platters. Once you get a platter full, you too can cover it. BUT - I should state that only do so if your using a good quality plastic wrap. Some brands which you get via the local grocery store, will melt to your product and totally infuriate you!!! :-{ ALSO - while you can fully cover a platter of meat, or omelette's, don't fully cover pancakes or french toast - it makes them soggy :-{ Some products, especially things like bacon and sausage, keep right on cooking. Therefore, if you do not like your bacon really crisp, don't cook it exactly the way you like it. Cook it a bit less and it'll turn out about right ;-} And in regards to sausage links, if you cook them the whole way before putting them in, well, they have a tendency to look like they came out of the back yard, left there by the dog .... :-p. I should also clue you in to the fact, that after bacon, sausage, fried chicken, etc., you'll still need to scrape down your pans before you wash them. Yes, even if you line them with parchment paper. Let them cool off and then scrape with a plastic spatula. Scrape them into a wide topped open can, store the can in your freezer, and put it out on trash day. So, who's ready for some cinnamon swirl bread french toast and bacon? With applesauce. Oh wait, that's what we're serving this coming Sat. for the men's breakfast. Serving time is 7:30 A.M. (gotta get our Pastor off of his military times!!! ;-p). That means I need to start at about 5 A.M. ... I plan on linking this posting to: |
