[bwhit]

I am in need of some menu ideas for a retirement home. I find myself repeating a few items even though the residents love it. The weather is nicer and would like to lighten up on lunch. Any suggestions? They always get soup, tossed salad, 2 heavier entree choices, 2 potato choices and vegies for lunch, and for supper is soup and sandwich or entree with 1 potato and veg. The dessert choices are numerous but could be changed also. I have put the monte cristo sandwich in there, ham and cheese croissant, smoke meat on rye and the response was great so your ideas might inspire me more.

[soup]

What if any dietary issues are there? What meal are you serving?

I asked some of our patrons if they would tell me how their favorite dish is made then, I recreate it. One has become a favorite of many and I am asked to make it often. This is an ethnic Russian/German area among retirees.

Fried Cabbage

1# of raw bacon per head of cabbage. Fry the bacon crisp in a heavy pan. Add 1/2 onion coarse dice lightly brown on the edges. Core the cabbage then chop 1" x 1" place the cabbage in the pan along with a small amount of chicken stock or water cover stir occasionally. Some of the cabbage should be lightly browned. Cook to desired texture. Salt to taste. Simple but delicious.

Of coarse this is a regional thing, many of our patrons make or used to make a similar dish. I have one patron who has been married 72 years. She made her own wedding cake then made thousands of wedding cakes since. One patron owned a restaurant and wrote a cookbook. They have been very kind both in critiquing my cooking and offering recipes usually just by telling me how they did it.

[kuan]

Well you can always try the 5000 calorie burger.

The 5000 Calorie Deep Fried Burger Recipe

[OregonYeti]

That burger . . . freaks me out

[kuan]

How about simple roast chicken and spatzle?