A new gig?

Ok, friends. Can I call you friends? Pals? Compadres? Aunt LoLo here. Summer time is a sort of a vacation time for most family-type bloggers...or at least it seems that way to me. I'm thoroughly enjoying my summer, such as it is. (Highs of 68 anyone?)

Since you're all my dearest amigos (I like that one!), I knew you'd all want to know about what I did yesterday.

You do? That's great! Because it has absolutely nothing to do with my kids, teaching children to be bi-lingual, living on any coast in particular or even my family at all. Nope. Yesterday was just for me, and it was fabulous. Because yesterday? I catered a luncheon. By myself. 50 people. And I had an absolute blast.

It all started about two weeks when a friend approached me at church. "Hey, LoLo? My husband's cousin is getting married later this month, and they're looking for someone to cater their family "post wedding" lunch. Would you like to do it? They'll pay you...." A quick check with Lo Gung ("Go for it!!") and I was hired! (I love that the only pre-req to get this job was a recommendation from a nephew's wife, and a "yes" from me. Hehe.)

I have to stop here and say that I was a little...surprised that Lo Gung was so very supportive. Not that he isn't always fabulous and all.....but it meant a LOT that he would say, basically, "Of course you can single-handedly cater a lunch for 50 people? Why couldn't you??" It was a huge boost to my confidence! Not to mention, he told me he could work from home the day of the wedding so that I didn't have to worry about who was going to watch my kidlets that day. BLISS. But more on that later.

The mother of the groom (Cathy) and I spent a few days calling back and forth, figuring out the menu (we settled on a sandwich bar, a salad bar and cupcakes for dessert).

This week, it was Go Time. Tuesday was shopping. Wednesday was baking day (100 cupcakes, and 10 loaves of bread!). I got as much pre-prep done as I could on Wednesday - washing and chopping things that wouldn't wilt. Thursday morning it was time to chop things that couldn't be done the day before (tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.) I also made the icing for the cupcakes. By 9:30 am the car was loaded, the kids were kissed, Lo Gung was thanked, and I was gone! A quick stop at the gas station for ice, a beg for someone to let me sneak into the church building through a back door (oops....guess no one arranged to open the doors for me! I should have taken better care of that...).

It took an hour to get the room set up (tables, chairs, tablecloths, and centerpieces) and an hour to prep the food (frosting cupcakes, chopping salad,  plating all the salad/sandwich bar items, etc.) The family started rolling in around 12:30, and we served lunch at 1.

I would call the day a success!! I learned a few things: there is no such thing as too many cupcakes. A salad that says it serves "5" actually serves "15." People who like salt will salt anything. Including salad. Roast Beef and Havarti are the first things to disappear from a sandwich bar. Homemade bread is a really easy way to impress a crowd. And finally, when in doubt and searching a sure-fire crowd pleasing dessert recipe, trust Pioneer Woman.

A few people at the lunch commented that I must have been really stressed yesterday morning, getting ready for this lunch all by myself. "Umm...nope! My three year old and my one year old are at home with my husband. This is like a vacation!" Another (crusty old man) made my day when he popped into the kitchen after lunch. "I've been to a lot of luncheons, but this is by for the best one!" (Like I said, it's hard to go wrong with homemade bread and Pioneer Woman desserts. hehe)

All in all, it was an absolute blast. I gave my card to a few people, and kind of hope I get to do this again. Actually, I really hope I get to do this again. It was a rush, it was fun to buy that! much! food! and see it all come together to a cohesive meal. It was great to sit in the kitchen and see the happy faces pop in and thank me for the yumminess. I've always loved to cook, and I've always loved dinner parties.

Of course, one of the best parts has to be at the end, when Cathy thanked me and handed me a check. Knowing that I had worked hard (planning, cooking, preparing, setting up, cleaning up) and I had earned that check. That my cooking, work and time were worth that money. Definitely one of the best parts.