Wednesday dinner about food, ministry

Meals are a ministry at St. Mark's church in Brandon.

For Ron Milone this buffet line is more than food. It's his ministry.
It was part of his growth as a Christian, he said.
"I had a business and five years later, I had dropped out of church," he said. "The Lord doesn't like that."
In the meantime, he and his family moved to Rankin County and his son was going to St. Mark's United Methodist Church. Ron and wife, Pam, went too.
The pastor visited. Ron said he told him he liked the church, but it didn't have a Wednesday night supper or hand bell choir as his previous church had. He thought it needed both.
Ron said he continued focusing on his business, which wasn't doing so well. He changed his heart, he said, focusing again on God.
The pastor visited again and told him they were starting the congregational supper.
"Who's in charge?" Ron said he asked. "He said, since you've done this before, we decided you'd be in charge of it."
He's now been in charge for 18 years.
"We started with 20 and now we have 200," Ron said on Wednesday night as the church resumed the suppers after a summer hiatus.
This night it's fried catfish, a pan of baked catfish, hushpuppies, slaw and French fries with some chicken nuggets thrown in for the children. A salad bar and table of iced tea sit ready outside the kitchen.
Congregants line up in front of the stage in the gym/auditorium and loop through the serving line for their preferences, with most calling out a greeting to Ron, dressed tonight in a tuxedo T-shirt and shorts.
"I had to dress up," he said. "We have a show tonight."
The show, put on by members of the congregation, will come later, after the food.
For many who come through the line, it seems Ron is the show.
Adults and children turn the corner, catch sight of his casual tux and call out greetings: "Is it formal? I didn't know."
"Ron were we supposed to dress up?"
"Mr. Ron, Mr. Ron, my daddy's got one of those."
Ron smiles, greets, uses his glove-wrapped hands to plop catfish fillets on plates along with cole slaw and passes the plate to his right for a volunteer to add fries or hushpuppies or both.
"The fish is among his best," said John Wheat, stopping in the kitchen. "His pork loin is absolutely good. And, he's always coming up with these outfits."
The line moves quickly, with people flowing outside where Jim Stevenson is monitoring the salad bar and beverage tables.
"I help when I can," he said, adding he helps serve, not cook.
Larry Swales walks through, jokes with Ron then stops to chat.
"His food is excellent," he said, glancing at Ron and grinning. "I don't know where he learned to cook, but he could use a few more lessons."
He laughs, takes his plate and moves into the auditorium.
Ron said he gathers recipes from multiple sources, including magazines and friends.
"The hardest part is calculating portions," he said.
He's proud that in the almost two decades of preparing Wednesday-night suppers, he's only run out of food once. That time, he said, he ran to a fast food restaurant to get a meal for one family.
Around the corner in the kitchen, Wyatt Johnson, who has helped Ron prepare the meals for the past five or so years, keeps the catfish and fries coming.
He rhythmically batters fillets and drops them in the fryer.
"He does this every day," Ron said, referring to Wyatt's job at Mitchell Jones Seafood and Country Buffet.
So how does this pair prepare the catfish?
No set recipe, but they batter them in a mix of corn meal, flour, salt and pepper to taste and fry for about 7-8 minutes until golden brown.
This night Ron also has prepared a pan of baked catfish fillets for those who can't have fried foods. "We have a lot of older members," he said.
For his baked fillets, he lays the fillets in a shallow pan, douses them with paprika, salt and pepper and bakes them for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Ron's favorite meal is a stuffed chicken breast. For this story, he downsized his recipes so folks can try them at home.
Speaking of home, does he cook there?
"Rarely," Pam, his wife, said. "He doesn't do small amounts very well."
Chicken Breasts stuffed with Goat Cheese and Basil
Ingredients:
4-6 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 6-ounce package Feta cheese or other goat cheese
favorite marinara sauce
fresh basil
1 bag fettuccini noodles
Directions:
Pound chicken breasts flat. In the middle of each breast, place some of the goat cheese and fresh basil. Roll each breast up and secure with a toothpick. Place in a large skillet and cover with marinara sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the fettuccini noodles to al dente, following package directions. To serve arrange noodles on a plate, place a chicken breast on the noodles and top with the marinara sauce, now reduced by cooking. Serve with a green salad.
Stuffed pork chops
Ingredients:
4 double pork chops with pocket
4 cups favorite stuffing (can use a prepared stuffing)
3 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste
garlic to taste
flour
1 and one-half cups seasoned bread crumbs
shortening for sauteing
Directions:
Prepare stuffing and set aside to cool. Fill each pork chop pocket with stuffing. Dredge the pork chops in flour, then dip in egg and coat well in bread crumbs. In a large skillet, heat the shortening and brown the chops on all sides. Place the chops in a baking dish and cover. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes.
Church Supper Potatoes
Ingredients:
9 potatoes, peeled and cut into one-half inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 three-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter
one-half cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Directions:
Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water.
Cover and bring to a boil. Cook 20-25 minutes or until very tender.
Drain well. In a mixing bowl mash potatoes and garlic with the cream cheese and butter. Add sour cream, 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, garlic salt, onion salt and spinach. Stir just until mixed. Spread into a greased 2-quart baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Top with remaining cheddar and bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese melts.
Church Supper Tuna Bake
Ingredients:
three-fourths cup diced pepper
3 cups sliced celery
2 medium onions, chopped
one-fourth cup butter
3 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups milk
12 ounces processed American cheese, cubed
24 ounces medium noodles
1 and one-half cups mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 can chopped pimientos
3 cans tuna, drained and flaked
1 cup toasted slivered almonds
Directions:
Cook green pepper, celery and onion in butter for 10 minutes. In Dutch oven or kettle, blend soup and milk together; add onion mixture and heat through. Add cheese; heat and stir until cheese melts. Cook noodles in large amount of boiling, salted water until just tender, then drain. Combine drained noodles and two cups of the soup mixture. Toss to coat noodles. Turn noodles into an 18 x 12 x 2 and one-half inch pan or two 13 x 9 x 2-inch metal baking pans. Combine remaining soup mixture, mayonnaise, pimiento and tuna. Pour over noodles. Mix lightly. Sprinkle almonds over top.
Bake for 30 minutes to 45 minutes at about 350 degrees, just until bubbly.
Hushpuppies
Ingredients:
2 cups yellow corn meal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
one-fourth cup finely chopped onions
black pepper to taste
boiling water
1 egg beaten
one-fourth cup milk
oil for frying
Directions:
Heat oil in deep skillet or fryer to 375 degrees.
Mix all dry ingredients except baking powder. Pour in enough hot water to make a thick mush, making sure all ingredients are moistened.
Add milk, egg and baking powder and mix thoroughly. Drop by spoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.