A funeral dish

Now, you might be wondering about that blog post title but let me explain. Whenever I need to fix food to serve after a funeral, this is most often what I fix and I get raves on it. *smile* It is quick and easy and I always have what I need to fix it, on hand. It is delicious served with cornbread and really doesn't need anything else to complete it, unless it might be some kind of luscious dessert. *smile*
Let me tell you how I came up with this recipe. Close to 18 years ago, a young family in our church had new triplets. (They are now 17! *smile*) Well, every Wednesday, for a few months, I would fix supper for the family and take over to them, as I figured it was surely hectic trying to get everyone ready for church and so on on Wednesday. They also have another daughter, who is now 22. Anywayyyy....a dish that I fixed occasionally that the husband especially liked was Creole Weiners (Hot Dogs). It was a recipe that I found in my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook.
Soooooo, during this time, Ed, Daniel and I had gone camping and I was craving vegetables, so we found a little grocery store out in the country and we bought some canned and fresh vegetables. When we got back to our campsite, I proceeded to concoct this dish that I call Creole Vegetables, using the Creole Weiners recipe (though THIS recipe doesn't have weiners in it *grin*) and it has been one of our favorites ever since. I fixed it yesterday and Ed and I finished it up today!
Here's the recipe for Creole Vegetables:

CREOLE VEGETABLES AND SMOKED SAUSAGE

1 LB. OF SMOKED SAUSAGE
1 LARGE ONION SLICED AND SEPARATED INTO RINGS
1/2 LB. OF BACON CUT INTO NOT-TOO-SMALL PIECES
2 CANS OF SLICED STEWED TOMATOES
2 CANS OF GREEN BEANS/ DRAINED
2 LARGE POTATOES/ BAKED IN THE MICROWAVE OR TWO CANS OF POTATOES, DRAINED AND SLICED

SAUTEE THE BACON AND ONION TOGETHER UNTIL DONE. YOU MAY NEED TO
ADD A LITTLE OIL, DEPENDING ON HOW LEAN THE BACON IS. CUT THE SMOKED SAUSAGE INTO SLICES AND ADD TO THE POT, LETTING THE SAUSAGE BROWN.
ADD THE STEWED TOMATOES AND LET THEM SIMMER FOR A BIT
WITH THE ONIONS AND BACON. SALT AND PEPPER.
NEXT, ADD THE GREEN BEANS, MIX WELL AND LET THE FLAVORS SIMMER
AND BLEND TOGETHER. SALT AND PEPPER.
PEEL AND CUBE THE POTATOES AND ADD TO THE MIXTURE.
SALT AND PEPPER. LET THIS ALL SIMMER FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. YOU MAY NEED TO ADD SOME WATER, DEPENDING ON HOW "SOUPY" YOU WANT IT
TO BE. I DON'T LIKE TOO MUCH LIQUID. TASTE TO SEE IF YOU NEED
TO ADD MORE SALT AND PEPPER. I'VE ALSO ADDED A FEW DROPS OF LIQUID SMOKE A TIME OR TWO, BUT NOT ALWAYS. *SMILE* DEPENDS ON THE MOOD I'M IN!
THIS IS GREAT WITH HOT CORNBREAD AND BUTTER!!
(OH, AND I DON'T THINK IT WOULD FIT INTO THE CATEGORY OF
"DIET FOOD"! *SMILE*)
ENJOY!!!
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You know, I sometimes think we can miss an opportunity to really minister to people by fixing food for them. Through the years, when we've had food leftover from supper or Sunday dinner, I've put it in containers that don't have to be returned, i.e. styrofoam plates, aluminum foil pans, etc. and given it to widows at church or an elderly couple or a single person living on their own and it has amazed me at how very appreciative they are of this simple, caring gesture.
I don't say this to pat myself on the back. I just consider it such a privilege to be a blessing to others, but perhaps someone out there is looking for a way to minister to others and can use this idea.
I've also fixed meals for a family that perhaps the Lord just laid on my heart. The mother might work outside of the home or perhaps their finances are a bit sparce. I've not always known. But I do know that anytime I have done this, I have been amazed by the overwhelming gratitude of the people, especially the elderly people, widows, and single people.
Last week, I believe it was Wednesday evening, I packaged up some of what Ed and I had had for supper and put it in a pretty St. Patrick's Day gift bag I had. I tucked tissue paper over the top of it and put St. Patrick's Day Mints on top of the tissue paper. I discreetly gave this to a divorced lady in our church who works long hours. I had made sure to put dessert in it for her because I KNOW she LOVES sweet stuff. *smile* I put the dessert in the bottom and put a little note on it that said, "Don't you dare eat this first! You are to eat the REAL food first, THEN dessert!" I knew she would get a huge laugh out of that and she did!!! *smile* And she DID eat the dessert first, with a hot cup of coffee.
So, if you have leftovers, consider fixing them up nicely for someone in your church or neighborhood. Or if you are just in a cooking mood or have extra or plenty, this is such a wonderful way to minister to others.