Cooking in the New Kitchen

By Meredith Harrison

As we get closer to opening our new kitchen, we thought it would be fun to compile Breakfast for Dinner recipes that you and your meal groups can come in and serve to our families! If you are interested in coming to the Columbus Ronald McDonald House to provide a meal for our families, please contact Meika Willis, Operations Coordinator by email at Meika.Willis@rmhc-centralohio.org or by phone at 614-227-6032. Click here to view our meal guidelines.

As a general guideline, please consider providing the following menu items:

• Main Dish with both a Meat and Vegetarian entrée
• Starch, if not included in the main dish
• Fresh Green Salad or Vegetable Salad and/or Vegetable
• Fresh Fruit
• Bread/Rolls with butter
• Dessert

Oven Fried Bacon – Serves 125

18 lb. sliced bacon

Directions:

Arrange slices in rows, across pan with fat edges slightly overlapping lean edges.
Bake 375 deg. without turning 20-25 minutes until bacon is slightly crisp.
DO NOT OVERCOOK.
Drain or skim off excess fat at needed. Drain thoroughly on paper towels.
Allows 3 slices per serving. Reduce bacon by 6 lbs. for 2 slices per person.
For a conventional oven, use 325 degrees.

Church Breakfast Eggs – Serves 125

11 doz. eggs (3 doz.)
1 gal. less 1 cup milk (4 c.)
4 Tbsp. salt (3 1/4 tsp.)
2 lb. melted butter or margarine (1 cup)

Directions:

Beat eggs, combine well with other ingredients.
Pour greased baking pans half full with mixture.
Bake 40 minutes at 375 degrees, stirring after 20 minutes. Make sure
the pan is not full, as the egg mixture rises when baking.
**Amounts in ( ) are for 24 servings.
**DO NOT use aluminum pans for eggs, it will turn the eggs green!

Classic Homemade Pancakes – Serves 100

13 lbs. of pancake mix will serve 100
or make your own pancakes:

1 1/2 gal. water
35 eggs
4 3/4 c dry non fat powdered milk
9 lb flour
3/4 lb white sugar
2 c shortening OR veg. oil
8 oz baking powder
4 1/2 Tbsp. salt

Directions:

Cook on a griddle temp at 375 degrees.
Mix together dry ingredients, combining well to distribute evenly.
Add eggs and water and mix at low speed just until                                                                       blended. Don’t mix excessively.
Blend in salad or or melted shortening, mixing about 1 minute
Using a 1/4 cup measure or ladle, pour onto lightly greased hot griddle.
Cook until top is covered with bubbles and underside is browned, turn, cook on the other side.
Total time 3-4 minutes.  2 pancakes per serving.

**Make it fun by adding a topping bar, for the families to put their own twist on their pancakes.

 

Fruit Salad – Serves 100

10 cans (20 ounce size) pineapple chunks, drained
10 cans (21 ounce size) peach pie filling
10 cans (11 ounce size) mandarin oranges, drained
10 cups green grapes
10 cups of sliced strawberries
10 cups sliced bananas

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except bananas. Chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, fold in bananas.

 

Teddy Bear Toast – Serves 125

 

15 loaves of wheat or white bread (24 slices/loaf)
3 lb tub of butter
Cinnamon and sugar
35 ripe bananas
1 large container of raisins

 

 

Forever Changed by RMHC

By Tony Szymczak, Immediate Past President of Red Shoe Society

Tony with Ronald representing the Red Shoes

Upon starting a new job, my boss mandated that I get involved with a charity. I remember thinking that information should have been disclosed in the interview! The same week, a friend asked me to get involved with the charity they worked for, and that charity happened to be Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio. Coincidence? Now, I don’t think so but at the time I thought it was convenient because I didn’t have to research anything. Sometimes you realize that things were just meant to happen.  As fate would have it, I began “volunteering” at the House with the Young Professionals Board.

Growing up in a small Ohio town, I never really had much exposure to charities or organizations that helped others in need.  Sure, when I was younger, I sold subs and candy bars for little league, but I knew that was going to help me directly. When I say I sold subs, I mean I asked my mom and dad to take the order sheets to work. I would hardly consider that an experience in helping others. In fact, one year I think I ate the candy bars before I sold them so I’m pretty sure that doesn’t count as fundraising. I began my time with the YPB with that as my volunteering experience.

I pretty much sat on my hands for the first couple of months, but felt good because I was fulfilling my duties as an employee and friend by being there. During one meeting, I was tasked with leading an event. I accepted the task and that was the moment that started my real experience at RMHC and it changed my life significantly. Through that event, I learned a few things:  I learned volunteering could be a lot of fun, RMHC was full of great people, being a part of a good cause is very fulfilling, and that I liked helping others.

Fast forward 6 years and I am now able to reflect on how Red Shoe Society has changed. The Young Professionals Board is now The Red Shoe Society. The group has grown by 10 times. We help raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the House. We were named the top volunteer group in Columbus. Most importantly, we are making a significant difference in the lives of those families who need it.

Fast forward 6 years, and I am now able to reflect on how RMHC of Central Ohio has changed me. Shortly after my first event experience, I changed careers and went to work for a non-profit. It is at this company I met my future wife. Thank you RMHC!  The man I currently work for I met through the House. Thank you RMHC! The person who will be performing our wedding ceremony I met at the House. Thank you RMHC! When I really began volunteering at the House, I could see the impact our efforts had on others. What I could never imagine is the effect that volunteering and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio would have on my life. Thank you RMHC! You have changed my life in ways that I would have never imagined.

Serving Families from All Over

When Brianna was in 8th grade, she lost 17 pounds in 10 days. She had to pull out of school and the extracurricular events she loved. Her quality of life was fading, and no one could provide the Smith family answers for Brianna’s condition. Finally, Brianna’s doctors in her home state of Alabama had an answer: Brianna suffers from gastroparesis, which is an incurable condition where the stomach muscles stop working. Her doctors recommended the family come to Ohio, where there were specialists who could provide answers and treatment for Brianna. The family came to Nationwide Children’s Hospital and stayed at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House to be able to focus on Brianna’s health–this is just one example of how families travel from all over the world to receive care in Columbus. Below are letters from both Brianna and Brianna’s parents.

The Smith Family

We wanted to thank all of the staff and volunteers for making us feel so welcome and at home here! We stayed at the Columbus Ronald McDonald House for almost three weeks as our daughter was receiving treatment for her gastroparesis. The first week she had a temporary pacemaker placed, then the next week they placed the permanent pacemaker. Staying as close to Nationwide Children’s Hospital was such a blessing and the Ronald McDonald House felt like we were at a home away from home–it is amazing! What a blessing the Columbus Ronald McDonald House has been! Thank you so much!

Sincerely,
Margo and Joel Smith

The Ronald McDonald House was really nice especially since it was right by Nationwide Children’s Hospital. It helped when I had my surgery so I could just walk to appointments, which made it really easy. I love that we were fed meals–everything was so convenient.

Love,
Brianna