Miss Kay's Duck Commander Kitchen (22 page)

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teaspoon rum flavoring

1. Make the pudding: Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl (we love modern America!). Do not let it boil, just melt, and set it aside so it will not be too hot.

2. Place the bread in the casserole.

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a fork. Stir in the sugar and salt. Add the cooled melted butter and gradually stir in the milk. Pour this over the torn bread. Let stand for 30 to 45 minutes for the bread to absorb the liquid.

4. While the pudding is standing, heat the oven to 350°F.

5. Bake the pudding until risen, golden brown, and not runny, about 45 minutes.

6. Make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, off the heat, combine the sugar, melted butter, and condensed milk, stirring until well combined.

7. Put the pan on the stove and cook on medium-high heat until thick. Stir to keep it from sticking. If it starts to stick, turn down the heat to low or move the pan off the stove.

8. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk. Add the warm sauce to the egg yolk, 1 tablespoon at a time, stirring as you add. You are trying to prevent the egg from cooking to a hard-boiled state.

9. Stir in the vanilla and rum flavoring.

10. Serve the sauce over each piece of bread pudding, or pour over the top of the entire pan of pudding.

A Note from Miss Kay

I have read that bread pudding dates back centuries. Its original purpose was to use stale bread, so nothing was wasted. It is baked worldwide in different ways. Louisianans love a good bread pudding. This recipe is easy to make and delicious. If you’ve never eaten bread pudding, today’s a good day to start!

7.

Dinner on the Grounds

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.

—Luciano Pavarotti

Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it’s needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it!

—Hebrews 13:2,
The Message

Dinner on the Grounds Recipes

Spoon Butter Rolls

Roast Beef & Vegetable Soup

Squash Casserole

Lasagna

Sweet Potato Casserole

Chrys’s Potato Casserole

Chocolate Sheet Cake

Banana Pudding

Everybody’s Favorite Crunch Salad

Best Brisket Ever

Stuffed Bell Peppers

More than Enough

I would say there’s not a child in the South who hasn’t attended a dinner on the grounds. “Potluck” and “church picnic” are other names for that special occasion when your church declares it’s time to get together in the parking lot or the yard next door for some fellowship. These special occasions are as much a part of southern living as church revivals, and many times these two events go hand in hand. Or perhaps the dinner will be held on special occasions like Easter or Mother’s Day. In any case, it’s always a good excuse for folks to get together.

The idea of dinner on the grounds is for each family to bring plenty of food for their own family and then enough to feed another family or two. I think the whole idea started in a day and time when Sunday afternoons were more leisurely and the idea of spreading a blanket on the ground and sharing a meal seemed like a great way to spend the day. In today’s world, it’s rare to find a group of people willing to eat on the ground, but you can still find people who enjoy great fellowship. Most churches today will put out tables, forgoing the “ground” part, but the “dinner” part is still brought and shared by each family.

I think I was five in this picture. Who knows, maybe we were on our way to dinner on the grounds.

I have always loved these special occasions because I love visiting with folks, and I love getting to taste the cooking of the ladies in our church. Macaroni and cheese, chicken spaghetti, and banana pudding are a few of the many dishes sure to show up at any dinner on the grounds gathering. For the last few years at our congregation, we
have held a Duck Commander Sunday service followed by a dinner on the grounds. Last year, so many people came that we wondered if we would have enough food. But we did. We shouldn’t have doubted our church family. They are the best!

Mia gives a thumbs-up as she walks over to join the fun after church one Sunday.

It’s fun to watch the children eye all the choices of food, especially in this fast-food world we live in now. I’m sure there are many dishes at a dinner on the grounds they have never seen before. As a child, I can remember filling every square inch of my plate. The church I grew up in was very small, but the women could cook! My plate would get so full I could hardly carry it and my glass of lemonade. I would spot my mama saving a place for me and my sister, Ann. I can remember noticing that my mama didn’t have a plate fixed for herself. I asked her where her plate was and she answered, “Oh, there will be plenty here for me to eat.” Mama knew that my eyes were bigger than my stomach, and there was no need to waste food.

Yes, another life lesson was taught at dinner on the grounds: no matter how much you have, there’s never enough to waste. Mama was right—my eyes were too big for my stomach and she had plenty to eat.

Jep gathers up two of his kids and heads over to the dinner on the grounds after church. I’m wondering where his food contribution is. I guess he figured I would make enough for all of us.

Spoon Butter Rolls

Makes 1 dozen rolls • Regular 12-cup muffin tin

Nonstick cooking spray

1 envelope (
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ounce) active dry yeast

2 cups very warm water (105° to 110°F)

1 stick (
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pound) butter