Cooking for a Community Fridge

patti · January 15

I’d love to say there were no hitches in this week’s CFM, but I can’t. Just after the labels were made and it was almost time for plating, my husband informed me we only had 7 of the three compartment to go containers left! We had plenty of the single compartment containers, but I didn’t want to use them. Costco is less than a mile away, but neither of us was prepared to go. How lucky that we managed to get an Instacart delivery within 20 minutes of realizing the problem? Had to pay $1 extra for faster delivery, but problem solved almost painlessly. Yay!

Cornbread was made (more than pictured), and sourdough was purchased. Both were dried out in the oven

Jimmy Dean sausage, browned, along with the trinity, plus extra celery.

Combining the meat mixture, cornbread, sourdough, and chicken stock. Seasoned with Tony’s, poultry seasoning, plus a little extra sage and thyme. I added four eggs to each pan of dressing for binding.

And after baking. There were two pans. I baked at 350, covered, for 45 min. Removed the foil at 45 min, and decided to moisten with more stock, returning the pans to the oven, uncovered, for 15 more minutes.

For the green beans, I started with bacon grease from the crock I keep in the fridge.

Softened the veg.

Added the canned green beans, a few tablespoons of Better than Bouillon chicken base, and seasoned with Tony’s.

Not much to say about the chicken! Seasoned and baked at 400 for 45 minutes. The tray on the bottom rack was moved to the top and cooked about 15 minutes longer to even out the browning. One tray pictured.

Dessert

The plated meal.

I try very hard not to say anything when my husband changes capitalization or punctuation or uses random bolding. But if you bold baked chicken and green beans, why not cornbread dressing? And why not be consistent with spacing between items. AND WHY NOT JUST COPY AND PASTE EXACTLY AS SENT?! (Can you tell which of us is the nice guy and which is a controlling um, person?)

Regardless, success!

**Shelby** · January 16

Yay for Instacart! I wish we had that around here sometimes. Everything looks delicious--as usual! Especially that dressing. I want.

PS--the non-bolding of the cornbread dressing would have made me bat-s*** crazy. You're a saint to have not said anything 🤣

Cornbread Dressing

I had to bold it to make myself feel better.

patti · January 16

52 minutes ago, Shelby said:

Yay for Instacart! I wish we had that around here sometimes. Everything looks delicious--as usual! Especially that dressing. I want.

PS--the non-bolding of the cornbread dressing would have made me bat-s*** crazy. You're a saint to have not said anything 🤣

Cornbread Dressing

I had to bold it to make myself feel better.

Thank you for that bolding!!! Haha. I didn’t examine the labels until after the fact, and since I had called out something from last week’s label, I would be pushing my luck two weeks in a row. I do want him to continue making the labels. I will emphasize “copy and paste,” however!

Also, the dressing was really good, if I do say so, myself. I don’t always use sausage in cornbread dressing. My mother’s east Texas family shredded the chicken or hen they’d used to make the stock for the dressing, as well as the chopped up giblets and put those in the dressing. I haven’t made that style in a few years, but it is delicious. And more time consuming than I wanted to do for this week.

Darienne · January 16

20 hours ago, patti said:

I try very hard not to say anything when my husband changes capitalization or punctuation or uses random bolding. But if you bold baked chicken and green beans, why not cornbread dressing? And why not be consistent with spacing between items. AND WHY NOT JUST COPY AND PASTE EXACTLY AS SENT?! (Can you tell which of us is the nice guy and which is a controlling um, person?)

I think we might be sisters with a different mother...and our husbands might be related also. I worked as a descriptive bibliographer before I retired and the work demanded absolute care. Not a letter nor a number out of place. Ed says he lives by the seat of his pants...and so he does!!!!

SLB · January 18

On 1/13/2026 at 7:47 AM, patti said:

Baked chicken thighs and cornbread dressing

Best.Meal.Ever.

I once had a government job in Mississippi in which I was miserable although I didn't exactly recognize that this is what I was feeling. It had a cafeteria in the basement which served chicken 'n dressing every Thursday, by these old ladies (cue old Mississippi, cooks, central casting . . .). Their dressing was flavored mostly with chicken jus, no sausage.

Y'all. After about two weeks those ladies recognized just how much food I could put away, and just how critical their food was to my coming back to work every day. They were not particularly friendly or even chatty -- but they would pile so much extra dressing for me into that styrofoam, it barely held. I responded with strict and humble devotion. Seriously, the only time I ever left the building for lunch was on the day when this other cafe was serving their nominally superior blackberry cobbler, which me and my boss tried to eat every single week. It was a year-long gig, and that year featured excellent dinner-style lunch.

Anyway. Patti, baby, you are burnin' down there. That's what my old folks used to call this kind of spread: burnin'. Re the bolding -- girl. At this point, none of your fridge's patrons is even bothering to look at the label, once they recognize the packaging . . . .

Meanwhile, I have some leftover roast chicken and I'd plumb forgotten about chicken salad, so guess what is happening in this kitchen this afternoon . . .

And finally, you've inspired me -- I serve at a soup kitchen pretty regularly, but 2026 may be the year I try to get moved onto the prep side.

patti · January 18

1 hour ago, SLB said:

Best.Meal.Ever.

I once had a government job in Mississippi in which I was miserable although I didn't exactly recognize that this is what I was feeling. It had a cafeteria in the basement which served chicken 'n dressing every Thursday, by these old ladies (cue old Mississippi, cooks, central casting . . .). Their dressing was flavored mostly with chicken jus, no sausage.

Y'all. After about two weeks those ladies recognized just how much food I could put away, and just how critical their food was to my coming back to work every day. They were not particularly friendly or even chatty -- but they would pile so much extra dressing for me into that styrofoam, it barely held. I responded with strict and humble devotion. Seriously, the only time I ever left the building for lunch was on the day when this other cafe was serving their nominally superior blackberry cobbler, which me and my boss tried to eat every single week. It was a year-long gig, and that year featured excellent dinner-style lunch.

Anyway. Patti, baby, you are burnin' down there. That's what my old folks used to call this kind of spread: burnin'. Re the bolding -- girl. At this point, none of your fridge's patrons is even bothering to look at the label, once they recognize the packaging . . . .

Meanwhile, I have some leftover roast chicken and I'd plumb forgotten about chicken salad, so guess what is happening in this kitchen this afternoon . . .

And finally, you've inspired me -- I serve at a soup kitchen pretty regularly, but 2026 may be the year I try to get moved onto the prep side.

I am humbled if I have inspired you in any way. I’ll just sit here quietly and bask in the glow (while also smiling/laughing at the lunch ladies showing you their appreciation of YOUR appreciation by piling on the love, er, I mean, food.

While my husband was unloading the food at the fridge this past week, a young man (30s, I’m guessing) gratefully took a bag with two meals in it, and started in on one of the plates immediately (forks are included). With a very pronounced southern drawl he told me that for two weeks he’d been trying to get there when we dropped off meals and he was happy he finally made it (he came by bicycle). He complimented the food several times, telling us how hungry he was and that we’d done a good job. I told him his accent let me know that cornbread dressing was right up his alley! Oddly, he seemed suspicious that I thought he had an accent. 😆

Edited January 18 by patti (log)

**TdeV** · January 18

I'm sorry for being such a rube, @patti, but which part of that meal is "the dressing" ?

patti · January 18

7 minutes ago, TdeV said:

I'm sorry for being such a rube, @patti, but which part of that meal is "the dressing" ?

US Southerners tend to call what others call stuffing, dressing. Cornbread dressing, oyster dressing, rice dressing (which is rarely stuffed into a bird afaik). Eggplant dressing. But made from white bread, it is stuffing.

I don’t make the rules! 😁

Edited January 18 by patti (log)

patti · January 22

I almost feel guilty that this week’s CFM meal was practically stress free. Apologies for not taking pics of everything along the way. At any rate, once I decided how to package the extras, I decided to go ahead with my plan for chili and “fixins.”

Started off with two pounds of beautiful Rancho Gordo black beans. Two varieties, but it worked out well to cook them together. I cooked the black beans on Tuesday for adding to the chili being made on Wednesday. I cooked them with aromatics and basic seasoning, but no seasoning meat or other flavorings because of their use in chili. I thought I had pics of the finished beans (other than mixed in with the chili), but it seems that I do not.

Because I like variety and also because I needed more than the two pounds of black beans, I also used canned kidney beans. (Regretfully. Wish I’d also used dried kidney beans.)

I have shaker containers of these spices and seasonings in the cabinet, but I was using more than usual so I pulled these out of the freezer. Others were also used.

Added to the ten pounds plus of browned ground beef, cooking in two pots. Each pot was seasoned the same way. Tony’s was used, but not shown.

Not pictured but used was tomato paste.

Instead of cooking or preparing a side dish to go with the chili, we included the fixings for chili Fritos. I diced up some sweet white onion.

My husband grated sharp cheddar and bagged in snack size ziplocks. Sour cream went into other containers. Ready for filling the brown bags.

Ready for covering, and then bagging.

All of the elements together (spoon included with the lunch, but not pictured).

Delivered about 11:45am today.

Edited January 22 by patti (log)

MaryIsobel · January 22

49 minutes ago, patti said:

I almost feel guilty that this week’s CFM meal was practically stress free. Apologies for not taking pics of everything along the way. At any rate, once I decided how to package the extras, I decided to go ahead with my plan for chili and “fixins.”

Started off with two pounds of beautiful Rancho Gordo black beans. Two varieties, but it worked out well to cook them together. I cooked the black beans on Tuesday for adding to the chili being made on Wednesday. I cooked them with aromatics and basic seasoning, but no seasoning meat or other flavorings because of their use in chili. I thought I had pics of the finished beans (other than mixed in with the chili), but it seems that I do not.

Because I like variety and also because I needed more than the two pounds of black beans, I also used canned kidney beans. (Regretfully. Wish I’d also used dried kidney beans.)

I have shaker containers of these spices and seasonings in the cabinet, but I was using more than usual so I pulled these out of the freezer. Others were also used.

Added to the ten pounds plus of browned ground beef, cooking in two pots. Each pot was seasoned the same way. Tony’s was used, but not shown.

Not pictured but used was tomato paste.

Instead of cooking or preparing a side dish to go with the chili, we included the fixings for chili Fritos. I diced up some sweet white onion.

My husband grated sharp cheddar and bagged in snack size ziplocks. Sour cream went into other containers. Ready for filling the brown bags.

Ready for covering, and then bagging.

All of the elements together (spoon included with the lunch, but not pictured).

Delivered about 11:45am today.

Another lovely and nourishing meal - well done! I dropped off my January Birthday Cake Kits to the food bank and the director, whom I've come to know, said that they are quite popular. So I will continue with my 6 per month promise to myself.

**Shelby** · January 22

1 hour ago, patti said:

I almost feel guilty that this week’s CFM meal was practically stress free. Apologies for not taking pics of everything along the way. At any rate, once I decided how to package the extras, I decided to go ahead with my plan for chili and “fixins.”

Started off with two pounds of beautiful Rancho Gordo black beans. Two varieties, but it worked out well to cook them together. I cooked the black beans on Tuesday for adding to the chili being made on Wednesday. I cooked them with aromatics and basic seasoning, but no seasoning meat or other flavorings because of their use in chili. I thought I had pics of the finished beans (other than mixed in with the chili), but it seems that I do not.

Because I like variety and also because I needed more than the two pounds of black beans, I also used canned kidney beans. (Regretfully. Wish I’d also used dried kidney beans.)

I have shaker containers of these spices and seasonings in the cabinet, but I was using more than usual so I pulled these out of the freezer. Others were also used.

Added to the ten pounds plus of browned ground beef, cooking in two pots. Each pot was seasoned the same way. Tony’s was used, but not shown.

Not pictured but used was tomato paste.

Instead of cooking or preparing a side dish to go with the chili, we included the fixings for chili Fritos. I diced up some sweet white onion.

My husband grated sharp cheddar and bagged in snack size ziplocks. Sour cream went into other containers. Ready for filling the brown bags.

Ready for covering, and then bagging.

All of the elements together (spoon included with the lunch, but not pictured).

Delivered about 11:45am today.

PERFECT! I love the chopped onion, cheese and Fritos as toppings. And, I often use all different kinds of beans in chili because I have all kinds different bags open already. Great job!

patti · January 22

23 minutes ago, MaryIsobel said:

Another lovely and nourishing meal - well done! I dropped off my January Birthday Cake Kits to the food bank and the director, whom I've come to know, said that they are quite popular. So I will continue with my 6 per month promise to myself.

Thank you! I love that you do this. I know the recipients are grateful.

9 minutes ago, Shelby said:

PERFECT! I love the chopped onion, cheese and Fritos as toppings. And, I often use all different kinds of beans in chili because I have all kinds different bags open already. Great job!

Thank you, ma’am! I love toppings on chili. I prefer diced red onion, but thought I should try to please the masses.

patti · 2026-01-30T13:15:15Z

Good morning! The CFM was delivered yesterday, but afternoon babysitting duties prevented me from posting about it (to make this comment relate to food, I brought two kinds of cookies with me, chocolate chip and peanut butter). 😀

This week’s meal was simple, which may be the wave of the future as I try to be more economical. Sausage and potato soup, bread, an orange.

The soup was started with two kinds of potatoes, russets and Yukon gold. Instead of peeling the russets beforehand, I decided to boil them and peel after. Some of the skins had a green tint, which I wasn’t too concerned about, figuring I would be removing it with the peels. But the green wasn’t just skin deep, to my dismay. While I don’t think a little bit of green will hurt you, I decided to toss the ones that seemed too green, and I replaced them with frozen hash browns. The Yukons were fine, unfortunately, not pictured.

Is this going to be where y’all all tell me I should’ve used the green potatoes, like y’all thought I should’ve used the charred cheese on a previous CFM? Look how green! BTW, my husband reserved some of the green potatoes for himself before tossing, and used them to make mashed potatoes for his supper. All of the green magically disappeared, and he said they tasted fine. But I don’t regret the decision.

Some of the green potatoes.

One of the two pots going. Browned Italian sausage, sautéed the trinity, plus carrots, and extra celery.

The green potato replacements.

Spinach, ready for the soup pots.

Homemade chicken stock, boxed chicken stock, and chicken base was used, as well as heavy cream.

You know how when you’re seasoning and tasting and looking for that perfect balance of flavors? I never actually found it, much to my disappointment. I never got that “yes” moment. I kept fiddling and adding and even my usual go to things didn’t make it happen, but I had to stop at some point. Mediocre sausage and potato soup, at your service.

Each meal included a small loaf of Italian buttered, toasted, garlic Parmesan bread.

Ready for wrapping up.

The soup in container.

C’est tout, folks!

Edited 10 hours ago by patti (log)

Darienne · 2026-01-30T14:04:56Z

I would have tossed those green potatoes also.

**Shelby** · 2026-01-30T17:18:04Z

3 hours ago, Darienne said:

I would have tossed those green potatoes also.

I'd have saved them for St. Patrick's Day

😆

Great job as per usual! It looks delicious and I'm sure it tasted delicious!

But. I'm going to have to speak to your husband.

Garlic Parmesan Toast

Cutie

🤣

patti · 2026-01-30T21:46:13Z

4 hours ago, Shelby said:

I'd have saved them for St. Patrick's Day

😆

Great job as per usual! It looks delicious and I'm sure it tasted delicious!

But. I'm going to have to speak to your husband.

Garlic Parmesan Toast

Cutie

🤣

Please do!!! 😜

blue_dolphin · 2026-01-30T22:02:37Z

That looks a really satisfying meal and the cutie is a perfect little dessert with it!

I’ll bet the soup was delicious but I feel your pain on seasoning soups. I’ve been known to have an array of tiny dishes of soup on the counter with lemon juice added to one, sherry vinegar in another, fish sauce, hot sauce, a pinch of sugar, etc, etc, going back and forth to get it right before seasoning the whole pot!

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