I'd Like to Thank

It's no secret I take cooking for others very seriously. Be it breakfast club, cake day or treats for a meeting, I plot and plan to develop the perfect theme and presentation.

Last weekend I shared food-bringing responsibility with a friend. We were making a snack supper for an evening class. She said she wanted easy; I, of course, wanted easy but perfect. 

So I thought, what could be easier and more perfect than Barbecue Sliders? Simple to make, wonderful presentation and delicious. (Continue to the end of this post for the recipe.)

I made the sliders and a pasta salad, my friend brought the chips, pickles and a dessert. Everyone was responsible for bringing their own drink, but if this had been an event at my house, you can bet I'd have plenty of tea (sweet and unsweet) and crisp-tart lemonade.

After the event, a fellow class member came up and said: I just want to thank you for the food you brought. Your stuff is always the best - warm and tasty. Everyone loves it.

I felt like I'd just won a People's Choice Award. I was on stage, unprepared - I didn't even have a speech scribbled on a note in my pocket. If I had, I would have said:

Thank you so much! I'm at a loss for words...but, just in case this were to happen, I wrote some things down that I didn't want to forget. I promise it won't take long.

I'd like to thank my mom, of course, for giving me a love for cooking. And I can't mention my mom, without thanking my grandmothers, both of whom infused our family with a love of home-cooked food. Thanks also to the 4-H program - to the years of cooking classes that taught me practical skills as well as the science of food. And thanks also to the Cash family for unwittingly teaching me that competitiveness in table setting presentation can be a good thing. 

Oh yes - thank you to the love of my life, the one who never gets to taste the food I prepare for these events unless he's actually at an event. And thank you to all of those (there are too many of you to name) who've given me serving platters and china over the years. I truly couldn't have pulled this off without your help.

And finally, I need to give thanks to my fans, those of you who line up for breakfast casserole, barbecue sliders, quesadillas and french toast. You are the ones who've given me this honor today and I will never, never forget you.

Easy Barbecue Sliders

• Dinner rolls (I used King's Hawaiian)
  
• Barbecue (chicken, pork, or brisket)
  
• Dill pickles
  
• Jalapenos
  
• Onion, chopped
  

Slice dinner rolls in half, fill with warm barbecue of your choice. Serve with a selection of toppings, including pickles, jalapenos and onion.

** Note: you can purchase premade barbecue in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores or from your favorite local barbecue joint.

See - I told you they were easy!!