new members' lunch, lemon slaw and a little bit of faith

     Sunday, we prepared a lunchtime meal for the newest members of our church. Around one hundred twenty five new friends and old filed into the lunchroom just after the eleven o'clock service was over. My instructions were to prepare a light meal, so I chose smoky, house-made pulled pork sandwiches, topped with a luscious, lemony coleslaw, fruity sherbet and freshly baked cookies and of course, gallons of Georgia sweet tea. Even though it is well into the month of September, it is still humid and muggy in the afternoon hours here in Coastal Georgia.

     My faithful assistant, Bob, shredded the roast pork shoulders, removing most of the fat. I made a fresh tasting, lemon coleslaw to keep the flavors light! This slaw uses the lemon zest (peel) as well as the juice. A little light mayo and reduced fat sour cream make up the base of this dressing.

     It could be served with anything you usually have that goes with slaw. I occasionally add fresh cilantro to the slaw for a tropical fish taco topping. An awesome local burger place makes a delicious blackened and grilled chicken sandwich, topped with coleslaw and a slice of tomato. 

     Well, back to our story... when lunch was over, there was only enough meat to make one small sandwich! Whew, that was very close. As our church doesn't require a firm reservation from dinner attendees, our kitchen staff frequently has moments like this. We refer to them as "Loaves and Fishes" moments, referencing the miracle story in the Bible when Jesus fed the five thousand men, plus an untold number of wives and children, using the offering of a boy's lunch containing only five loaves of bread and two small fish.    

     While this practice may seem rude or unorganized to some, it certainly keeps us on our toes and humbly on our knees. We must remember, at all times and in all circumstances, just Who is in control of every aspect of life... and it is definitely not me!
     So, here is the recipe for the slaw. I hope you will try it. If you are not a huge fan of lemons, add an additional pinch of sugar to the dressing. The flavor is light, fresh and clean, not mayonnaise-y. I am giving you the recipe in pared down quantities designed to serve around 10-12 people, not 125.

Ingredients:

zest of 2 large lemons

juice of same 2 lemons

1/2 cup light or reduced fat mayonnaise

1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream

1 tsp.salt

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. celery seed

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 large bag, coleslaw mix

Directions:

Mix dressing ingredients in large bowl with tight-fitting lid, such as a Tupperware bowl. Add slaw mix, taste and adjust seasoning. If slaw is too tart for your liking, add another pinch of sugar. I like to put lid on bowl and shake it to insure thorough mixing.

lemon slaw