Suggestions for Dinner for Missionaries

[Clark Addison]

We have missionaries back in our ward after a year or two haitus. We are feeding them tonight. Anyone have suggestions? Ideally, it would be something that says "we like to give you good food to eat, but aren't real interested in introducing our friends to you, or on going on splits involving tracting."

[Donuthole]

We have missionaries back in our ward after a year or two haitus. We are feeding them tonight. Anyone have suggestions? Ideally, it would be something that says "we like to give you good food to eat, but aren't real interested in introducing our friends to you, or on going on splits involving tracting."

Per a close friend who served in the states, there is no better way of saying that than meeting them at the door with a story of a scheduling conflict and $20 bill for them to go eat where they please.

[TripletDaddy]

Per a close friend who served in the states, there is no better way of saying that than meeting them at the door with a story of a scheduling conflict and $20 bill for them to go eat where they please.

this isn't a bad idea. I picked up on that either here or on cougarguard, but it had never dawned on me that you could take the Elders or Sisters with you out to dinner. They dig eating out at places. And you can take them to crappy places and they wont complain. the only problem is you have to make sure you have chill missionaries. if you get the overzealous ones, they might try to bust out the "self righteous invidual public food prayer" on you. That is always uncomfortable.

[YOhio]

Ditto to the above. I always offer to meet them at a Chipotle or similar place where they can stuff their faces and talk about home.

[Joe Public]

Per a close friend who served in the states, there is no better way of saying that than meeting them at the door with a story of a scheduling conflict and $20 bill for them to go eat where they please.

this isn't a bad idea. I picked up on that either here or on cougarguard, but it had never dawned on me that you could take the Elders or Sisters with you out to dinner. They dig eating out at places. And you can take them to crappy places and they wont complain. the only problem is you have to make sure you have chill missionaries. if you get the overzealous ones, they might try to bust out the "self righteous invidual public food prayer" on you. That is always uncomfortable.

I know one lady who hands restaurant gift cards to the missionaries at church on the Sunday before the scheduled dinner appointment. That's that.

[BlueHair]

It's been a few years since we fed the missionaries, but we always took them out to eat. As soon as the dinner was winding down and it looked like they were about the spring the manipulation pattern on us, we would ask for the check and head for the hills.

[Surfah]

In one of my wards on my mission we had the best meal coordinator. On the first of the month she would hand us a calendar and everyday would be filled with the family we were to be eating with and their contact info. The best part though was she'd sign up for two days each month. But her husband wasn't a member and wouldn't allow us in his home so she'd give us each a $20 bill with the calendar so we could eat out on those two nights she signed up for. I dug that.

Pasta sucks for missionary dinners. When I was in English speaking wards I ate lasagna and spaghetti all the time. I hated that. I'd rather eat the rice and beans and homemade tortillas that I'd get in Spanish areas.

[pellegrino]

In one of my wards on my mission we had the best meal coordinator. On the first of the month she would hand us a calendar and everyday would be filled with the family we were to be eating with and their contact info. The best part though was she'd sign up for two days each month. But her husband wasn't a member and wouldn't allow us in his home so she'd give us each a $20 bill with the calendar so we could eat out on those two nights she signed up for. I dug that.

Pasta sucks for missionary dinners. When I was in English speaking wards I ate lasagna and spaghetti all the time. I hated that. I'd rather eat the rice and beans and homemade tortillas that I'd get in Spanish areas.

You'd like my pasta, I guarantee it. We don't have the missionaries over unless we have sisters in our ward, which we don't right now.

[Moliere]

We've had sisters for over a year so generally when MJ schedules them to come by I have to work late

I never had a "meal coordinator" and was lucky to get one meal a week. Thankfully some of the gyro places were cheap so did eat out a bit. But when I got back I thought I'd really help out by feeding missionaries. So MJ would go all out. We'd make some really cool stuff. I once smoked a brisket, grilled corn and pineapple, MJ made a homemade pie, etc.

Then one day I made some awesome hamburgers with all the fixins and MJ made some dynamite drinks and dessert. The elders (threesome at the time) barely touched the food. One elder didn't even have a hamburger. He wasn't a vegetarian but he indicated they had just eaten before coming

I no longer spend anytime preparing meals. They are lucky if they get a day old casserole or Prego Spaghetti. I save my real cooking for when we have non-member friends over without the missionaries.

[Parrot Head]

Our ward has been using some website lately, keepthemfed or something like that. It's not completely obvious and they don't send around the calendar, so apparently the missionaries are only getting meals 2-3 times each week because no one signs up.

It's a little late for tonight's meal, but don't go with the Cafe Rio option. My wife likes to make that and it makes such a huge serving that that's the only time we eat it, but the Utah missionaries love it and really think you're one of them for doing that.

[Clark Addison]

It turns out that my wife wasn't feeling well, so I followed CUF's advice and told the missionaries I would take them out. Somewhat near their apartment is a Vietnamese Noodle place I have been meaning to try, so I asked them if they had any aversions to Asian food, and away we went. Unfortunately, I overshot the street I was supposed to turn on. On my way back, we passed a Chinese Buffet that one of my Chinese employees had told me was the most authentic in Charlotte. I asked the Elders if they would rather go to Vietnamese Noodles or Chinese Buffet, and one immediately said Chinese Buffet. I wasn't completely thrilled, but I had been meaning to go there, so we stopped.

It was crab leg night at the buffet, so one elder had about 30 crab legs, while the other had Jell-O and strawberries. It turns out he had not been completely honest with me about the aversions to Asian food. It was not great food, but it was good for a buffet, with several authentic dishes you don't usually see in these parts. The only problem was at the end when I found out that "Crab Legs Night" came at a cost. I had been planning on spending about $30. Instead, after tip, I spent about $80. So CUF cost me $50 last night.

Here's my plan. If every active member sends me $0.50, I will get my money back, and the CUF community can sleep with a clear conscience, and a knowledge that they are furthering the missionary efforts in North Carolina (and the board apostates don't need to worry about spending money that goes against their beliefs, after talking to these guys for an hour last night, they are no big threat to be spreading the gospel around here). PM me for payment details, and TIA.

[TripletDaddy]

authentic Chinese buffet.... jello and strawberries....

[Clark Addison]

authentic Chinese buffet.... jello and strawberries....

I didn't say the ENTIRE buffet was authentic. But they had things like chicken feet, steamed pork ribs with black bean sauce, etc. that you don't often see.

[Art Vandelay]

Whenever we feed the missionaries we try and give them something a little different than what they usually get fed (no lasagna, pizza, or casseroles.)

Last night I did my speciality - smoked salmon. In addition to the potatoes, fruit salad, devilled eggs, my wife made homemade bread, and a scrumptious lemon pie.

Salmon is skinned and cut up and marinated overnight.


Heat the trager up to 300ish, put salmon on and then turn to smoke


After 20 minutes baste with olive oil, and turn over.



Let cook for another 12-15 minutes then turn heat up to 300 for 10 more minutes. It is then ready to serve.



I have no idea how to make lemon pie, but it was real and it was spectacular.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Very nice, Art. But you should put this in the Traeger Salmon thread.

I am interesting in trying that. We love salmon and it would be fun to try something new.

What do you use for the marinate?

Also, that seems like a long time on the grill for salmon. Do you monitor the internal temps? I typically pull at 130 degrees. Worst thing you can do to salmon is overcook.