A few years back when my Father-in-Law Bob passed away the last thing our family was thinking of was food.
I think the last thing anyone was thinking of was food.
It is funny when a loved one dies, it is as if time stands still, if only for a moment. We do realize that life does go on, sometimes we need to pause and reflect. It is like trying to get air after you have had the wind knocked out of you.
So after the funeral and burial we went back to my church St. Pius X where they held the reception. As with most Catholic receptions the buffet groaned with food. There were plates of everything as far as the eye couldsee. There were plates of fried chicken, potato salad, baked beans, coleslaw, barbecue and cakes. Boy were there cakes.We had a separate table just for desserts. There was even Lumpia. Yes, our congregation has a lot of Filipinos. So not only was there Lumpia, but Pancit and Pandesal. You name it, it was there.
I was standing talking to my husband and what caught my eye were these ham biscuits. They were artfully put on a tray. They were not the traditional Southern Ham Biscuits, they were more like ham rolls with cheese in them. Not just any cheese, it was ooey gooey melty cheese. They had a great taste to them and so I asked my Mother-in-Law about these. They were almost exactly like the one s I served at our Superbowl party.
You see my mother-in-law Dorothy has been on the bereavement committee for St. Pius for a number of years. These were a staple on the buffet for many a funeral. The reason is that they are fast and easy to make. They also freeze well. The only thing is each person may make them differently. For instance the ones I had at the funeral had poppy seeds on top.
The last thing that a family who has lost a loved one is thinking of is food. So these women on the bereavement committee bring these dishes in for the family to enjoy in their time of sorrow.
It is odd that in our time of sorrow we reach for the comfort of our families and the comfort of food. Depending on where you live, your comfort could be very different than someone elses. Here in Virginia, it may be some Ham with beans. Perhaps some fried chicken with potato salad. It still is the south after all. Up North it could mean something altogether different. I guess it depends on where you were raised.
Flash forward to now, I have helped out on the bereavement committee and supplied a dish for several funerals. Can you guess the dish that I make?
Funeral Ham and Cheese Biscuits
Ingredients:
1 package small potato rolls
1 stick butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons grated onion
1/2 pound thinly sliced deli ham
1/2 pound thinly sliced provolone
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the rolls on a foil lined baking sheet. Slice the tops off of the rolls and set to the side.In a small bowl combine the butter, worcestershire sauce, mustard and onion. SLather this mixture on the bottom inside and top inside of the rolls. Layer ham and cheese on the bottom half of the rolls. Replace with the top half of the rolls and wrap with the foil. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Using a knife separate the rolls and serve warm.
Note: these can also be frozen and reheated.
Peace be with you,
Vonnie
