I have been the Utah wing Encampment mess officer for the last 4 years. I have Army training in cooking. I was at Ft. Dix for my training. Any body know where i can find a set of either Army or Air Force Recipe Cards. They I find them a valuable piece of "equipment" for a mess officer. makes it a lot easier planning the menu.
I do all of the planning and cooking ALL OF IT!!! It is a sacred job for me in CAP.
You do a job few want to do, thank you!
HERE is the link the where the DoD keeps an updated recipe system. It is really neat!
http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/aces/publications/pubs/recipes/cover.pdf (http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/aces/publications/pubs/recipes/cover.pdf)
You will need to scroll down just a little and everthing is "clickable" to take you to the sections you need! Hope this helps!!
unfortunately this link only gets me to the first page of the pdf
Quote from: rross8085 on November 22, 2007, 06:56:13 AM
unfortunately this link only gets me to the first page of the pdf
Hold down the ctrl key when you click on the links.
Quote from: messofficer on November 22, 2007, 06:13:42 AM
I have been the Utah wing Encampment mess officer for the last 4 years. I have Army training in cooking. I was at Ft. Dix for my training. Any body know where i can find a set of either Army or Air Force Recipe Cards. They I find them a valuable piece of "equipment" for a mess officer. makes it a lot easier planning the menu.
I do all of the planning and cooking ALL OF IT!!! It is a sacred job for me in CAP.
Former Air Force aerospace food service specialist - ahem, cook - long since hung up my chef's hat and apron. DEATH FROM WITHIN!!!!! ;D
I love how there are 6 sections on desserts and only 2 on salad and vegetables. ;D
Quote from: SSgt Rudin on January 16, 2008, 08:01:36 PM
I love how there are 6 sections on desserts and only 2 on salad and vegetables. ;D
That surprises you?
At the local UTA weekends, the dessert section at the dining hall is bigger than the salad bar. ;)
Dessert - the most important part of any meal! ;D
I found a program to input the recipes and it will create a shopping list. this will make my job this year alot easier. Are their any other wings that have SM's doing the cooking at encampments?
PAWG contracts out for a huge sum of money. They could save some, and get food donated and prepared by members, but they would rather keep "feeding the caterer friends".
I commend you on taking on this responsibility!
Quote from: mikeylikey on February 03, 2008, 06:16:04 AM
PAWG contracts out for a huge sum of money. They could save some, and get food donated and prepared by members, but they would rather keep "feeding the caterer friends".
I commend you on taking on this responsibility!
I am going to try and save my wing even more money by trying to get at least some of it donated. I forgot what year it was, but I came in about half of what was budgeted for the encampment's ffod. That surprised me. I did not know the budgeted amount. I am given an enourmous amount of responsibility when it comes to this and I enjoy it to the fullest. I feel a sense of pride when I cook for all of those at encampment. I even do what I can for food allergies that are reported on the CAPF 31's . The cadets are well taken care of when I am in charge. I even sneak in unscheduled desserts when it is warranted.
Quote from: mikeylikey on February 03, 2008, 06:16:04 AM
PAWG contracts out for a huge sum of money. They could save some, and get food donated and prepared by members, but they would rather keep "feeding the caterer friends".
I commend you on taking on this responsibility!
How many cadets and staff? rounded off ball park amount of money is?
Quote from: messofficer on February 03, 2008, 05:28:47 AM
I found a program to input the recipes and it will create a shopping list. this will make my job this year alot easier. Are their any other wings that have SM's doing the cooking at encampments?
One of the seniors from Dallas Composite Squadron that I know well was mess officer for the TX Wing winter encampment. Much of the food was of the 'heat-and-eat' variety obtained from SYSCO (big foodservice distributor) ; not too bad for prepackaged food. No complaints from the cadinks... ;D
Full time cooking at a Texas Wing encampment...? Rarely happens. But I wouldn't be averse if someone hauled a smoker and cooked up some BBQ brisket...
Quote from: messofficer on February 03, 2008, 06:34:25 AMHow many cadets and staff? rounded off ball park amount of money is?
About 230 cadets and seniors for the 2007 TX Wing winter encampment. I don't know the food budget, though.
Quote from: messofficer on February 03, 2008, 05:28:47 AM
I found a program to input the recipes and it will create a shopping list. this will make my job this year alot easier. Are their any other wings that have SM's doing the cooking at encampments?
I know CAWG runs their own dining halls during their large encampments. Staffed entirely by seniors and the occasional cadet mess officer. They serve about a thousand meals a day, including supporting bag lunches for activities like the range or o-flights.
The original Dining Facility Manager (DFM) is a former Spaatz cadet. She has trained up some other folks, and they now have a pretty good crew capable of running two dining halls simultaneously. The wing has an account with a major restaurant supply company and has a budget that comes in at something like 15 grand or so. IIRC, they feed at about $8/day per head including service items, as well as the graduation party. Meals include choice of entree, veggies, salad, and dessert.
I did find a spare set of Army recipe cards for her WIWA company commander, but she uses her own recipes. She even receives fan mail from the troops about her chicken broccoli caserole!
I've been trying to talk her into creating the National Culinary Academy as a national special activity. There are a whole lot of CAP activities out there that survive on beanie-wienies and spaghetti simply because the dedicated CAP crew (and Moms and Dads) supporting it just needs a little bit of imagination and skill.
PM me and I can put you in touch with her. She would probably share her ordering protocols, recipes, and advice if you ask.
I suppose I should mention that I am inordinately proud of my wife, Spaatz #235.
Ned Lee
DCP, PCR
Quote from: Ned on February 03, 2008, 07:57:09 PM
I've been trying to talk her into creating the National Culinary Academy as a national special activity. There are a whole lot of CAP activities out there that survive on beanie-wienies and spaghetti simply because the dedicated CAP crew (and Moms and Dads) supporting it just needs a little bit of imagination and skill.
So are you saying my
Ramen-Noodle-O-Surprise casserole on the occasional FTX would be a no-go at the culinary academy??