feeding the 52 with two cake mixes & a casserole...

   jenks black buffet night started with coach thomas. several years ago, he suggested that we, and by "we", i mean "i", do a little buffet on thursday nights after the 3rd- sometimes 4th- football practice of the week. up until that time, i'd occasionally bake up a big batch of banana muffins for after practice or pick up a couple of boxes of little debbie's cosmic brownies, which set me back, say $3 or so, but nothing prepared me for what this would become.
   $40.  f o r t y d o l l a r s. that was my thursday night buffet night budget. to feed up to 52 whole people. that was the record anyway. once i told the marketing gal at a local restaurant that i fed as many as 52 people for $40 & she said, "you have to be kidding- you can't feed 52 people bologna sandwiches for $40." wanna bet? & don't get me started on bologna. i love a challenge. especially if it relates to food. heck, i love anything that relates to food.
   now mind you, buffet nights were by no means haute cuisine, but they got the job done. things like chili, potato soup on cold nights, mostacolli (thank you, marguerite:), Grandma Opal's chicken tetrazzini & build-your-own taco bar provided the thrifty, yet satisfying post-practice buffet night staples that united a team & brought their families a little closer, though after 6 years together, we pretty much knew all of each others secrets anyway.
   i  LOVED planning for buffet nights- all week long, i would be on the prowl for a great meat special or a new way to glorify a cake mix (you can't beat that $.88 investment with a stick) or a way to stretch a dollar... or maybe a chicken. it was like a game to me & i always won (i'm very competitive when it comes to desserts). approval. smiles. hugs. happy tummies. best- game- ever.
   now that we've moved on to school football & there are 3 teams & 70 players & they're much bigger in size & appetite & there's no budget  for thursday night buffets- in fact, there are no thursday night practices at all- i will have to get a new game plan- but don't think i'm not working on it, coach barnes. i already have chick-fil-a on the calendar for the team's road trip food-or WILL when we get a calendar...& i will find a way to weave in a few lemon cakes every now & then for old time's sake. i just have to. it's a jenks black all-time favorite. this is for patty-who likes them most of all.

*lemondrop cake*
1 box lemon cake mix (any brand-pudding in the mix is best)

prepared according to pkg. directions...only i use orange juice instead of water & add about 1/2 tsp. of McNess lemon oil extract (available at williams sonoma & well worth the $10 for a 4 oz. bottle since it provides wonderful zesty lemon flavor & lasts for at least 2 football seasons making a lemon cake every week)... bake the cake in a well cooking- sprayed bundt pan or a 9x13 or my personal favorite, a 15x10 1/2 sheet pan, since i have one with a cover.  ice with about 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar mixed with fresh or that minute- maid lemon juice that comes frozen- it's wonderful- & a few more drops of lemon oil extract to make a pourable, thin glaze- pour it on the hot cake. never a crumb left- they fight over the crumbs. * you can crush lemon drops on the top for sparkling crunchies*

-the snackmom
who would like to take this opportunity to thank patty's mom, lynn, my sangria buddy, for helping me every thursday night when this whole thing got too big for me to cook up & pack up & set up- as well as the MANY football moms (mitzi, charm- you know who you are:) & dads (jeff, lynn & ken come to mind:) & siblings(chase & the duncans-you're the best!), who bolted out to the "snackmom" truck to unload tables & the tins & boxes & trays & baskets of food & paraphenalia & to all those players & parents & my own kids who stayed around in the dark after the lights went out to throw stuff away & help me take down tables & re-load the car...it was so fun! & thanks coach thomas- best idea ever!