Mrs. Bentley's Best

My husband and I had the pleasure of hosting four young men from the international traveling troupe, “Up With People”, while they were performing in Fort Lauderdale.  The boys stayed with us for eight days.  Some folks might think the task of feeding four hungry young men every day for eight days overwhelming, but me?  I was in heaven!

We had two boys from Japan; Hiroaki and Yasuhiro and two boys from Mexico; Packo and Sergio.  All spoke beautiful English, so communicating was no trouble at all.  Each morning David took them into Fort Lauderdale where they did community service work or rehearsed.  Each evening, David picked them up and they arrived at our house tired and hungry.  What a boon for me!  I planned my menu trying to choose things that were universally likable, taking special consideration for the “clean” food style of Japan.

Here is what I served each day:

Saturday

• Poached Salmon with Fresh Dill and Lemon
• Steamed Green Beans with Butter
• Roasted Multi-Colored New Potatoes
• Key-Lime Pie

Poached Salmon with Fresh Dill and Lemon

Mixed Roasted New Potatoes

Sunday

• Puerto Rican Pulled Pork
• Coconut Rice
• Creamy Collard Greens
• Guava Pastries with Vanilla Ice Cream

Puerto Rican Pork Roast

Coconut Rice

Monday

• Grilled Chicken Thighs with Crispy Skin
• Bow Tie Pasta with Chunky Fresh Tomato Sauce
• Insalata Caprese Salad
• Roasted Summer Squashes
• Ice Cream Sundaes

Insalata Caprese

Grilled Chicken with Crispy Skin

Tuesday

• Salmon Burgers
• Big-Boy Mac and Cheese
• Tossed Green Salad
• Warm Brownies with Chocolate Sauce

Big-Boy Mac N Cheese

Wednesday

• Pulled Pork Sandwiches with Mango Salsa
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Ice Cream Sandwiches

Pulled Pork Sandwich

Thursday

• The boys had a concert at the Bank Atlantic Center during a Florida Panthers Hockey game, so they ate dinner on the road.

Friday

• Sister Patti’s Grilled Ribeye Steaks
• Baked Potatoes with the Works
• Fennel and Feta Salad with Lemon and Dill
• Apple Pie

Crisp Fennel With Feta, Lemon and Dill

Saturday

• The boys had their big concert and ate during all day rehearsals.  The show was fantastic!

Sunday

• The boys cooked for us!
• Mole Chicken Breast
• Mixed Vegetables and Rice
• Japanese Cabbage & Bacon Pancake (Okonomiyaki)

It was an honor and a pleasure to host these fine young men in our home.  We wish them well in their travels and performances.  I heard they were in the Czeck Republic when this article was posted.

Yasuhiro, Packo, Hiroaki and Sergio Cooking

Japanse Pancake with Crispy Seaweed Flakes

Hiroakis Skillfull Flipping

Mixed Vegetables and Rice With Mexican Seasoning

Packo and Sergios Mole Chicken

Fun With Wigs and David's old "Up With People" Albums Yasuhiro, Hiroaki, Sergio and Packo