The residents of Pioneer Village stepped up to the plate and hit a home run recently in the name of food preparation. A month or so ago I challenged the residents to prepare foods for a type of cook off. They were up to the contest and it was titled The Monthly Food Bank Challenge.

The rules required using two items received from the food bank at any time in the past and using one item distributed the day before the challenge, this being the mystery ingredient of the month.

Each cook could bring three dishes using one food bank item each or one dish using three food bank items, cooks choice. Plus the contestants were asked to write down the recipe they used in the dish.

The stage was set for the first challenge, a special day of tasting, on Feb. 19. Over a dozen chefs prepared around 20 recipes using items received from the food bank. Debbie Martinez was asked to judge the food.

At noon the tasting began with Debbie tasting one and then the next, right on down the line. The chefs provided innovative and novel recipes in some cases, but down-home favorites in others.

The truly amazing aspect of the day was watching and hearing Debbie describe each dish.

"Now who made this cornbread?" Debbie asked and Nadine Driggs raised her hand.

"One of the problems with cornbread is it can be dry and crumbly," Debbie said. "But this is very moist."

Debbie continued down the line tasting the meatloaf, made by Ella, a rice dish made by Mabel Wilson, CocoNot cookies made by June Smithee, which was made with instant potato flakes and other ingredients. Also there was the potato soup made by Thelma Dyer and several bean dip dishes, mainly because the secret ingredient was dehydrated refried beans.

Teresa Senn didn't want to sway the judge, as the two are sister-in-laws, so she made bread pudding, making a great way to end the meal.

But back to Debbie and the tasting: "I believe I taste lemon pepper in this dish," she said.

The cook said there was, in fact, lemon pepper in the dish. Lemon pepper? How could she make out lemon pepper as a separate ingredient? And Debbie continued to amaze the contestants by picking out other components, many as obscure as the lemon pepper.

In the end, Debbie could not pick an individual cook as a winner; smart move Debbie. Instead the food bank clients will be the winner of the day, as the recipes will be available for them to use.

These recipes are too lengthy for this column space, but it may be possible to have them available on the Herald website.

Charly Stanz stopped me as I collected the food for my deliveries last Tuesday.

"I have the secret ingredient for next month's Food Bank Challenge," she said. "How about...?"

"Great idea, let's do it," I said.

The next Food Bank Challenge is scheduled for March 12, but neither Charly nor I will let anyone know about our secret until March 11.