What’s the connection between BBQ and Assisted Living?

What’s the connection between BBQ and Assisted Living?

How many Assisted Living communities do you know that have a competitive BBQ team?  How did it happen?  The founding partners of Senior Solutions Management Group, Chris Sides & Todd Barker who manage and operate Assisted Living communities in Georgia and Tennessee, combined their love for BBQ and their passion to take care of seniors and created the BBQ Doctor.  “With both partners coming from a hospitality background and the firm belief that good BBQ was something that appealed to the masses, the BBQ Doctor was born”, as stated in the foreword of the first BBQ Doctor Cookbook  which includes a compilation of classic recipes from the families, residents, and employees.  The BBQ Doctor not only competes in multi-state competitions, but also locally in the locations of our Assisted Living communities.  In addition to competitions they also cater special events and travel community to community to prepare mouth-watering BBQ for our residents.  The challenges they say about cooking for the residents are simply being able to prepare everything that each resident wants.  Some request their award winning Ribs, succulent pulled pork or whole hog, and others may want their famous White BBQ Sauce smothered Chicken.   So typically what happens is that our community events turn into a smorgasbord of delicious BBQ, and of course all the fixins’!  Our residents, families, and employees, in addition to the communities all reap the benefits of the BBQ Doctor and their culinary talent!  One particular resident loves it so much that he is first in line at each event, gobbles up every bite, and ensures that he always leaves with an extra “midnight snack”.  I asked him what his favorite thing was about the BBQ and he said, “haven’t you heard the old saying? The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach? This BBQ reminds me of home – I have to say I don’t remember my BBQ tasting this good, but I sure enjoy the memories of preparing BBQ for my family. This BBQ is comforting, it takes me back to family, friends, and my southern roots. Now I enjoy having the opportunity to sit back, relax, and let someone else do it for me!”  He proudly wears his BBQ Doctor T-shirt and is a walking commercial for the BBQ Doctor! Only at a Senior Solutions Community can you enjoy a BBQ Doctor product, be that the succulent pulled pork, award winning  candied pork ribs, juicy smoked chicken, beef tenderloin, or for a special event, a whole hog.  We hope you will join us for our next big event, get a copy of our first cookbook and meet the BBQ Doctor’s in person!  Until then, enjoy a recipe from the Cookbook and our highlighted recipe of the week – Mashed Potato Casserole.  We will see you at the pitt!

Mashed Potato Casserole – Submitted by Chris Sides, Partner

1 pkg. (3oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

½ cup Sour Cream

1 tsp. Garlic Salt

2 ½ – 3 pounds baking potatoes

¼ tsp. pepper

Paprika

2 Tbsp. Butter

Stir together cream cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and sour cream until smooth.  Set aside. Prepare and boil quartered potatoes, drain.  Beat hot potatoes with an electric mixer, add sour cream mixture and continue beating until smooth.  Spoon potatoes into a well-buttered shallow 2 quart casserole dish.  Dot with butter and sprinkle with paprika.  Bake covered in 400 degree oven for 25 minutes or until hot.  Uncover and bake 10 minutes until top is golden brown.  Garnish with parsley sprigs if desired. Serves 6-8.

Join us for Dinner or contact a Community today to request your copy of The BBQ Doctor’s Cookbook – A compilation of Classic Recipes from the families, residents and employees of Senior Solutions communities – Antebellum Grove, Warner Robins – GA; Carriage House Inn, Shelbyville – TN; Lakewood Place, Loudon – TN; River Oaks Place, Lenoir City – TN, River Oaks Place, Loudon – TN; Jamestowne Assisted Living, Kingston – TN; Wellspring Senior Living and Oakwood Senior Living, Knoxville – TN.

Is there a recipe that you’d like to share?  Leave it in the comments below and we may publish it in our next cookbook and you will receive a complimentary copy!

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