FOOD: Millie’s Table

Many of us were lucky enough to
grow up with family dinners as a sacred centerpiece of home life. Mom toiled in
the kitchen with pots and pans galore, kids took turns “doing dishes” (loading
them in the dishwasher…and grumbling about it) and hearty aromas filled the
air, beckoning everyone to the table. In retrospect, it was magical. In
reality, it was hard work.

The art of a well-prepared,
home-cooked meal revolutionized the American dinner table in the 1960s. As
Julia Child captivated audiences with her witty, exuberant cooking passions,
she left an enduring mark on the home dining scene. Food—both preparing it and
eating it—was at the center of a joyous life and even the simplest meal was an
event to be relished with family and friends.

The Child-like thrill of a finely finessed meal is not lost on our
society today. Yet our schedules are often far more packed than our freezers
and our cars run more than our ovens, leaving little time to plan and prepare
the foods we crave. For many busy professionals and on-the-go families, the
homemade, frozen Take-n-Bake entrées, veggies and desserts at Millie’s Table
have brought their own families back to the table. Apparently, the guilty
pleasure of raiding someone else’s freezer stays with us long after our
starving college days and the tempting aromas wafting from our own ovens and
stovetops still carry a robust sense of accomplishment.

First opened in 2007 as Super
Suppers, Millie’s Table changed its name in 2011, reflecting the namesake of
its owner, Millie Shores. Staffed by a group of moms who have long been cooking
with love for their own families, this home-cooking haven has become a staple
for metro-area residents seeking made-from-scratch meals.

Whether stocking your freezer
with a few favorite entrées to have on hand, ordering a pick-up dinner to feed
a crowd, calling ahead for daily Hot Meals To-Go or stopping by after a hectic
day for Take-n-Bake entrées and veggies from the freezer, Millie’s brings
variety to the table with style and ease. Equally renowned for superb catering,
Millie’s Table is a consistent favorite for full-service or drop-off catering
for business functions and special events.

“We use tried-and-true recipes
from my staff and some of our customers,” Millie explains, “with fantastic new
recipes being added all the time.” Stop in on a chilly winter day and you may
find the catering manager, Roe MacDurmon, sampling her newly concocted version
of apple pie or mint chocolate truffle bars. And if you happen to get to be a
taste-tester while you shop, all the better!

Customers especially love the
extensive Healthy Menu Items like Parmesan Chicken with Creamy Sage Sauce,
boasting just 290 calories per serving. Flank Steak, Tilapia, Roast Beef, Pork
Marsala and Salmon are also low-cal favorites. Custom dishes such as
gluten-free creations are also available upon request.

Millie doesn’t even mind if you
quietly take credit when you serve one of her fabulous meals. “I’m like your
hairstylist,” she graciously concedes, “I won’t tell and no one has to know. I
once had a customer tell me she’d been married seven years before her husband
ever learned she couldn’t cook!”

Millie’s
Table is located at 1333 N. Santa Fe Ave. in Edmond. Call 330-9156 or visit
milliestable.com for details.