Steve prepped another ingredient outdoors by cooking the corn. “The best way is to throw corn right on the grill and leave on the husks. It cooks the corn from the inside out. You don’t even need to wash the husks, because you can peel the corn all the way down to the cob and the moisture is already in there.” Steve also took the skin off garden fresh onions, cut them in half and put them on the grill. After the peppers were done, he peeled off all the skins. Then, he threw all of the ingredients in the blender. The result was a colorful and kicky salsa verde that went well with the chips. Tracy preferred the blue corn chips, which added more color and a different taste to the combo. “The blue corn chips are much healthier because they have less sodium in them,” she said. The day was already a long one, even before the guests arrived. Before heading to the farmer’s market, Steve cleaned the grill to ensure food safety. He operates two smokers, the Louisiana that gets up to 600 degrees and the Traeger that reaches 450 degrees. While Steve finished the meat, Tracy was polishing off the Rice Krispies treats with a coating of melted chocolate. “I think a good dessert is important,” she said, choosing the treat to fit the rest of the meal. Tracy likes to use variety and creativity for the bars. “I use all sorts of cereals as the base. I use corn flakes and even Frosted Flakes, which is Steve’s favorite,” she said. “For the topping, I’m using melted Nestle’s chocolate chips, heavy whipping cream and butter. I’m also using cocoa and marshmallows.” Looking Ahead The Huffs already have another benefit dinner on the horizon. They offered a meal as a fundraiser for Dive In Yankton, the proposed new aquatic center. “We drew a bid of $1,250,” he said. “Then we got a call from the high bidders who said, if they could double the number of guests, they would double the donation to $2,500.” The donation floored the Huffs, who gladly accepted the change. The meal will set a personal record for them in terms of number of guests and the donation. “This is a chance, once in our lifetimes, to replace the Memorial Park pool which has been out of date for years. It’s an opportunity to raise money for a good cause,” Steve said. “We haven’t figured (the meal) out yet, and they haven’t given us any requirements. But knowing this crowd, I think it will be something like porterhouses.” The Huffs see their donated meals as a labor of love. “I had a long week at work this week,” said Steve, an attorney for a Yankton law firm. “I typically take off Saturday and work on Sunday, if needed. But this is a nice therapy day for me to cook and to be around my family. And we’ll join the guests tonight for the meal.” While others have put away their grills for the season, Steve sees many good opportunities still ahead. “We have leaves on the ground and it’s crisp in the afternoon. We’re now in true barbecue season,” he said. “I won’t cook outdoors on the grill when it’s zero degrees or below and there’s a high wind. At that point, the grill is struggling to stay warm. “I think the dead zone for grilling is between Christmas and March. That time of year, you’re lucky to get a couple of days a month out of it. You have snow on the deck and you want to try as best you can not to freeze to death.” Tracy said she’s enjoying the change to autumn. “As far as fall cooking, I absolutely love this time of year,” she said. “This is the time of year I would use the smoker for things like soups, stews and even the naked brownies (without frosting).” Regardless of the season, people enjoy coming together for a meal, Steve said. “People like breaking bread together,” he said. He asks the same question, whether it’s a meal for family, friends or even strangers. “How do we thread the needle so it tastes good, looks good and brings us all together for a good meal and a good time?” he asked. Tracy thinks the couple has found the secret to making people feel comfortable. “I think, by word of mouth, they know it’s going to be a good time,” she said. “They may not know what to expect, but they know they won’t need to worry once they get here.” The Huffs hope to spread that message through His Voice and other avenues. “People want to enjoy good food and each other’s company,” she said. “You can celebrate the entire year. You don’t need a season.” Steve agreed. “Just celebrate life!” he said. n Your One Stop Shop At 808 W. 23rd, Yankton Servicing Residential, HVAC & Electrical Contractors Residential & Commercial New Construction, Remodels Repair & Service Electrical Contractors Radon Mitigation Kaiser Heating Fast & Reliable Yankton’s Geothermal Heating, Cooling & Fireplace Specialists & Cooling 605.665.2895 Power Source Electric 605.260.8683 605.689.0452 HISVOICEvNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018v5