Hillsboro gets a new option for home cooking

Carla Hamm helps out some hungry customers during lunch at the new Mama C's business that opened up last week. Laura Fowler Paulus / Free PressHillsboro has a new option for food for lunch or dinner. Not only is it homemade, but it is affordable and there are many options.

Hillsboro resident Carla Hamm opened Mama C’s last week. The new business is located on Grand Street across from Dales in between Panda Kitchen and First Mennonite Church. While there isn’t a sign out front yet, Hamm hopes to have one out there soon. She also hopes to have a whiteboard or chalkboard out front later this week.

“I plan to get some type of sign hung up so people can just slow down and read the daily specials without even getting out of their car or parking…especially if it is as hot as it has been. Then they can know if they want to come inside or not,” said Hamm. “I am also working on a Facebook page with our daily specials.”

Mama C’s is not a restaurant.

“I am not licensed as an eatery. I can’t have people eating here and I can’t cater. But I can offer food. I can make food for you to get here and take back to your home or office. It’s more of a take and bake. Take it back home or to the office and pop it in the microwave. I can even make food for you to pick up and take to your wedding or shower or anything else, but I can’t deliver it or serve it,” said Hamm. “I am not licensed for that.”

What Hamm is licensed for is a fresh salad bar that customers can fill to go containers with and pay for by the pound.

“It is $6.99 per pound,” Hamm said. “You get however much you want. I weigh it and then you pay.”

Jaycee Hamm helps out in the kitchen at her family's new business. Laura Fowler Paulus / Free PressIn addition to the salad bar, Hamm offers daily specials that are made fresh each day. For example, on Friday, she had McBoro sliders that mimicked a certain food chain’s famous burger. The prices will vary but are all close to what you would get anywhere else in Marion County.

Along with the daily special there is a refrigerator with other options such as potato salad, baked beans, casseroles, meatballs and whatever other specials are available. There are also water bottles for sale there.

Hamm plans to have a soda fountain installed this week for fountain drinks. She will have chips as well and will offer both along with her daily lunch special.

Along with lunch options, Hamm will have frozen meals available for those who want to grab an evening meal. She will rotate out options. The first two days of her business, she had lasagna, enchiladas, chicken and rice casserole, meatballs and more.

“I will just make stuff and see what sells. It will be a lot of trial and error at this point,” said Hamm.

Since Hamm is only using one two-thirds of the building for the business, she plans to use the remaining part to host four craft vendors.

“With Kessler’s being gone, and I have room so I would love to have people sell their things here. Then people can come in and grab lunch and shop and grab a gift if they need to,” said Hamm.

For now, the hours Mama C’s is open will be 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. You can reach them by calling 620-877-4330.

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