| Author |
Message |
    
Greeneyes
Citizen
Username: Greeneyes
Post Number: 727
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 4:10 pm: | 
|
Long story short.
I need to prepare some non meat/poultry items for a party of, gasp, sputter, cough, 92 people for this Saturday. I'm already doing chicken, green beans, other veggies.
This party wasn't very well planned and there is alot of last minute-ness going on. The conversation I had with the other "cook" for this party suggests that there isn't going to be enough food to go around. There are about 25 people who accepted the invitation unexpectedly, thus the need for more grub.
What can I make that will fill a hole on a plate and isn't too labor intensive, since I have a one year old at home.
I just know I will get some fabulous ideas here!
Thanking you all in advance. |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 1048
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 4:14 pm: |
|
Vegetarian lasagna and/or ratatouille, which you can serve hot over pasta or with toasted pita, or cold with chips or pita. |
shoshannah
Citizen
Username: Shoshannah
Post Number: 1170
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 4:16 pm: |
|
Penne with pesto, ricotta cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes. After you boil and drain a pound of penne, add about 8 oz. ricotta cheese while penne is hot. Then add pesto and sun-dried tomatoes to taste. It can be served hot or room temperature. |
Virtual It Girl
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 3911
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 4:56 pm: |
|
Buy the 6 pack of romaine from costco and some good bottled caesar and croutons, easy caesar salad.
I'd also do either the penne with pesto or pasta with broccoli (with a garlic sauce) or marinara, vodka, etc...all are easy to make and not expensive.
Get some loaves of Italian/frnech bread or baguettes, slice open and layer with jarred red peppers, fresh mozz or provolone, etc. and slice into small sandwiches. |
fiche
Citizen
Username: Fiche
Post Number: 75
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 5:01 pm: |
|
If you have children coming, mac and cheese is always a hit.
Also, I make a salad with fancy salad in the bag, apricots, dried cranberries, dried bananas, soy nuts, mixed nuts, etc. - also you can just buy a trail mix. Make a rasberry vinagrette and you will have a salad that will really "sell".
Canned or jarred fruit is a great extender for a party. |
Greeneyes
Citizen
Username: Greeneyes
Post Number: 729
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 5:08 pm: |
|
I knew I would get great ideas here. Everything sounds so yummy and with my limited culinary skill I can totally make everything mentioned so far.
Thanks so much...and keep 'em coming. |
soresident
Citizen
Username: Soresident
Post Number: 328
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 5:30 pm: |
|
Easy veggie idea: Sprinkle asparagus with olive oil and bake 7 minutes in 350 oven till crisp tender. Top with lemon zest and, if desired, crumbled goat cheese. Can serve hot or at room temp.
With this many people, a run to Costco could provide a lot of easy solutions. They have decent crudite & fruit platters; if you want to "upscale" them, put them on nicer platters, add a hummus or other dip (you can find at Costco) near veggie platter, sprinkle fruit platter with walnuts and put pretty toothpicks or long wooden skewers in fruit chunks, combine yogurt and honey for decent fruit dip. They have shrimp platters (again, putting on as nicer tray will change the whole look, top with sliced lemons). There are platters of wrap-type sandwiches, serviceable quiches you could just heat, and likely to be a bunch of other things pre-done given that this is Super Bowl weekend.
Search engine will find you threads on local places that can provide some trays of pre-made items if you want to go that way. Depending on cost, Crane's, Friedman's (poached salmon), Kings (presliced turkey might be an easy thing to serve a crowd this big), Burnet Bar-B-Q come to mind, as well as most of local Italian restaurants (Trattoria, Bunny's, Reservoir). |
peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 1759
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 5:35 pm: |
|
Lots of fries from the $1 menu?
(sorry..but the mere thought of cooking for 92 leaves me with nothing to contribute. If I started today I'd still be looking through the Joy of Cooking for something to make on Saturday!)
Good luck -- and you are quite the good sport!
Pete |
Carrie Avery
Citizen
Username: Carrie33
Post Number: 1297
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 5:48 pm: |
|
Anything with pasta ( goulash, lasagna etc) Or in a pinch, I might suggest gourmet individual pizza's, for those who were unexpected. |
Morrisa da Silva
Citizen
Username: Mod
Post Number: 353
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 5:51 pm: |
|
You could make cuban black beans and rice. There is a recipe on the Goya black bean can that is easy and excellent. You can double,triple or quadruple the recipe depending on how many people you want to feed.
Also, Victoria Vodka sauce is very good mixed with coooked medium shells and baby spinach. Top with grated fontina cheese or gruyere cheese and bake until melted and bubbly all the way through. |
Suzanne Ng
Citizen
Username: Suzanneng
Post Number: 611
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 7:38 pm: |
|
I'd suggest the Stouffers Veggie lasagne... Party size serves at least 12 people... |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 2308
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 9:03 pm: |
|
Absolutely concur with Suzanne on the Stouffers VL. Their mac/cheese is pretty good, too. Defrost them all and they won't take as much time in the nuker or oven. |
Morrisa da Silva
Citizen
Username: Mod
Post Number: 355
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 9:06 pm: |
|
If you want to get something prepared,Millburn ShopRight sells these Italian Entrees that are quite good. I can't quite think of the name but they are made locally either in Bellville or Fairlawn I think and are in the end of the frozen case where the ethnic foods are. They have a lasagna that is meatless, eggplant parmesan ,eggplant rollatini and stuffed shells. All are very good. They run about $14.00 dollars each and serve about 12 |
Virtual It Girl
Citizen
Username: Shh
Post Number: 3914
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 1, 2006 - 9:29 pm: |
|
Another idea...
my mom ALWAYS makes what she calls potato pie. It has sort of evolved slightly since it's humble beginnings in a baking dish, now she does it in a huge aluminum tray because "everyone" always asks for it, every single holiday! While she used to make it from real baked potatoes, now she uses flaked potatoes...another costco item (for the quantity).
Just prepare a huge vat of the potatoes, but put it in the tin, layering with shredded mozzarella. Top with grated romano (or locatelli, or other italian hard cheese), some bread crumbs and a few pats of butter if desired. Bake it until bubbly on top.
Inexpensive, easy and it will fill 'em up! |
The Soulful Mr T
Citizen
Username: Howardt
Post Number: 1366
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2006 - 6:57 am: |
|
Pork tartare?
I remain, honorable and most humble, the Very Soulfulest Mr. T, at your service. Jah Rastafari.
|
kriss
Citizen
Username: Kriss
Post Number: 252
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2006 - 12:34 pm: |
|
Tortellini salad. Barilla 3-cheese tortellini (in the dried pasta section) is tasty and not too expensive. Toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pepper and oregano. Add sliced black olives and green/yellow/red bell peppers (you can get them pre-cut at whole foods). You can serve at room temp or chilled, so can make ahead. |
Greeneyes
Citizen
Username: Greeneyes
Post Number: 730
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2006 - 1:16 pm: |
|
More fabulous ideas! Thanks all.
Mr. T, for the pork tartare, which cut of the pig shall I use?  |
Hank Zona
Supporter
Username: Hankzona
Post Number: 5223
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2006 - 1:21 pm: |
|
cheap and easy...make a curried couscous salad...couscous takes no time at all to cook...toss in dried cranberries, chopped parsley and/or scallion, slivered almonds, diced carrot...I think I posted a recipe in the food section once. Its easy and colorful.
You did say non-meat/chicken...but if you want an inexpensive meat option, smoke or slow roast a few pork shoulders. They are 8-9 pounds each, around 75 cents a pound and yield alot of meat. Easy to make a mustard or vinegar based sauce to go with it. I did three for a party of 50 once and had plenty leftover. |
monster
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 2009
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2006 - 1:41 pm: |
|
A couple of pots of White Chili, and a couple of pots of spaghetti.
|
Greeneyes
Citizen
Username: Greeneyes
Post Number: 731
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2006 - 1:41 pm: |
|
Hank,
Thank you so much. I was thinking about couscous, but I didn't know what to do with it. I'll check the recipe section.
We already have chicken and turkey. Many people attending the party don't do pork and are offended by pork...what do they know, pork is good. |
Greeneyes
Citizen
Username: Greeneyes
Post Number: 732
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 2, 2006 - 1:45 pm: |
|
Monster,
Thanks for the visual. Thanks for the laugh. I can handle the chili recipe. Whew. Thanks funny and helpful. |
Greeneyes
Citizen
Username: Greeneyes
Post Number: 735
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, February 4, 2006 - 10:57 pm: |
|
Shoshanna,
I made the penne. It was a huge hit. Everyone loved it. It was so easy to make and oh so yummy. Thanks.
Thanks to everyone else too. There will be at least 3 more large family gatherings during this year. When I'm called upon to cook again, and I'm sure I will be, I will try some of the other suggestions. |
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page