www.ellenskitchen.com/bigpots/bbentree5.html

2 carving stations(roast turkey & stuffed fresh rolled ham): you want 4 ounces ready to eat turkey PLUS 3 ounces ham per person if this is a party type meal. See the yield tables and the planning and shopping for large turkey dinners article in the holiday cooking section at the top of big pots.

fruit cup, see fruit tray page

scalloped potato,60-70 pounds raw potatoes plus sauce

steamed vegetable medley- 1/2 cup each

rolls with butter, 1.5 each unless very small, then allow 2. 6-8 pounds butter per 100

design your own ice cream sundaes, see ice cream sundae bar article

with coffee, tea & soda- see beverage planning page.

If you post your estimates, I will check them for you.

The Menu consists of shredded beef (cooked in a pit), pinto beans flavored with ham hock, coleslaw and dinner rolls.

I realized cross rib was a type of chuck, I just didn't know if it served a little more beacuse it was leaner. :)

75 pounds of lean, boneless beef will do for the sandwiches, if someone is serving the meat. If self serve you might need 85-90.
8-9 pounds dry pinto beans per 100.
Since there are no other veggies or salads, you need 4-4 1/2 gallons slaw per 100. I would add great pickles (see the garlic pickle recipe on the chili page, for example).

Also do not neglect all the sandwich condiments. For amounts per 100, see the sandwich event page.

The beef is not going to be on sandwiches, it will be served alone with possibly some green chili and onions in it.

Your help on amounts would be very gratefully received! The theme is International. This is the order of the food table layout. We expect 225 guests, mostly adults. It will be 3:30, with apps. The app amounts I can figure pretty good, but the main dishes since they vary is harder.

Apps = Rueben Dip
Nacho cheese w/ chips
Antipasta Veg platter of cheese, olives, veggies

Buffet
Penne Pasta with sausage, tomatoes & spinach
Italian antipasta salad w/ eggs, olives etc
Bread, rolls w/ butter

Fruit platter
Chick Fil A chicken strips platter

Paella
Taquitos (premade, heated and cut in half)

Since you are using an international theme, and it is mid-afternoon, what about going for all apps?

For 225 people you want at least eight-ten different items

Add two dry room temp bites, maybe spinach Parmesan squares and sausage balls if you want to do your own, or mini quiches or spinach filo bites?

Use the antipasto platters with meats instead of the salad, skip the pasta and paella.

Add seven layer dip- Tex-Mexican- platters, colorful and popular.

These are the minimums I would plan:
shredded BBQ beef or pork- 4 ounces ready to eat per person 1 pound per 4
meatballs- 1 pound frozen ready to cook per 4 people

Nacho sauce 1/3 cup per person. If you do other toppings, use the potato bar page to figure the amounts, they are about the same
chips- minimum 8-10 pounds corn chips per 100 (nachos) PLUS 6 pounds potato per 100

Pepperoni salad (I assume this is with pasta), cucumber salad, potato salad, cole slaw: I would do 3 gallons pasta salad PLUS 3-4 galons potato salad PLUS 2- 2 1/2 gallons each cuke and slaw

veggie tray-see veggie tray page, you would plan enough for about 1/2 the number attending because of the salad selection. Don't omit ranch dip.
Fruit tray- amounts for tray for 25 will do for about 40 with this menu.

Don't forget beverages if it includes adults have iced tea or coffee as well as the punch and soda.

I need your help please. First I will give you the menu and the quantities of what I have figure.

Chicken - 260 pieces
Cabbage rolls - 250 tennis ball sized
Beans with meat - 6 gallons
Dinner rolls - 18 dozen
Butter - 8#
Tuna Salad - 2 gallons
Potato Salad - 2 gallons
Italian Pasta salad - 2 gallons
Seafood Salad - 2 gallons
Relish Tray -1/2 gallon pickles, 1 quart olives
4 cans black olives,1/2 gallon sweet pickle
Jello salad - 10 cake pans
wine breads - 2 flavors - 20 loaves

Relish tray is very short, see the relish tray for 60 at the top of my veggie tray page and make at least 2.

Jello salad is short, it takes 17 small packages or 8 large ones to make 100 servings. If it is a creamy one or has nuts or fruits, count on most people taking some.

Cheese and crackers
breads
fruit
shrimp toasts
wonton cups with crab and cream cheese
Stuffed mushrooms
cold beef tenderloin
Smoked Salmon
potatoes

Can you please tell me how many pounds of brisket and sausage I should get?

Thaks so much!

Deb, it depends on whether you mean for plates or sandwiches and before or after you add the sauce. But just for starters, it takes 1 pound sauced ready to eat to make 3-4 sandwiches (depends on regular or large buns. It takes 2 pounds sauced ready to eat to serve 5 people plates, a bit more if self serve.

Broasted chicken, 300 pieces
taco's, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, peppers, salsa, sour cream, shells, see the instructions on the baked potato and taco bar page.

potato salad, 4-4 1/2 gallons per 100

relish tray, 3 times the tray for 60

August 19, 2009

I am always enchanted by chef David Bouley's brilliant food. Once, when dining in his New York restaurant, Bouley, I ate some luscious tomatoes cooked with vanilla-- and those tomatoes led me to this recipe. They're delicious with poultry.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

4 pounds ripe plum tomatoes

1 teaspoon sugar

1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise (Ellen's note; some orange peel or a slice of lemon and two cloves are another option)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Peel, seed and coarsely chop the tomatoes, catching all the juices in a bowl.

Place the chopped tomatoes in a nonreactive saucepan, and strain the juices into the pan. Add the sugar, and tuck the vanilla bean halves into the tomatoes.

Simmer the tomatoes, uncovered, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat until the juices have reduced and the tomatoes are cooked through, about 45 minutes.

Remove the vanilla bean pieces, scrape the seeds from them and return the seeds to the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Let the tomatoes cool to room temperature. Then cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Bring the tomatoes to room temperature before serving, or warm them over low heat. Serve 2 generous spoonfuls in each of four small bowls or large ramekins.

•1 pound pinto beans (cooks up to 6-8 cups)
•1/2 pound lean bacon, chopped small (May be omitted, but the beans will need extra salt at the end of cooking)
•1 chopped red ripe tomato (May use crushed or diced canned tomatoes in juice)
•1 med onion, diced
•1 small bell pepper, chopped
•1 serrano pepper, OR two jalapeno peppers seeded and finely chopped
•3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
•1 Tablespoon good chile powder
•1 Tablespoon Cumin
•Salt to taste
•Pepper to Taste
•1 bunch Cilantro chopped fine

Use chile to taste if you don't want it hot. Also remove the raw chile seeds. This will lessen the chile hotness.

All the information you need is on site, especially see the budget entrees on big pots and the article on cooking large amounts in the family kitchen- it advises on equipment, etc. There is an article on food safety that everyone participating should read.