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Cook Talk

Graduation brunch for 40-45
Steph Gas
07/11/12
Ellen, your page has already been a lifesaver for my party planning! I've found so many great ideas and recipes. Alas, I find myself unsure about how much stuff to get.

I'm planning a brunch. I have a few big eaters coming, but most of us are average adults. Here is what I am planning:

-6 foot italian/american hero
-30 bagels with butter/cream cheese (I am going to have these all cut in half)
-Coffee cake (half a sheet cake size)
-Cookies and pastries (unsure how many to offer - these will be more like desserty nibbles)
-Cupcakes (4 dozen)
-Mini quiche (planning on 4 dozen, I use a mini muffin/cupcake pan)
-Your Fruit Platter for 25 plus a bit (depending on what I can get locally)

That's where I'm stumped. I feel like it's very carb-heavy but I am unsure on what else to do. My mini quiche are crustless, so that helps. I do not really want to have to do a chafing dish of bacon, sausage, etc, but would that be expected? I'm also considering a veggie tray and a relish tray. What would you recommend? (FYI, most is being catered - I will only be making quiche, fruit/veggie/relish platters, and cupcakes. So a little more work would not kill me!)

Thank you SO MUCH for your advice and for your site! I've referred to it for years when planning parties.

ellen
07/11/12
-6 foot italian/american hero- 30 servings
-Mini quiche (planning on 4 dozen, I use a mini muffin/cupcake pan)- I would either double or do full size and make 10-12, cut 4 or 6 pieces- looks like more, adds protein

-30 bagels with butter/cream cheese (I am going to have these all cut in half) 30 servings
-Coffee cake (half a sheet cake size)-25 servings- will run out

-Cookies and pastries (unsure how many to offer - these will be more like desserty nibbles)- 1 of each kind per person, up to 4 kinds- 2-3 bit size
-Cupcakes (4 dozen)- OK, one more would not hurt

-Your Fruit Platter for 25 plus a bit (depending on what I can get locally)- do just about double- people eat fruit seriously at breakfast

No veggie or relish, I would add a really nice cheese platter- could be logs or spreads- 4-5 pounds. You might add tuna or egg salad (1 gallon) next to the bagels.

See beverage planning for breakfast coffee

Consider a breakfast punch, alcoholic or virgin Mimosa and Bloody Mary?

Steph Gas
07/11/12
Thanks so much! Looks like I was seriously under planning! I'm going to stick with the mini quiche because the recipe I'm familiar with freezes well - I know I can make them a bit in advance. Great idea with the cheese platter! I know we like cheese in my family, surprised I didn't think of it. I know from your site I'll need about three pounds of crackers ;)

For drinks, I'm buying bottled beer, soda, and water to put in the coolers we have. I'm thinking 48 waters, 48 each coke/diet coke, 24 sprite, and about 80 beers (we have at least 15 beer drinkers), half light. None of this will go to waste because in my household alone we would drink any leftovers.

I'm buying prepared sangria and freezing fruits to add to it, each bottle is 1.5L and i'm going to cut it with seltzer just a bit (hubby and I are still testing which flavored seltzer tastes best!). I'm thinking six bottles. We're also doing mimosas. I was planning on premixing them in pitchers and putting one on each table, enough for one per person. Oh and as far as coffee, my MIL has a 20-cup urn that we'll just keep running all day. I'm going to put out sugar, sweet & low, and truvia, as well as milk and cream.

By my math, I should offer at least 300 servings of drink and, not counting coffee, I should be well over that. I'm very excited because this is the first big party I'm planning for my entire family since 2006. That was just a basic barbecue so it was much easier to plan. Thanks again for all of your help and advice - your site is amazing!

ellen
07/11/12
The High Wire Sangria on this site is a tasty, inexpensive punch that would be great for this. Get a mixed case of sugar free caffeine free sodas, also.
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