Ellen's Kitchen

ELLEN'S KITCHEN Cook Talk

Clarification of Quantities
Callie 09/15/06	I'm planning a large party of 100-150 people. I have read most of the Big Pots section. I'm slightly confused on how to account for multiple main entrees. This is a 5PM buffet in early October. At this point my plan is Vegetable Trays Cheese and Crackers Tray (8lbs of cheese) Garden Salad with several Salad dressings Pasta Salad 15lbs between the two Spiral Sliced Ham (2-19lb Spiral Sliced Hams)Roast Turkey with Gravy (7-5lb boneless turkey breasts) Baked Ziti (4 Deep Full Steam Tray pans) Baked Potatoes with Butter and Sour cream (60lbs) Scalloped Potatoes (2 Deep Full Steam Tray Pans) Stuffing (4 Deep Full Steam Tray Pans) Green beans (5 gal) Rolls (9 doz.) However, I'm not sure if this is too much food? Or not enough?
ellen 09/16/06	When serving 2 entrees of equal desirability- I make 60% of the amount of each that I would make if doing only one. Yes that is 120%. People tend to eat more and some of each on buffet. If it is beef and chicken, I aim for 5 ounces cooked ready to eat beef and 3 ounces cooked chicken per person. You have too many potatoes- 35 pounds is plenty for 100 people, and you have about triple. Also that is a LOT of ziti with two full meat entrees.
Callie 09/16/06	Thank you so very much for your help as well as for the all quality information availible on your site. So my best Quantities would be: 1-18lb boneless sliced ham (300.6=18) 4-5lb Boneless Turket Breast (250.6=15lb +5lb extra for leftovers) 2 Full Steam Trays of Pasta 35lbs-Baked Potato Should I reduce the stuffing to 2 full trays as well?
ellen 09/16/06	Hi, yes, I would reduce the stuffing, also. I think you meant 20 pounds total of turkey there? If you are also serving the scalloped potatoes, they are often preferred and you could probably do fine with as little as 20 pounds of baked potatoes. I have an info page on baked potato bars. Or you could do baked sweet potatoes instead- nice with this meal- or skip entirely and go with just the scalloped and the stuffing- you also have pasta salad and people don't eat as much carbs as they used to. Cross check the salad amounts on the salad section ofthe plan for 100 page. Since you have only one other veg, you want the full amount of green salad for 100. You might also do fine with 4 gallons of green beans- I particularly like my recipe for green bean casserole for 60 in the big pots section- tatstes great- holds on the buffet table- you would make 2 recipes.
linda 03/13/07	Menu for 80-100 people is baked ziti, sausage and peppers, meatballs in tomato sauce, baked canned ham, potato salad, salad and rolls. What quantity do I need for each item?
ellen 03/15/07	Linda, use the plan for 100 pages for your amounts. For the three meats (sausage, meatballs, ham), make 40 servings of each.
carol 09/22/07	I have a recipe from cruise ship I need reduced for family. Can someone help me? Portion:1000 Semi sweet choc- 70lb butter- 70lb eggs 700 sugar 18lb flour 25lb I would like new recipe for 10...thanks
ellen 09/22/07	This "melting chocolate cake or chocolate mousse recipe has already been posted. See the end of the "Breaking Down Large Recipes" thread: www.ellenskitchen.com/forum/messages/288.html
Lorraine Miller 10/07/07	Side Dishes for meat loaf Good side dishesto accompany meatloaf?
ellen 10/07/07	Traditional- baked or mashed potaoes or scalloped poraroes. I also leke baked sweet potaoes. I loke to serve two veggies, brouiled tomato halves with a sprinkle of bread crumbs and cheese, and eitoccole or green beans. I may do squash casserole or broccolli casserole with a plain potato. Since the oven is on anyway, I like to do a cobbler for dessert.
Penny 12/07/07	I am going to do a Christmas Party for 150 people with dressing. How many turkeys should I buy and fix and how much dressing. I know you someone said 7-5lb. boneless turkey breast. I was wondering with the bone. Thank you for you help in advance.
ellen 12/07/07	Penny, is the turkey being served sliced with dressing and gravy on the side, or is it as dishes of baked dressing with the chicken or turkey baked right in? It affects quantities.
s. gagne' 07/09/08	Could you tell me how much pasta, and all ingred. cheeses,eggs,hamberger,sauce and spices I will need to prepare baked ziti for 100 people!!! THANK YOU, SUZIE
ellen 07/10/08	Check the sausage and mozzarella bake on the sraghetti/lotsa pasta page, use 1/2 the amounts as a quantity guide for your rexipe.
katherine 07/16/08	I may consider catering a wedding. There are 90 people invited and they will have one entree two vegetables, bread and dessert. My concern is that there is only one pork tenderloin meat being served and it's suppose to be buffet-style, how much to you suggest I serve per person? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Peggy 08/05/08	A buffet style dinner for 150 people could you tell me how many turkeys and boneless ham would I need to purchase.
ellen 08/06/08	Katherine, I missed this post. You need to talk wuth them; some people do not eat meat at all and others do not eat pork; there needs to ne a second choice, This could be a cheesy starch dish with pasta potatoes or rice that could act as a second entree. For meat, see the plan for 100 list. Since it is sbuffet, you can use the amount for 100- people eat more when they serve themselves. Pork loin tends to dry out when held, be sure the dish has a sauce or gravy in the pan. Peggy, see the article in the holiday cooking section at the top of big pots on planning and shopping for large holiday dinners, all your questions are covered. If you want to post your estimates, I will check them for you.
Kathey Pavelka 08/07/08	How many onions do I need for about 175 hambugers? I want to use thin slices.
ellen 08/07/08	See the condiments section at the end of the sandwich quantity table here: www.ellenskitchen.com/bigpots/plan/sandwich100.html?
Ashley 09/13/08	We are planning a wedding and are expecting about 200 people. We have the meals picked but are unsure on the amounts of each ingredient needed. We are doing a penne pasta shreeded chicken dish, and a baked ziti dish. How much chicken and penne pasta will we need? How much ziti will we need? We are going to have bruschetta with a pesto sauce and tomatoes on top.How many loafs of bruschetta should we get? We are also curious as to how many pounds of veggies we need and the amount of dip. How many pounds of fruit are needed for a chocloate fountain to serve that amount of people? Thank you for your suggestions and advice! =)
ellen 09/14/08	Ashley, since I posted all my tables in 2004, I ask my readers to make their own initial estimates, post them, and I will review and comment. For example, take a look at the spaghetti/ lotsa pasta page; it tells you 12 pounds of bread per 100; 10-12 pounds dry pasta per 100; there is a whole article on amounts of veggies and dips on the veggie tray page, and an entire article on chocolate fountains and why I DO NOT recommend them for weddings.
Ashley 09/22/08	Ellen, Thank you very much for your direction! I had a little navigating but I got there! Your site has taken a big burden off of our shoulders with trying to figure out estimates and numbers! Thank you again! =)
Debbie 09/25/08	I am catering a weeding for 100 people. The menu is: Turkey, Mashed potatoes.corn, green beans,rolls. Should I fix some kind of salad? I have 70 lbs of turkey 12 dozen rolls 30 lbs potatoes 1 gal corn 2 gal. green beans Is that enough. I need to know asap please. I have to do this Saturday Thank you
ellen 09/25/08	Debbie, first the disclaimer, this is a site for home cooks, because I cannot take responsibility for professional planning. for pros, I recommend chef2chef.com. That said, I would tell a home cook that you do not have enough food. You need 3 gallons of each vegetable, especially the corn. The turkey is not a lot; I usually allow 1 pound per person for party size zervings for buffet service. Please see the shooping/ planning article under the holiday cooking section at the top of the big pots page for lots more help.
Debbie 09/27/08	Ellen, I'm not a professional at all. I am a home cook.I got ask to do this wedding dinner (for a 100 people)for my daughters friend. I got 80 lbs. turkey. 2 #10 cans corn 4 #10 cans green beans 40 lbs potatoes 15 dz rolls We will be serving the food. It will not be buffet style. What do you think. Thanks so much for your help.
ellen 09/27/08	OK. Of course the rolls go on the tables. Real butter, please. You are OK on the turkey if you are slicing and serving. You probably still need 1-2 more corns- 1 can is just barely 2 1/2 cup servings. Don't forget the gravy and cranberry!
Robbin 09/28/08	Hello Ellen, I have been elected as president of the high school booster club. One of our fundraiser is a turkey and oyster supper. This year we are going with ham and oysters. My question is ,we are serving sweet potatoes, baked apples. how many pounds of ham, sweet pot. (canned, or fresh) and how many #10 cans of apples, for a supper that could have as many as 300 people attending? I would appreciate any help you can offer
ellen 09/28/08	Because about 3/4 of the oyster beds are hurricanely devastated, this will be a VERY expensive dinner; you might consider going with shrimp. If I were doing canned apples, I would do an apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream. A #10 can holds about 24-25 1/2 cup servings, as I tried to type just above. You need about 32 pounds of edible potato per 100 people. You need at least 5 ounces thin sliced ready to eat ham per person, see the plan for 100 tables for raw weights, with more added if it is self serve. Please read the wedding dinner article and the food safety articles on site, and loo at the links. Presell as many tickets as possible; you WILL run out if you try to guess amounts. If you look at the articles in the holiday cooking section, such as planning and shopping for large turkey dinners at the top of big pots, it will give you more ideas.
Ian 10/10/08	Ellen We am planning a Christmas dinner at our church. The meal will be served buffet style for 100 people. We are thinking about having turkey, spiral cut ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cabbage rolls and perogies with jellied salads and dinner rolls. We are unsure of the quantity of each we would require. Can you help us out. Thanks
ellen 10/10/08	I have written you whole series of articles about large turkey/ham dinners that will probably answer all your questions; see the holiday cooking section at the top of the Big Pots index page. If you want to post your shopping list when you have made it, I will be glad to check it for you.
shari 11/11/08	I am serving about 200 people, at 10:30 am some "light refreshments". We are serving assorted pastries, mixed nuts, and some platters of fresh fruit, such as pineapple, grapes, and melons (plus punch, coffee, and tea). How many pounds of fruit would you recommend for a group of men, women, and children of this size?
ellen 11/11/08	I would allow 4 ounces ready to eat fruit per person- see the fruit tray article for how much raw fruit you need for this. For the sake of the diabetics and non-carb eaters in the crowd, I suggest a basket with 2-3 dozen hard-cooked eggs and a bunch of those little string cheese packets.
jennifer 12/17/08	Hi, I am hosting a x-mass party for 46 people. Each side (scalloped potatoes and a wild rice) I am fixing for 25 servings. I have bought a 17 lb pound bone in ham and 16 lbs of tenderloin (butt and trimmed). How many lbs of green beans will I need? I am also doing roasted veg medley(parsnips, b.sprouts, carrots and rutabagas for a total of 9 1/2 lbs) I will also have salad and apps. I will offer rolls for sandwhiches but I was only figuring on 30 since I do have kids in my total number and many of us will not have a roll. is this enough? please advise & thanks so much!! Merry Christmas everyone!
ellen 12/17/08	Nice menu. I would make scalloped potatoes from 15 pounds of raw potatoes- people LOVE scalloped potatoes, especially with ham and beef. I would make 12 pounds whole green beans- if you have any left, they are great marinated and chilled for salads and relish trays. If you have really good rolls, you will be surprised how many people will have one with some butter- I would do 1 per person unless I were very sure they were not wanted, especially if there are teens in the crowd Everything else sounds great.
Florence 01/09/09	Hi Ellen, I need help. We are planning a party for 60-65 people. 10-15 are children under 10. We are having baked ziti, Chicken cutlets, Sausage & Pappers & roasted potatoes & eggplant parm as the main entrees. Also garden salad & bread. For appetizers cheese & crackers, veggies & dip, chicken wings, cocktail meatballs, mini pizzas. Soda/juice & iced tea for drinks. I need to know how much of each to plan. Please help & email too if possible I don't know if I'll find my way back here.Thanks so much FLorence
ellen 01/10/09	So you count this as about 55 people. The salads, breads, and beverages are already covered individually on the plan for 100 page and the beverage planning page. There is a lengthy discussion on how to figure appetizer amounts on the appetizer planning page, but basically if it is just for an hour before dinner, you want 2 bites/pieces of each type per person. Here is what I would do about the entrees: baked ziti, & roasted potatoes -assume most people will not take both. Plan 35 servings of each eggplant parm -27-30 servings Chicken cutlets -assume all the kids will eat these= 8 plus most adults will take some= total 30 servings Sausage & Peppers -30 servings You have too many entrees for this small a party to make planning easy, as you must have enough extra that each person can get their first choice. With more people it would even out better, but you can't count on this in the smaller groups. These servings would allow seconds and buffet service. I do not do full original estimates since posting all my tables. If you want to post your estimate, I will be glad to check it for you.
Florence 01/10/09	Thanks for the answers Ellen. Can I just ask what you consider how many servings a standard 1/2 tray holds? My daughter was saying 1lb of pasta for 10 people so 7 lbs of pasta for 70 people, but I think this is accurate if there were no other entrees. What is your opinion? Thanks Florence
ellen 01/10/09	Hi, Florence, Standard half trays come in 2 1/2, 4, and 6 inch depths, so the answer is, it depends. If you are ordering the trays already made, ask the caterer. If you are doing it yourself, remember that 1 serving of an entree starch is about 1-1 1/4 cup (ziti), while one serving of a side starch is about 1/2 to 3/4 cup (potatoes). I discuss pasta serving sizes at length on the lotsa pasta/spaghetti page- I think you can get your answer there.
Tammy 06/17/09	Hi Ellen, I'm at a loss for balancing the quantities for our graduation party. I could have anywhere between 125-200 people throughout the course of the day. Here is what I have planned thus far. Any advice would be most welcome:)! -20 lbs. of baked ziti -chicken parmesan for 50 -eggplant parmesan for 50 -pulled pork--40 lb (before cooked) -salad -fruit salad -chicken wings for 50 my plan was to have burgers and dogs on back up..also have the pizza ordering option. Should I make more of something? Thanks, Tammy
ellen 06/17/09	It looks to me like you will run out of things. If I were you, I would settle on a for sure number - 150? 170?- plan a menu that is in multiple pans so they can be heated or frozen depending on whether they are used. Also, is this mostly teens or a big family party- it changes what and how much gets eaten. But if you are really expecting at least 125, you need to get chicken wings for 125 (EVERYBODY eats those) and the casseroles for at least 80 each. You also don't say if this is 20 pounds dry pasta, which would be plenty, or 20 pounds already prepped in the pan, in which case it is not enough. And I would make sure at least 1 of the salads was heavy- pasta, potato, antipasto, etc. You can put frozen pizzas in the freezer and bake yourself for a FRACTION of the cost of ordering out. Write back with more information.
frances G. 06/18/09	Hi ellen, my wedding is a week away. We will be catering our event for 200 people. I need to know how much food I need to buy. Below is the Menu we will be serving. -Baked Chichen Breast -White Steamed Rice -Mixed Vegatables -Rolls -Tea Thank You Frances
ellen 06/18/09	Frances, a meal this size needs 3 people in the kitchen (not bride or mom) and about 12 people to set up, serve, and cleanup. Do you have this help? If not you need to order at least some of the food catered. All the items are covered specifically in the plan for 100 tables, you just need twice the amounts for 100.
Diane 07/02/09	Hi, I am serving anywhere from 65 - 80 people, with probably 15 children under 10, for a graduation party, we are having sausage & peppers, ziti, meatballs in sauce, chicken fingers, potato salad & macaroni salad. Would two full trays of each be enough, and how much potato & macaroni salad? Should I have small dinner rolls also?
ellen 07/03/09	Unsure what size trays, caterers use a full tray that varies from 2 1/2 to 6 inches deep and the amount they hold thus varies widely. If you are purchasing already prepared, the maker will specify servings per tray, I would get at least 30 each for sausage & peppers, meatballs in sauce. 50 for the ziti, as nearly everyone will take some. About 100 chicken fingers. 3 gallons potato salad and 2 1/2 pasta salad- this is easy to make ahead and refrigerate, you could do it yourself, in which case, 20-25 pounds of potatoes and 4 pounds dry pasta. This menu cries out for garlic bread, not rolls- 8-10 pounds.
Kathleen 07/07/09	We're planning a wedding for 90 people (10 are children) in 1 1/2 weeks. Our menu is turkey, meatballs, baked potatoes, corn, toss salad, pasta salad, and dinner rolls. Dessert is two chocolate fountains with fresh fruit and sponge cake. Evening lunch is cold cuts, cheese, pickels, and bread. How much of everything do we need.
Kathleen 07/07/09	Sorry Ellen, I forgot to mention we're also making veggie trays with supper.
ellen 07/08/09	Kathleen, most of these foods are covered in the plan for 100 lists and related, such as the beverage planning page and the sandwich event page. I don't do the initial estimates since I posted all this information; you need to make a first estimate based on the lists and post it, and then I can respond.
Kathleen 07/08/09	Here's what I was thinking Ellen. I would need 5 turkeys (not stuffed), and about 30 lbs of hamburger for the meatballs. Will this be enough meat for 90 people (10 are children)?
Kathleen 07/13/09	Hey Ellen. Can you clarify for me if I have enough meat or too much for 90 people (10 are children). 5 turkeys not stuffed and 30 lbs of hamburger for meatballs. Our event is next week. Thanks.
ellen 07/13/09	Probably too much. 30 pounds burger for meatballs would be enough by itself. 3/4 to 1 pound whole turkey per person would be enough by itself. I would probably make no more than 45-50 pounds turkey and 20 pounds meatballs.
Kathleen 07/13/09	Thanks for your help Ellen.
susan 09/03/09	how much cheese as an appetizer for 80 people I am doing my daughters wedding. I am guessing about 75-80 people, as some have not RSVP. I am having spiral ham (Bone in 40lb?) or (Bone out 25lbs?) Green beans, parsley potatoes (I figured 3-10# cans each?) Rigs and meatballs (Roaster full)...and salad, not sure how much I need of it. The appetizer table has 6 lbs of candied keilbasa, chips crackers, cookies, and cheese...how much cheese would I need? I bought 10= 8 oz. so far.
ellen 09/03/09	You will probably have enough but not a bit too much- if you think there might be more people, you might want to add one more dish, maybe a marinated salad like a 3-4-5 bean salad? Or a hot bean dish? Or a great fruit tray, see the article, do 3 times the amount for 25. For the salad, check out the top section of the plan for 100 table. Very exact amounts for 100. Cheese,I allow at least 10 pounds per 100 as part of a mixed table, up to 20 if it is the main event. You will probably run out of kielbasa. Straight pretzels make good edible toothpicks.
Stacy 09/11/09	Hello~ what a great site! I am hosting a casual meal for about 70 people. We have 3 6-foot subs, chips, two fruit trays, trail mix and brownies for dessert. I want to do some kind of salad with it, maybe potato salad?? We're trying to keep the cost down. How many pounds of potatoes would I need? Would some kind of other salad be better? Thank you!!
ellen 09/12/09	Since this is just enough sandwich, no extra, I might offer TWO side salads; pasta (because it is easier than potato) and slaw or Greek. These can be made ahead and are not expensive; the slaw was under $10 the last time I checked, if you shredded the cabbage yourself. Use the recipes for 100 and make 2/3 of each.
tiff 10/22/09	I need to make a "trail mix" for about 120 goodie bags...If I use mini pretzels, candy corn, M & M's, popcorn, cheez its & reese's pieces...could you tell about how much I would need of each item or how to go about figuring a ratio of each,....thanks
ellen 10/23/09	Take your recipe, weigh it, and then multiply to make 12 pounds per 100 people, or about 15 pounds for this group.

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