Graduation Party
Diane
07/02/09 		Hi, I am hosting a graduation party for approx. 65 - 80 people, with 15 being under the age of 10, we are having sausage & peppers, meatballs in sauce, ziti, chicken fingers, pototoe & macaroni salad? Are two full trays enough, and how much salad would I need. What about smaller dinner rolls, want to discourage them from piling the food on the rolls.
ellen
07/03/09 		You double posted, see the other one.
ugg
07/03/09 		I don't know where else I posted, HELP
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.
Diane
07/03/09 		Man, I lost my reply post, I am making everything myself, but using 1/2 trays, because of ease of fitting it all into my oven, I have approx. 15 pds. of sausage, 320-1 oz. meatballs, 4-1/2 trays of ziti, and aprrox. 160 chicken tenders. The 1/2 trays are almost 3 inches deep. Do you think I could fry the chicken tenders in a turkey fryer, and then put them in the chafers for serving, would they hold up okay that way. The salads, we are ordering from a deli, their salads are awesome, and it saves me work.
ellen
07/04/09 		That should be enough meats with your sides.

Nothing fried holds really well, the turkey fryer will work OK to fry as long as you do not fill it. Remember that almost 200 houses burn down in the USA every year from turkey fryers and do it outside or in the garage.

Diane
07/05/09 		Thank you, we have an area in the driveway, away from the house, to use the fryer. We will only do 1/2 at a time. Thank you for all your help.
patty
07/08/09 		Graduation Party: for approx 80-100
menu: hots,hamburgs,cheeseburgers
italian sausage w/ peppers and onions
Baked beans
salads: potato,macaroni, pasta salad,tossed salad,fruitsalad,broccoli salad
How much to make and is this menu too extensive, too many salads or maybe just do 1/2 pans of some???
ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED!!
ellen
07/08/09 		Patty, except that I would skip either the pasta or mac salad, and have either hots or Italian sausage but not both, this looks fine.

You need to look at the plan for 100 tables and make some effort to estimate this yourself. Baked beans are covered, fruit salad is covered, broccoli salad is the same as slaw.I use 4 gallons potato salad plus pasta salad made from 6 pounds of pasta for 100 people. I use 1/2 the amount of tossed salad- but with this menu I might just put out lettuce and tomato for condiments in amounts from the sandwich page candiments side bar for 100 for sandwiches.

You can post and I wioll check it, if you like.

For the mixed meats, 1 burger patty plus 3-4 ounces sausage per person, can't help on the cheese, but would have at least 7-8 pounds