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New Years heavy appetizer party - food amounts 150
Bridget 10/11/10	Hi Ellen, Here is my menu for a heavy appetizer event for 150. Bacon wrapped scallops- (? lbs, how much bacon do I get?) Peel and eat shrimp- (? lbs) cocktail sauce- how much? sausage stuffed mushrooms (how many mushrooms per person, how much sausage do I get?) chicken satay (how many lbs do I get?) Peanut dipping sauce- (how much?) We will have about 3 to 4 other prepackaged items, but I am good on the amounts for those! As you can see, I am clueless! Thank you in advance! Bridget
ellen 10/12/10	Amounts depend on the time of the party, how long it will go on, and what the drinks are (alcohol affects food amounts) Please write back with more info. Suggest you add dinner level coffee for the last hour of the party, see the beverage planning page. In most states, the host can be held legally responsible if a party-goer is involved in a DUI accident on the way home.
Bridget 10/12/10	The event begins at 8pm (ends about 1) and is cash bar, so drinks are on their own and coffee will be available too.
ellen 10/12/10	OK, that helps. A 5 hour party is a long party, so the guests will eat about a meal's worth of food- Peel and eat shrimp- (? lbs) cocktail sauce- how much? The most hard to manage item will be the shrimp. People are greedy about them- some will take a plateful. I would put them with the chicken, so people will take some of that. too. Also, given the difficulty of the shells, unless this is a sit down party where people can free both hands, I suggest you get peeled, tail-on shrimp. Allow 1/4 cup of sauce and at least 3-4 ounces ready to eat shrimp per person, if you premix the shrimp and sauce together, people eat less; serve in a bowl place inside another bowl of ice, and put out only 1/3 the first hour, divide the rest into 3 and put out each part the next hour. Frozen mussels are much less expensive and could be used for part of the seafood choices. Bacon wrapped scallops- (? lbs, how much bacon do I get?) Scallops vary a lot in size! 2 ounces can be 1 scallop or 4! It takes about a half slice of bacon per scallop, you should allow 3 large or 4 medium scallops per person, get thi-sliced bacon, and calculate it after you see the size of your scallops. sausage stuffed mushrooms (how many mushrooms per person, how much sausage do I get?) You want two to three mushrooms per person, depends on size, and 2 ounces raw chicken sausage for the stuffing. chicken satay (how many lbs do I get?) Allow 4 ounces raw per person Peanut dipping sauce- (how much?) Allow 1/4 cup per person I suggest you add one major vegetarian option, I would do hummus or baba ganouj with pita chips and dipping veggies I would also add some fruit, at least grapes, 3 ounces per person and cheese (some could be logs, balls, or spreads), 2 ounces per person. We will have about 3 to 4 other prepackaged items Allow at least 2 bites per person of each one. Watch out about oven space! It looks to me like you may have too many items that need to be hot for one oven to manage.