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Engagement Picnic for 50 LONG
Leona 03/11/11	Hi Ellen, My daughter is getting married next year, but we need to host an engagement party so that the two families and wedding party can meet. We are planning on a Barbecue/Picnic in a local state park. It's a beautiful setting the only issue is no electricty. I don't feel it is a problem as I have many coolers and a non electric caterer's cabinet. Here is the menu Please have a look see if I have the right amount of food. Menu: Deviled Eggs, Chips & Dips, Crackers and Cheese, Fresh Fruit Tray, Veggie Tray Sausage and Peppers, Fried Chicken, Asian Grilled Salmon, Grilled Chicken Breast German Potato Salad, Apple Jicama Slaw, Macaroni Salad Chuck Wagon Baked Beans, Corn on the Cob Cake, Pies, Brownies, Cookies Ice Tea, Coffee, Punch Deviled Eggs = 3 doz Chips = 3 lbs potato, 4 lbs tortilla chips, 2 lbs Pita chips Dips = Seven Layer Taco Salad Dip x 2, Make Ahead Bread Bowl Spinach Dip x 4, Hummus 2 lbs, Ranch Dip 3 lbs, salsa 1 qt Crackers = 3 lbs on platters Cheese = 6.5 lbs assorted cubed or sliced on platters Fresh Fruit = Platter x 2 Veggie Trays = x2 Sausage = 1 ea (3-4/6 inch =1lb) ~12 lbs Peppers = 25 red & 25 green Onions = 25 Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken = 5 lbs Fried Chicken = 25 lbs Asian Grilled Salmon = 15 lbs German Potato Salad = 2.5 gal Apple Jicama Slaw = 2 gal Macaroni Salad = 4 lbs dry Chuck Wagon Baked Beans = 1.5 gal Corn on the Cob = 30-40 ears (cut in half) Cake = 1 whole sheet Pies = 6 Brownies = 60 Cookies = 60 Ice Tea = 3 gal (2 reg., 1 sweet) Coffee = ¾ lb Punch = 5 gal Soda = 54 (1/3 diet) Beer = 2 cases Wine = 12 bottles (could be champagne for a toast) Assorted Pickles = 3 quarts Rolls = 75 (for sausages and misc.) Thank You so much!
ellen 03/12/11	Hi, Leona, This is a great idea, recently I attended a similar party for a family member, and it made the wedding much more pleasant, because there were fewer strangers. The menu looks good, but you have more food than I would plan for 50 people unless the party is over 4 hours. Realizing you will have lots of ice chests, be sure some are set apart for drink ice only, to stay clean from hands not going in. Deviled Eggs = 3 doz- OK Chips = 3 lbs potato, 4 lbs tortilla chips, 2 lbs Pita chips- Don't open the last bag of any until needed, you will probably have some left Dips = Seven Layer Taco Salad Dip x 2, Make Ahead Bread Bowl Spinach Dip x 4, Hummus 2 lbs, Ranch Dip 3 lbs, salsa 1 qt; would half or omit the ranch dip Crackers = 3 lbs on platters- do not open last pound until you see you need it Cheese = 6.5 lbs assorted cubed or sliced on platters- OK, make some sliced, will be used for the sandwiches Fresh Fruit = Platter x 2- OK Veggie Trays = x2 1 will probably be enough Sausage = 1 ea (3-4/6 inch =1lb) ~12 lbs Peppers = 25 red & 25 green- 20 Onions = 25-20 Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken = 5 lbs Fried Chicken = 25 lbs- get 1 piece per person, this is probably more than you need Asian Grilled Salmon = 15 lbs- 10 pounds German Potato Salad = 2.5 gal- 2 is plenty Apple Jicama Slaw = 2 gal- 1 1/2 is plenty Macaroni Salad = 4 lbs dry- 3 pounds dry Chuck Wagon Baked Beans = 1.5 gal- ok Corn on the Cob = 30-40 ears (cut in half)-OK Cake = 1 whole sheet-OK Pies = 6- 4, cut 8 pieces Brownies = 60- cut small, allow 2 per person Cookies = 60- get small, 2 per person Ice Tea = 3 gal (2 reg., 1 sweet)- OK Coffee = ¾ lb-OK Punch = 5 gal- 3 Soda = 54 (1/3 diet)-OK Beer = 2 cases-OK, you may have some left Wine = 12 bottles (could be champagne for a toast)- only takes 8 bottles for a toast Assorted Pickles = 3 quarts- 2 quarts is probably enough, how about a quart of olives? Rolls = 75 (for sausages and misc.)- Get good ones that can be eaten straight as well as with meats. Get 2 pounds butter, quart or 2 mayo.