Cook Talk

wedding picnic in august
jen
06/01/13
menu for 100 - 120...saturday wedding picnic served buffet style at 5:30 pm
Baked Ham 80#
Baked chicken breasts bone in/marsala mushroom sauce (100 breasts)
Potato salad using 40# potatos
baked beans 6 #10 cans (recipe found here)
greenbeans almondine 35#
pasta salad 6 pounds pasta (recipe found here)
mixed greens/strawberry salad 30#
sliced watermelon (3 whole seedless)
My question is...first do I have enough food? I'll be buying about 80# of ham but I'm not counting the waste (bone/fat) so i'm not sure how much usable I'll get from that.
Second I'd like to do some prep work on thursday and just have the meat to cook on Friday soooo.... can I cook bacon, cook pasta, chop onions/vegetables, boil potatos on thursday? I would just bag everything seperately and refrigerate then put everything together on friday night? I'd make the dressing for the potato salad on friday but not mix until friday night. The mix green salad would be put together saturday afternoon as well as bake the beans and slice the watermelon. I'll make the marsala mushroom sauce (recipe found here) the week before and freeze. I know it may seem a little overboard but i'm dealing with bridezilla and she wants what she wants.
jen
06/01/13
I'll be using 4 nesco roasters for the meat and chaffers for the greenbeans and baked beans. I'll keep the cold salads cold by filling a kiddy pool half way up with ice covering it with a plastic table cloth then filling to almost the top with more ice and then bury the stainless steel serving bowls 3/4 of the way into the top ice. We'll also be serving rolls/butter should i assume 1 roll per person and then a bit extra? Thanks
ellen
06/01/13
Too much food for dinner, but you need some appetizers.

You also need at least 3 people in the kitchen and6-8 to set up, serve and clean up the party.

Baked Ham 80#- bone in, 65 pounds at most
Baked chicken breasts bone in/marsala mushroom sauce (100 breasts)- small pieces- no more than 30 pounds boneless chicken
Potato salad using 40# potatoes - OK
baked beans 6 #10 cans (recipe found here)- 5 plenty- skip the meat so that vegetarians can eat
green beans almondine 35#- 25 plenty
pasta salad 6 pounds pasta (recipe found here)-OK
mixed greens/strawberry salad 30# way too much, 20 at most
sliced watermelon (3 whole seedless)

You need an appetizer table:
Before the Buffet; Why You May Need an Appetizer Table
A self-catered buffet is a real challenge to the organizers, and things don't always come together as smoothly as hoped. By planning and setting up an appetizer area or "nibble table" which is ready when the guests begin to arrive, the cooks and servers have time to complete the arrangement of the dinner buffet. This is especially critical if there are children among the guests, or there is a wait before dinner, as at a wedding reception.

This does not have to be complicated. Three items, plus a punch, or two if one is alcoholic, are sufficient. Typically, include a fruit tray, a cheese tray and an attractive dip or spread; or you can go with a dinner theme such as TexMex with chips, salsas, Texas caviar and guacamole; Italian with bruschetta or antipasto; maybe shrimps or other cold seafood, if budget permits.

One appetizer service area One serving area is needed for each 100 guests.

Since this will save you time, trouble and money, please consider a donation to support the site.

ellen
06/01/13
You posted while I was answering- 4 roasters require 4 separate electrical circuits, most standard rooms have one, a few two. Consider serving the ham cold or room temp.

2 small or 1 1/2 larger rolls per person, about 12 pounds per 100, 3 pounds butter

jen
06/01/13
Thank you Ellen...you ARE a BIG help! I'd like to do some prep work on thursday and just have the meat to cook on Friday soooo.... can I cook bacon, cook pasta, chop onions/vegetables, boil potatos for potato salad on thursday? I would just bag everything seperately and refrigerate then put everything together on friday night? I'd make the dressing for the potato salad on friday but not mix until friday night. The mix green salad would be put together saturday afternoon as well as bake the beans and slice the watermelon. I'll make the marsala mushroom sauce (recipe found here) the week before and freeze. will doing some of this prep work be ok in order to save on time. Once again...THANKS!
ellen
06/01/13
You can make the pasta salad and potato salad 2 days ahead as long as you cook the pasta aldente and have a big empty refrigerator to fast-cool it in.
Don't slice the watermelon early unless you can refrigerate immediately and continuously. All the prep work on the chicken and its sauce can be done as outlined in the wedding chicken recipe.
Enjoy.
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