Cook Talk

Winter Wedding for 200
Robin
12/07/14
A Late December Wedding for 200, at 7:30 p.m.

Two rows of tables (12' long each), serving from both sides (4 serving lanes the same).

First veggies and dip; then nuts/cheese/grapes/crackers; then fruit trays with cream cheese dip; then pinwheels; then cold peas salads and sweet potato casseroles; rolls, then finally meats.

At another table, tea and citrus water.

Another place (across and old fashioned bar), a coffee/hot chocolate/tea bar with special decorated sugar cookies (10 dozen), Danish sugar cookies (?), wrapped gourmet chocolate squares, soft peppermint meltaways, donut holes dusted with sugar (? amount).


Menu:

Pineapple/Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs - 960 meatballs
Sliced Ham - 50 pounds
Two sauces and mustards - how much?

Sweet Potato Casserole - 50 lbs potatoes
Cold Pea Salad with smoked almonds - 40 lbs peas

Pinwheels (Turkey, cream cheese, green chiles, black olives, pimientos, lettuce leaves, picante sauce filling) - make from 18-20 tortillas

Fruit trays (total 1024 pieces) of apples (384 pieces), strawberries (320 pieces) and pineapple (300 pieces).

Veggie trays from C. of fresh baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, edamame, grape tomatoes - 20 trays.
Creole Tomato (thick) dressing - 96 oz.
Ranch Dipping Dressing - 96 oz.

Dinner rolls - 360

Nut/Grape/Cheese/Cracker Trays:
Crackers: 10 lb
Vegan, Gluten-free - 1 lb.
Ancient Grains - 3 lbs.
Party Crackers - 3 lbs.
Ritz - 3 lbs.
Cheeses:
10 lbs cubed or sliced?
Two varieties jelly.
Mixed Nuts: Almond, cashew, x-large peanuts, pecans, macadamia, Brazilian - 10 lbs.
Red grapes: 5 lbs

Wedding Cake (a rustic applesauce-based spice cake)
Groom's cakes (2 1/2 sheets, or, if we can, 3 round, multiple-layer.

Tea, cold, unsweetened: 2 gallons
Sweetened: 8 gallons
Sweetner:
Sugar cubes:
Water with citrus.

Hot cocoa mix in jars. Uncertain yet how much.
Tea bags: 60 bags in varieties
Coffee: 3 lbs. (Does 1# or more need to be decaf?)
Hot water.
Marshmallows (peppermint and regular) - 2 bags
Chocolate spoons.
Cream.
Sweetener.
Sugar cubes. - 2 boxes

Nothing, nothing like this have I ever done, but I have many capable volunteers and a wonderful friend coordinating all tasks with some experience. Are we in the ballpark with amouhts?

Thanks so very much!

Robin
12/07/14
Oh, and this is a nearly-all-adult guest list.
ellen
12/08/14
Are we in the ballpark with amounts?
Good job! Some tweaks.

Two rows of tables (12' long each), serving from both sides (4 serving lanes the same)- Good

First veggies and dip (I would put these on the main table, not the appie table, to take the place of salad); then nuts/cheese/grapes/crackers; then fruit trays with cream cheese dip; Put these out separately as an appetizer area, ready when the first guests arrive.

pinwheels; then cold peas salads and sweet potato casseroles; rolls, then finally meats

Rolls (and butter) on the tables?

At another table, tea and citrus water.

Another place (across and old fashioned bar), a coffee/hot chocolate/tea bar with special decorated sugar cookies (10 dozen), Danish sugar cookies (?), wrapped gourmet chocolate squares, soft peppermint meltaways, donut holes dusted with sugar (? amount).

Menu:

Pineapple/Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs - 960 meatballs- at least 40 pounds, 50 if no server
Sliced Ham - 50 pounds- maybr go 60 if no server
Two sauces and mustards - how much? about 4 gallons sauces, and maybe put a spicy and a yellow mustard on each table?

Sweet Potato Casserole - 50 lbs potatoes either do 80 pounds or add a second starch dish, such as 8 pounds dry rice for pilaf
Cold Pea Salad with smoked almonds - 40 lbs peas- OK, about 4-5 gallons
Consider adding one more veg. Could be roasted ahead mixed, served at room temp, antipasto style? 35 pounds before trimming

Pinwheels (Turkey, cream cheese, green chiles, black olives, pimientos, lettuce leaves, picante sauce filling) - make from 18-20 tortillas- make 2 bites per person- could be double what you have planned

Fruit trays (total 1024 pieces) of apples (384 pieces), strawberries (320 pieces) and pineapple (300 pieces). OK. Treat the apples with Fruit Fresh or citrus juice to prevent browning. Consider adding10 pounds green grapes for color.

Veggie trays from C. of fresh baby carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, edamame, grape tomatoes - 20 trays. Need about 40 pounds, don't know what these trays weigh.
Creole Tomato (thick) dressing - 96 oz.
Ranch Dipping Dressing - 96 oz. have a couple quarts held back- this can go fast.

Dinner rolls - 360
5-6 pounds butter

Nut/Grape/Cheese/Cracker Trays:
Crackers: 10 lb
Vegan, Gluten-free - 1 lb.
Ancient Grains - 3 lbs.
Party Crackers - 3 lbs.
Ritz - 3 lbs.
Cheeses:
10 lbs cubed or sliced?- 16-20, some can be logs, spreads or cream cheese
Two varieties jelly.
Mixed Nuts: Almond, cashew, x-large peanuts, pecans, macadamia, Brazilian - 10 lbs.
Red grapes: 5 lbs See note about grapes under fruit tray?

Wedding Cake (a rustic applesauce-based spice cake)
Groom's cakes (2 1/2 sheets, or, if we can, 3 round, multiple-layer. That is 40-50 servings

Tea, cold, unsweetened: 2 gallons- do 4
Sweetened: 8 gallons
OK
Sweetener:
Sugar cubes:
Water with citrus. 14 gallons

Hot cocoa mix in jars. Uncertain yet how much.
About 60 servings
Tea bags: 60 bags in varieties-OK
Coffee: 3 lbs. (Does 1# or more need to be decaf?) Yes, I would suggest 4 regular, 1 decaf, or 3/2 if the crowd is older
Hot water.
Marshmallows (peppermint and regular) - 2 bags
Chocolate spoons.
Cream.
Sweetener.
Sugar cubes. - 2 boxes how much is on the beverage page for all the add ins. 3-4 small cans of spray whip cream would be a pleasant surprise.

decorated sugar cookies (10 dozen), Danish sugar cookies (also at least 10 dozen), wrapped gourmet chocolate squares (1 per person, some with no nuts), soft peppermint meltaways, (if you mean the red and white ones, at least 1 per person), donut holes dusted with sugar (another 10 dozen?).

many capable volunteers and a wonderful friend coordinating all tasks with some experience. Good. You need about 3 people in the kitchen and 12 to 15 out front to set up, serve and clean up. At least 1/2 will NOT be at the wedding, because they will be setting up.

Plan, plan, plan, and I hope it goes very well. If this saves you time, trouble, or money, please make a donation, maybe a dime per guest, to support this site.

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