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Kyle 07/20/06 |
Hello I need a little help, I am planning a training dinner for 110 guest. Buffet, with Salmon,Penne Pasta, Stuffed Chicken Breast or Reolade( this will be premade)starch, veggie, salad, rolls and desserts. could you give me a idea of what amounts I would need of the main entrees. Thanks |
ellen 07/31/06 |
Hi, Kyle, you posted twice, it is on the other post |
Jacqueline 08/31/06 |
Hello, I'm catering my own backyard wedding. I'm having Roast Turkey with gravy, Glazed Ham, Shrimp Scampi over linguine, Red roasted potatoes, stuffing, maple glazed baby carrots, Ceasar salad and homemade rolls. I need help with the amounts of each. We're expecting about 100 people. Thank You so much. |
ellen 09/01/06 |
Dear Jacqueline, Do please read the article I wrote on self-catering your wesdding. You have selected a fairly difficult menu, due especially to the shrimp over linguine, would you consider some changes? Also, you have not told me what kind of kitchen and help you have, inside or outside service, time and type of serving (for example, plate versus buffet) or whether you have asked your guests to RSVP their entree choice. All these facts definitely affect amounts. So send some more info and I will do what I can to help you plan. |
Jacqueline 09/06/06 |
Dear Ellen, Thanks for responding. I'm planning on pre-cooking and freezing over the next couple weeks(stuffing,carrots,potatoes). I have 2 GE 18qt roasters and my oven in my kitchen for cooking. I have ample freezer/refridgerator space for storing. I have 2 food servers hired for wedding day. Also, a few family members will be staying and helping during that week. The wedding is at 5pm in my backyard(35min. service) with apps/cocktails immediately following(we will be on a half-hour carriage ride). I plan for dinner being served at 6:30. We have an outside pavillion with a large firebrick oven that will keep the sides warming on top. The meats and pasta will be on the buffet table in pans over sternos & in GE Roasters. Buffet style. There is electricity there. I didn't ask for RSVP on entrees. I was planning to cook that menu and letting everyone choose. The shrimp/linguine is my favorite, the turkey is my fiance's. Not everyone likes turkey, not everyone likes shrimp, that's why I added the ham. I am making 300 finger sands (tuna,ham,seafood salads), and 300 variety deviled eggs for apps. Maybe I could switch to chicken(he loves that too) and delete the ham? I've cooked/catered quite a few times before. They were to serve 50 or so and didn't consist of such a big menu. I don't mind the work though. That's me.:) I will be making my wedding cake too that's why I'm planning on freezing and reheating as much as possible. Two of my relatives have offered to reheat in their ovens. They live within a few miles of me. Thanks so much for your help. |
ellen 09/06/06 |
OK, it could work. Take a look at the wedding chicken (chicken in orange sauce) that can be made ahead, frozen and reheated. You need a third roaster- one for each entree- for amounts. I would make 50 shrimp entree, 50 turkey and 35 third entree using my quantity tables. All your sides are covered in the planning tables. When you have made your first shopping estimates, I will be glad to check it again. |
Nikole 09/11/06 |
Tacos for 100! HELP PLEASE!! Hello...I am throwing a 50th birthday party for my mother and I want everything to be perfect! I need to know how much of everything that I need. I am figuring 3 tacos per person and a scoop of beans and rice for each. I am at a loss because I keep hearing different amounts of everything I need. Please help!! Here are the amounts I need of each...THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!
Ground Beef
Spanish Rice |
ellen 09/11/06 |
Use one of my Spanish rice recipes for 100 and one of my beans for 100 recipes. For make it yourself tacos, you need the same amount of toppings per person as for the baked potato bar- there is a very explicit and complete chart that includes all the usual toppings. See the baked potato bar info sheet listed on Big Pots. Have a great party. |
Nikole 09/12/06 |
Tacos for 100! HELP PLEASE!! Thanks! Thats was a great help! The only info that I didnt get off of there was how many pounds of ground beef? Your a life saver!! |
ellen 09/12/06 |
1 pound of ground beef makes 2 cups cooked. |
Jacqueline 09/23/06 |
Hello Ellen, I've gotten the stuffin' muffins and the carrots done. The chicken is tomorrow. My guest list has grown a bit so I now am making 125 servings. Oh boy! It's going to be the shrimp, chicken(your wedding recipe), and ham. I have 5 roasters now to use and maybe a steam table. I am wondering how long each entree will take to reheat in the roasters. I need to leave a list for the servers of what time to turn on each roaster. I won't be here until it's time to walk down the isle. I want to make sure I have a pretty good time sheet for the help to follow. Could you help at all on that? Thanks so much. |
ellen 09/23/06 |
Hi, if you have gone to 125 guests, you need 150 entree servings for the buffet- Be SURE you use only heavy duty outside weight cords if you need extension cords, one for each roaster. Try to plug themin to different electric circuits- when they all kick on, they can overload your circuits. Reheating, keep the heat low (300)and the food tightly covered to avoid drying out. Get an instant read thermometer- as soon as the temp in the middle of the food is 180, turn down the heat to 200. Keep the lids on when people are not actually serving themselves. The chicken is a separate situation. If the chicken is frozen, it needs to go in the fridge to thaw, allow 24 hours for each 5-6 pound package (it can hold in the fridge up to 48 hours thawed- so start earlier rather than later). Reheat it tightly covered or in foil in a real oven at 350-400, then when hot transfer to the roaster at 200. See timing below. You don't say exactly the shrimp is prepared ahead (in size/type pan) or whether it is all to be boiled fresh and transferred to roasters after cooking. If frozen casseroles, then like the chicken, it needs to be thawed under refrigeration. An oven full of cold food takes about an hour to reheat- judge by the volume of food you have, how many times you need to fill the oven. Reheat the chicken first, it hold better than the shrimp. So you have some calculating to do about the oven and reheating before you can do the time table. You DO turn the roasters on to preheat about 1/2 hour before they are filled. The ham can heat direstly in the roasters. Use some orange juice, chicken broth, etc for extra moisture. |
ellen 09/23/06 |
P.S. The chicken will be more popular, I would increase the chicken over the ham. |
Jacqueline 09/26/06 |
Thanks so much, Ellen. You're helping a lot. I'm so thrilled I found your site :) |
Brian W. Delaney 09/29/06 |
Buffet Dinner for a 60 ideas Please! We are doing a 30th Birthday party dinner/dance and i want to do the food to save some money as we don't have a big budget. We want some variety to please vegetarians and meat eaters |
Louise 09/29/06 |
Pork and sauerkraut dinner our church is having a pork and sauerkraut dinner. How much pork and sauerkraut should we purchase and we will be having mashed potato's, applesauce, string beans, and corn. How much of the above should we purchase. Thank You! |
ellen 09/29/06 |
Hi, Louise, You have not specified the number of people, or the type of pork dish? Because I have posted all my quantity tables so people can prepare their own first estimates, I do not do initial estimates any more. I don't know if it is per plate, self service buffet (which takes more food), family style, etc. What I WILL DO is check your estimates if you will post them or email them to me. So have a go at it with the tables and recipes in the bihg pots section and get back to me. |
Martha 05/17/07 |
Taco Bar How many pounds of ground beef do I need for about 50 people,for tacos? lettuce,tomatoes, onions,taco shells,cheese,and beans |
ellen 05/18/07 |
Use the topping figures on the baked potato bar- per person, the amounts for potatoes and tacos are just about the same. |