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new here. HELP please!
Hello, I am new. Sometimes I have lurked on the nest but never posted until today when I have an urgent question, so I figured I better make an account.
Here is my situation in a nutshell:
I am having a barbecue next week and I (and my husband) am to supply all of the food. I don't think I am too crazy, it wasn't supposed to be that way, but the way things are working out that is what it is turning into, at the last minute. I would never have intentionally put myself in this situation. I think we need to plan for between 100-200 people. Other than running away and never coming home, what can I do to prepare for this?
Here is what we had planned for the menu:
barbecue beef and pork sandwiches
baked beans
pasta salad
deviled eggs
coleslaw
potato chips
For drinks, we are keeping it simple and cheap with Kool-Aid, iced tea, and water.
The party is still over a week away and will be on a Saturday. The meat will be cooked in crockpots starting on probably Tuesday or Wednesday the week of. The baked beans are a simple delicious home made recipe that will also be cooked in the crockpot.
I have already made a ton of spice rub for the meat. Is there any other preparations I could start on to alleviate some of the stress for next week? Will baked beans be good if I mix all the ingredients (minus the bacon and onion) now and put them in the freezer until the Friday before the party (I am using canned beans, if that makes a difference). How far in advance can I make coleslaw, pasta salad, and deviled eggs? Does cooked pasta freeze well?
Also, for 100-200 people what kind of amounts should I be looking at?
Any advice you all can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Re: new here. HELP please!
My first thought was will you have a chicken option? You know these days some people don't eat pork or beef actually for that matter any meats at all.
I can't speak on pre cooking as I usually cook the morning of...very early.
Will their be any kids? If so what about hot dogs for them?
HTH
We haven't considered chicken, only because this is turning into an almost impossibility as it is, both financially and physically. I committed to doing this barbecue with LOTS of help, but as the barbecue nears it looks like I will not have ANY help. But I am still committed- it is at my house. I do not know the people that are coming so I cannot ask them to help or cancel it. I was told I would have help with anything I needed, but as it gets closer I am finding out that no one I know is available to help.
This is already going to hit us hard financially, I understand people may not like pork or beef, but they can have some side items if they don't like meat. I am not trying to be rude about it but this a lot of burden to put on someone at the last minute who wasn't prepared for this to begin with. If the people that come cannot understand why ONE person could not provide a huge menu selection for 100-200 people at the last minute then that is their problem. I chose beef and pork because those are 2 things I can successfully cook in the crockpot. I have yet to make a crockpot chicken that does not come out too dry and I do not feel this is the time to experiment.
I also should add that my husband MUST travel for work that week, so all the food really does need to be prepared by myself only. Oh, and I also have a baby at home too.
Hot dogs is a possibility and a good idea because I do have a bunch of those in the freezer and I can just boil them quickly the night before and stick them in a crockpot to keep warm. That is a good idea for the kids and may also help the beef and pork to go a little further. Thank you.
Oh my lord, why on Earth did you offer to cook for between 100-200 people?! For menu, here are small changes to suggest:
BBQ Chicken and Pork Sandwiches
Baked Beans
Pasta Salad
Cole Slaw
Chips/Dip
I took out deviled eggs since I think if you are cooking for that many people the eggs are not a practical thing to try and prepare. You're going to want to stick to the foods that can be easily prepared in bulk quantities, and individual hors d'oeuvres just dont work when one person is trying to do it.
Hi! I agree with pp re: deviled eggs. The cole slaw and pasta salad can be made in advance, probably the baked beans too...
re: beef/chicken/pork bbq - you will def need about 5-6 crockpots to feed that guest count.
Do you have a Costco or BJ's near you? I would check out their deli department re: their cole slaw, potato salad etc. be sure to keep those things on ice. I will also post my cucumber salad recipe which is inexpensive and can be made the day before.
Also - I always make a time line for events. Plan out what needs to get done every day until this bbq and then don't go to bed until it is done. That way you won't end up trying to do everything the night before.
Good Luck!
Cucumber Salad
Ingredients:
3 Cucumbers, peeled and sliced
1 Tablespoon Coarse Kosher Salt
1/2 Cup Distilled White Vinegar
1/4 Cup finely chopped Dill
3 Tablespoons of Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground Pepper
Place cucumber slices in colander. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occassionaly. Meanwhile, for dressing, stir vinegar, dill, sugar and pepper in large bowl until sugar is dissolved. Drain cucumbers, pat dry, Add cucumbers to dressing and stir to blend. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes. (Adaped from Anna Pump's cook book Summer on a Plate).
Let us know how your party goes... it sounds like a fund raiser or something like that.
Since you need crockpots for the bean, beef, pork...and probably several of them...do you have all those crockpots...and places for them to be plugged in
You may need to switch to some sterno pans but that shouldn't run you too much more
You can totally cook all the meat and freeze them...probably thaw/reheat in oven, then transfer to sterno's...same with the beans, i don't think that will affect them what so ever.
I wouldn't worry about chicken...my feeling is, "oh well"
But deviled eggs...OMG cut that out. They take forever and you need to probably have 100 eggs...craziness
you could do little egg salad sandwiches though, they may settle the no red meat debate
Cater.
Cater, cater, cater, cater.
It is wholly IMPOSSIBLE for you to try to feed 150 people out of your crockpots. I guarantee you it'll cost about the same to have it catered from a BBQ place as it would for you to buy it all yourself, especially given the quantities you'll need. Even if it doesn't, accept that you're spending hundreds of dollars on something you randomly got roped into and at least make it easy on yourself instead of driving yourself into a loony bin.
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I used to work as an event planner. I have to agree with the others trying to ''cater'' for 100+ people if WAY to much to do by yourself. You will be in tears before the guests get there!
If you don't want to/can't get a cater or your local BBQ joint to help look into pre-made heat and eat BBQ. You can get pulled pork and pulled beef that are really yummy. Also enlist the help of your 3 best girlfriends to get everything done, they will not only help you get everything put together they will make it fun and help preserve your sanity!
GOOD LUCK
I agree with some of the other ladies and say cater. I hosted a luau for my parents anniversary a couple of years ago and cooked for 120 people. It took 3 of us 3 days to cook and prep everything. By the time the day of came, I had completely exhausted and so busy making sure everything was still full, hot, stocked, etc.
Save yourself the hassle and cater. Your back, stress level and electric bill will thank you later.
The best thing in life that I have personally learned is to say "No". No one would blame you for canceling the event. Don't put yourself through all that stress for people you don't even know! It would be an easy decision for me. Send out a mass email and tell your freinds or relatives to help spread the word...then just make sure you aren't home the day of. If you can't possibly find it in yourself to cance like that, CATER! Good luck! Let us know what you decide to do!