Party Menu Help!

[alare]

Okay ladies, need your expert opinions! Choose a menu or give suggestions for a different menu. Any suggestions as to amounts would be great, too!

Informal buffet style lunch birthday party for 25 max.

MENU 1

Apps:
brie topped with lingonberry jam and pecans (2)
cheese/meat tray (6 lbs total)
deviled eggs (48)
peanuts in shell (not negotiable )

Main:
beer can chicken (7 whole)
pulled pork (10 lbs)
dollar buns (4 dozen)
baked potatoes
cucumber and tomato salad
pickles/olives
fresh fruit

Dessert:
ice cream
1/2 sheet cake
decorated cookies

MENU 2

Same apps.

Main:
Pulled pork (13 lbs)
dollar buns (4 dozen)
baked potato soup (or maybe zuppa toscana?)
cucumber and tomato salad
fresh fruit

Same desserts.

Side note - Chickens and cake will be ordered. The rest I'll make or pick up at the grocery store. Thanks in advance!

[ijack]

I wouldn't do soup, that seems difficult . so I pick #1.

[ECB]

I go for #1 only because I think having both chicken and pork is a good idea. 25 people is a lot of people to assume will ALL like pork. But I think I'd do the soup instead of actual baked potatoes. Baked potatoes seems heavy for lunch, and actually - you're going to have a LOT of food w/ the apps included.

[zombiemuse]

Sept 18, 2012 11:29:19 GMT -5 ECB said:

I go for #1 only because I think having both chicken and pork is a good idea. 25 people is a lot of people to assume will ALL like pork. But I think I'd do the soup instead of actual baked potatoes. Baked potatoes seems heavy for lunch, and actually - you're going to have a LOT of food w/ the apps included.

This. I think it's great to have meat choices and soup instead of baked potatoes.

And now I'm craving brie in a croissant with pears & apples. Yum.

[Deleted]

#1 It all sounds wonderful!

[mrssavy42112]

I say #1 too, as long as there aren’t any vegetarians/vegans or those with peanut allergies.

[dexteroni]

#1 except I would do a cheesy potato or roasted potato wedge as the side instead of baked potatoes or soup.

[alare]

Gah. I'm always afraid of running out of food.

Maybe I'll cut out the meat and cheese tray. And soup instead of baked potatoes.

The potato soup is really easy to make, just rich. The potatoes/bacon etc. can be prepped the day before.

No vegetarians, thanks for the reminder about peanut allergies! Just remembered one person is allergic (not to tree nuts, though). I guess the non-negotiable part of the menu just got cut lol.

[alare]

Cheesy/scalloped potatoes would work, too. Thanks!

How well would roasting potato wedges work considering I need part of the oven to keep the pork warm?

[dexteroni]

Sept 18, 2012 11:40:30 GMT -5 alare said:

Cheesy/scalloped potatoes would work, too. Thanks!

How well would roasting potato wedges work considering I need part of the oven to keep the pork warm?

Yeah, anything you want to keep crispy (or at least non-soggy) might not be the best idea. Scalloped / cheesy is probably better, plus you can make them in a crock pot. You can also keep pulled pork warm in a crock pot.

[dexteroni]

Re: the soup. I think soup at a buffet is unwieldy. From a host perspective, but I would rather not have to put out bowls and spoons if I could keep it to plates and forks just by changing one side dish.

And from the guest side of things, you have to carry two dishes to your seat instead of just one. And if one of those is a soup bowl, and you only have one hand to carry it with, you have to hold it from the bottom, which would be super hot. Some people may try to hold it with their napkin, and that's when the spills happen.

[alare]

Good call on the soup being a PITA for host and guests alike . . . Just found a recipe for smashed red potatoes with olive oil, chives, garlic, grated parm cheese, pepper and sea salt.