| Variety is probably more important than quanity. Do not make enough
of each item to serve 75. Know the crowd. What percent of the group
is adult. How many are male/female. Are they generally big eaters.
We've had some large parties at our house and have not made huge
quanities, but have still had plenty of food left over. Make 3 or
4 good size bowls of potato salad, salad etc: do not put everything
out at once. There are lots of good recipes in this file to provide
variety.
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| I usually average 1 potatoe per person. HOWEVER, I find when I
cook for large amounts, I -1 potatoe for every 10. Most people
just like to have a little of everything there. I would estimate
50-55 potatoes for 50-70 people. ALSO, for large amounts, rather
than waiting for the potatoes to completely cool before pealing
them, I find it easier to let them cool just enough so that you
can peel them without burning your fingers, and then just pinch
the skins off, and place them on a cookie rack in the frig (single
layer) until they completely cool, then cut and add the mayo, etc.
If your going to be cooking meats for a large amount people you
might want to try the following. The ingredients aren't exact,
because it's a familly recipe and we just add until we like the
taste.
We've tried this with pork, poultry, and steak/strips, and everyone
appears to like it.
for small amounts 3-5lbs of meat:
2 bottles of soy sauce (8-10oz bottles)
1 bottle of water (after emptying the soy sauce bottles, fill them
half way, shake and poor into mixture)
2-4 cloves of garlic minced
sprinkle with ginger
Poor everything into a large bowl, add meat, marinate for a couple
of hours. Pork and steak about 2 hours, chicken 4-6 hours or over
night. Remove and cook. Tastes better when cooked barbecue style.
For your amounts:
1 gallon of soy sauce (usually warehouses have this large size)
2-3 whole garlics minced
about a teaspoon of ginger
20-30 or more pounds of meat (you can marinate all different kinds
at one time.)
Marinate and cook.
My mom puts everything in a big plastic UNUSED garbage bag adds
a couple (2-3) cans of pineapple (with juice) and marinates overnight.
It may sound strange but it comes out good.
I hope this helps.
lam
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| Are you having a big backyard barbeque type thing? Or more of an
indoor/evening party? I got a book at the library once that was
interesting, "Cash from Your Kitchen", it was written by a caterer,
and the recipes may not be what you have in mind, but it did give
guidelines for double/trebling recipes depending on what type of
food it is.
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| Thanks for the quick responses. First, all the attendees will be
adults, there will probably be more men than women. It is a
SURPRISE 40th birthday bash. There will be two other women
bringing salads of one sort or another and we'll buy the meat
platter. We've rented a Vets post that has a good working
kitchen. The food will be set out buffet style and I still have
to find out if there are hot tables available. I'm not going
to make hot things if they have to be kept in the kitchen.
It's not til the end of the month, but it will get here much
quicker if I'm not prepared. Thanks again for the help -- I'll
keep you all posted!
Karen
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| The party was a hugh success, thanks to you all who offered help.
I made 14 doz. Danish meatballs and potato salad from 20 lbs.
of potatoes. There were between 65-80 people and all had plenty
to eat. Other folks brought macaroni salad, cole slaw and cold
cuts. There was beer to buy and 3 gal. of non-alcoholic punch.
We had the D.J til 12 and the hall til 11 but everyone stayed
til 2. A roaring success, but not something I'd want to put on
on a regular basis!
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