Dh and I recently found out that we are in charge of an annual dinner for an organization we are members of. We will be serving dinner and dessert to 100-150 people at the end of October. This won't be a buffet, but rather a serving line where we plate the food and hand it to the people as they walk past.

We will have the use of a commercial kitchen the entire Saturday of the event (food is to be served at 6pm) and I can also make items ahead of time and finish on the day of the dinner.

Spaghetti, salad, garlic bread, and cake have been served for the past several years and dh and I would really like to do something different this year. We have had a couple of ideas so far, but none we are crazy about.

Any ideas on a menu that will be pleasing to most people, can be served to a large crowd, and fairly easy to make? I am a good cook, but since we have to make so much food I would prefer to not have anything too labor intensive. TIA

By Annie2 on Thursday, October 6, 2005 - 08:56 pm:

Beef stew, rolls, salad and brownies come to mind.

What were your ideas?

By Kate on Thursday, October 6, 2005 - 08:56 pm:

Chicken drumsticks and veggies and mashed potatoes? Chicken and dumplings? I am NOT a good cook, so this is where I leave you.

By Missmudd on Thursday, October 6, 2005 - 09:12 pm:

Are ribs too messy? Maybe an octoberfest kind of thing with sausages and saurkraut?

By Pamt on Thursday, October 6, 2005 - 09:16 pm:

I suggest brisket, baked beans, potato salad or tossed salad, rolls or TX toast, and a fruit cobbler. All of those can be cooked easily in bulk without too much trouble.

By Bea on Thursday, October 6, 2005 - 11:34 pm:

By Coopaveryben on Friday, October 7, 2005 - 12:09 am:

I coordinate Wednesday night programming for a church, one of the things the kitchen staff made this week was a HUGE success. Taco Soup and Homemade chicken Noodle soup, Salad, crackers or bread, fresh fruit, and a dessert. It's a lot of make ahead and keeping it warm without loosing quality is no problem.

By Emily7 on Friday, October 7, 2005 - 12:13 am:

Sweddish meatballs, rice and/or egg noodles, corn (or veggie), salad, & cookies or brownies fro dessert.


Ham, scalloped potatoes, a veggie, salad, dinner rolls & cookie or brownie.

By Feona on Friday, October 7, 2005 - 06:00 am:

150 people... I think they did spagetti because it is cheap. Who is paying for it?

By Eve on Friday, October 7, 2005 - 06:02 am:

Start with a salad and rolls. Then, Marinated Steak tip, Garlic mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. Then, I like the idea of a cobbler for dessert.

By Amyk on Friday, October 7, 2005 - 06:25 am:

What about those huge Stouffer's Lasagnas? A few meat and a few veggie? Salad, bread, brownie? That way you could offer something to those that don't eat red meat... and no worries about undercooking the chicken. :-)

Best of luck to you!

By Tunnia on Friday, October 7, 2005 - 08:26 am:

Your ideas sound wonderful and I plan to show dh all of them when he gets home tonight and see what he thinks. Thank you!

The organization pays for the meal and we were told by the Commander that we could make whatever we wanted. I think spaghetti has always been done in the past because it is so easy.

Dh and I had thought about lasagna, but since I don't personally care for the stuff, I'm not good at making it. We had also tossed around the idea of fried catfish, hush puppies, coleslaw, and corn on the cob, but I'm not crazy about that either. It seems like more of a summer meal and I also don't like the idea of so much fried and fatty food. We have also been thinking about making chili and we like this idea best of all, but if it is still warm at the end of October (we are in Georgia so that's very possible) then I don't know that chili would be appropriate.

By Ginny~moderator on Friday, October 7, 2005 - 08:26 am:

I've used oven-fried chicken for "mass" feedings. My church has something called "linger lunch" - so many of our members travel some distance for worship, so we have lunch afterwards - 50 - 70 people.

I don't know that I would do mashed potatoes - certainly not from scratch. I'd use a package, and use all milk instead of water to make it a richer taste. My concern would be the serving, as mashed potatoes (and, of course, gravy) can be messy to serve and take time. What about the prepackaged scalloped or au gratin (grautin?) potatoes. Or, what I have done, as long as I'm using the ovens, is small baked potatoes - one to a person - with butter on the tables and sour cream in bowls for those that prefer it (I don't). You can scrub the potatoes the day before and oil them for baking earlier on the day.

And yes, who is paying for all this? Are you laying out money up front to be reimbursed by the organization, or do people pay on the spot?

If you haven't already, check out the kitchen and see what kinds of equipment is there, especially large pots/pans & baking sheets, and serving containers and utensils.

By Hlgmom on Friday, October 7, 2005 - 11:59 am:

how about two types of chili...white chix and regular you could do corn bread and tortilla chips and a salad. Dessert maybe pumpkin squares or pecan tarts...something "fallish"

I'll try and think of some others!

By Truestori on Friday, October 7, 2005 - 01:47 pm:

How about baked potatoes with all the fixings and chili on the side, its easy, inexpensive and oh so good! Of course you can add a salad and bread etc...