Question about a Birthday Party Menu
Morgan
07/23/09 		Hello! I am so happy to have stumbled upon your fabulous site, very informative!

I am planning a party for my son's second birthday at the end of next month, and I am completely stressed! I am inviting about 75 people (including kids/toddlers), but of course I'm sure more like 50 will come.

My plan was to do salad, baked ziti, a chicken dish (any suggestions?), broccoli and cavatelli, maybe meatballs or sausage and peppers (do you think this is necessary?) and mac and cheese and nuggets for the kids.

My question is what size food trays do I use (I was just going to go to the restaurant supply store to buy the aluminum caterer trays)? How much of each thing to make, and how many trays? I've been looking at a lot of recipes for large crowds, but I'm unsure of how many and what size trays they will work with. Is it possible to cook these dishes in advance and freeze them? I feel completely lost, if anyone can help, it would be greatly appreciated!

ellen
07/23/09 		50 people in a regular kitchen is very OK.  Do NOT get overwhelmed.  Take a look at the dijon wedding chicken on big pots, it can be made ahead and frozen. If you go with meatballs, you could skip the nuggets- most kids like meatballs and don't like sausage and peppers; but just chicken is fine. You want 5-6 9x13 broccoli and cav, which is about 3 half pans, the usual size of aluminum trays. 1 mac and chees and 2 half pans ziti should be OK. Salad is on the plan for 100 page, use half. A fruit tray would be a popular choice with the kids and look very pretty.
How to freeze mac and cheese see my OAMC recipes.
Morgan
07/24/09 		Thank you so much, you just made my weekend! Really appreciate it!
Morgan
07/29/09 		Hi again! I was also wondering if you had any advice for reheating the pasta dishes (I am making everything in advance). I was going to make Penne Alla Vodka in lieu of the broc and cav. I planned on freezing the sauce in ziploc bags and putting them in the fridge 48 hours in advance to thaw. Should I just mix the sauce with the pasta in the aluminum steam tray and reheat in the oven at the hall? Will it dry out this way? I was also wondering if I could use the same basic principal for the meatballs, being I am freezing the meat and sauce separately. Or is there another way of doing it?
Would you recommend using medium or deep trays for these dishes?

Thanks again!

ellen
07/30/09 		I would freeze the meatballs in sauce, as they absorb some of that great flavor. Remember, however, that garlic and Italian herbs change flavor when you freeze them, and consider doing a test freeze to see what you want to alter, if anything. Thaw as you indicated.

Pasta casserole reheats fine as long as it is tightly covered and the shallow pans heat almost twice as fast as the deep ones.

Ziti and penne is pretty heavy, though- consider haviing roasted vegetables, or marinated vegetable/ relish tray.

Morgan
07/31/09 		Thanks so much Ellen! Have a great weekend!