Graduation party HELP!
Vicki
05/31/06 		I am throwing a graduation party for my daughter. The number of invites has grown (to 100)and the budget is not all that plentiful. Can you help me with a menu that would be good but cheap. I was thinking about sloppy joes and salads but your input would be greatly appreciated.
ellen
05/31/06 		Are you looking at a self serve dinner, or is this a dance/reception type function?

A taco bar or baked potato bar might be the best choices for budget dinner. Both have recipes in the Big Pots section.

grace
06/01/06 		I am throwing a graduation party for my son.
estimated guests are 40. We will be having a traditional "picnic" with sloppy joes, fruit, potato salad etc. How much ground beef do I need to have for the sloppy joes? I typically do not use much for fillers. Thanks
Vicki
06/01/06 		This will be an outside picnic like graduation party. I will check out your suggestions in the Big Pots section. I am really nervous about having this big of a party and I am hoping everything turns out good. Thanks.
ellen
06/02/06 		Vicki, see about getting 1 or 2 good friends to help with the food. 100 is do-able in the home kitchen, but you could sure use some extra refrigerator space. One idea that doesn't need refrigerating is to make a Nesco roaster full of baked beans by opening 4 to 5 #10 cans of beans plus the "fixings" brown sugar, mustard , onion, etc, that day, set to 300 cover and forget it until ready to serve.

Grace, I make 4 sandwiches per pound with regular ground beef and not much sauce. So I usually allow 1.5 sandwiches for mixed teens, or up to 2 if it is all big guys. A side dish of baked beans or ranch beans will reduce the amount of meat eaten.

Lor Wilson
06/20/06 		We are having pit beef for 1125 people. I am making potatoe salad, pasta salad, baked beans, cole slaw and a field greens salad. What is the rule of thumb for how much per person.
Lori Wilson
06/20/06 		That is for 125 not 1125.
ellen
06/20/06 		You use the tables on the plan for 100 page to estimate your sides and salads and then cross check by seeing if the TOTAL works out to about 1 gallon for every 10 people, or a total of 1 1/2+ to 1 3/4 cup per person.
Michelle Jones
03/16/07 		Vow renewal help
My husband and I are having our wedding finally after eloping 8 years ago. We are on a tight budget because my husband has been ill. I have been thinking on ways to save for the reception food. So this morning I thought, what about a baked potato bar and us course cake. What is your opinion. Could you email me back at my email address about this. I just want to have a nice reception and celebrate with our loved ones and have a friend that will DJ for free but no one will just stick around for a cake reception. I need advice and looking forward to your opinion. Michelle
ellen
03/16/07 		Michelle, I bet your friends would "stick around for a cake reception", but there is a very good article on how to do a baked potato bar right here on the site. It is a good, inexpensive way to offer a light meal.
Laura
06/08/07 		Hi Ellen,
I am having a taco bar for my son's grad party in 2 weeks, and having never done this, wondered if I am o.k with my quantities. We are expecting about 200, kids & adults. I am planning to make about 65 lbs of taco meat, and will have 350 shells, 25 lb of cheese shreds, 10 lbs of shredded lettuce, about 25 lb of chopped tomatoes, and 15 lb of sour cream for fixings. I am also making a double batch of your South of the Border Rice for 100, and will have chips & salsa & queso dip, a full sheet cake, and lots of cookies. I also have about 400 cans of pop & bottled water, and will have ice water & iced tea. Basically, does that sound like enough food for that many people?

Also, I am planning to precook the ground beef, freeze it & thaw & cook in the electric roasters - any problems with that?

You have an awesome site, and I really enjoy the "feeding of the spirit" posts as well. Thanks for your help!

ellen
06/08/07 		Assuming this is a high school graduation, many parts of your plan are fine. I would allow 2 shells per person minimum- I actually allow 14 for 6 teens when it is teens only. I might add a roaster of borracho/pinto beans. The ground beef should be OK- allow several hours to reheat and thaw overnight in the refrig before reheating- if you reheat from frozen you run the risk of drying out some before the rest is hot.
LAura
06/09/07 		Oops, that was a type = I meant 550 taco shells. Do you have a recipe that you would suggest for the beans? Thanks again!
ellen
06/09/07 		Here is the recipe I will be posting. This makes over a quart of beans, and you can multiply forever- I would use 1 recipe for 6-8 of your eaters since it is a side dish.

Borracho (Drunken) Beans
This flavorful traditional bean dish is usually served whole in the bean broth in a bowl as a side dish. It can also be an entree or a taco filler, and the beans can be drained, mashed and used to make refried beans. Even better the next day.
A recipe makes 4 very large servings or 8 little side servings/ taco servings.
For each recipe (over a quart) you want, prepare:

1 cup (1/2 pound) dried beans (pinto, pink, anasazi, black)
1 quart water
1/3 pound bacon or fatty pork scraps OR 1 ham hock OR 3 tablespoons bacon drippings
1/3 medium onion (about 3 ounces)
1 or 2 roma tomatoes, diced OR 8 ounces diced canned tomatoes, drained
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 serrano OR jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
OPTIONAL 1/2 to 2 teaspoons chile powder
OPTIONAL 1/2 teaspoon cumin
OPTIONAL 2 sprigs epazote OR marjoram
OPTIONAL 6-8 ounces beer
OPTIONAL 1 lime
salt to taste (add after beans are tender)
To Serve:
6-8 tortillas, corn preferred
OPTIONAL, grated cheddar or Mexican cheese blend, 1 cup or 4 ounces
OPTIONAL, sour cream, 1/2 cup

Wash, soak and cook the beans- about 3 hours. Start cooking with the level of the water a good inch or so above the beans, and keep adding more water as needed to keep it brothy.
When the beans are light brown and soft, add salt, garlic, peppers. Cut bacon and fry along with the onions, adding the OPTIONAL spices if used. Add the onion mix to the bean pot. Last, add the chopped cilantro and fresh tomatoes. Simmer covered over low heat (or in the electric roaster at 250) at least 1/2 hour.
One half hour before serving, stir in the beer and the lime juice. Simmer until all alcohol has evaporated. To tell, breathe in the bean steam. If it is ready, the smell will be fragrant and smooth, with no sharp alcohol smell. This usually takes about 15 minutes.
If desired, store overnight and reheat, or simmer longer to allow flavors to steep and mellow.
Serve with tortillas. If served as a stand alone entree, offer grated cheddar or Mexican cheese blend and sour cream, and a tasty dish of Spanish rice.

Kelly
06/21/07 		Pulled pork for 150 people
I am having a grad party for my son next month and we plan to have approx. 150 people there. The menu includes: pulled pork, meatballs, baked ziti, pasta salad, baked beans and of course cake. How much pork do I need to start with? And how many rolls? What kind of pork would you recommend I use (loin, butt, roast, etc...)? Does the menu sound okay? Any help or pointers would be greatly apprectiated.
Ellen
06/21/07 		Kelly, another mom, Theresa, asked the exact same question yesterday. See the response under graduation dated 6-20. She likes boneless country ribs. I like boneless shoulder or but, loin and roast are too dry. There is a reference to a good recipe, too. With mostly teens, allow 1.5 sandwich rolls, they will make sadnwiches out of both the the pork and the meatballs.
Gail
05/19/08 		I want to serve chicken and three different salads, pasta, pototoe, tossed.Crackers and cheese. Veggies and Dip.Chips and pretzels, peanuts m & m's. Cake and strawberry and whipped cream.This for for a graduation party. Should I also serve sloppy joes?
ellen
05/19/08 		It depends on the size of the party. Up to 30-40 people, just chicken is fine. If it is 150, yes, a second choice is an excellent idea. Write back.
Gail
05/27/08 		Thank-you Ellen. I feel so overwhelmed by this all. It is just my husband and I doing it for my daughter and I want everything to turn out nice. Help me to relax. We are shopping for everything the day before and making some items the day before. The party is at 4- and we have to pick up chicken, ballons, cake the day of- plus decorate. It is at a friends house.
ellen
05/27/08 		Gail, you do not say how large a party? Is it a backyard event or inside? For how long? High school or college? Are you buying everything ready to serve, or planning to make some things yourself? All these things affect planning. Please give more info.

Also, if it were me, I would start shopping/cooking more than the day before, but this depends in part on the size of the party and your menu.

Kiki
06/03/08 		I am having a grad party for about 70 people, mostly adults, about 10 teens. I am having homemade meatballs, pulled pork sandwiches, vegetable lasagna, fruit salad, pineapple-cottage-cheese salad, and an oriental broccoli cole slaw salad- cookies for dessert. My question is- how many pounds of pork butt-bone in, so I need for pulled pork with all the other items on the menu. My sandwich rolls are small.
ellen
06/03/08 		This is a very attractive menu. Since you do not have a carbo side dish, some folks will use the lasgana as a platefiller or side dish in addition to the meat entrees. Since the rolls are small, I woould plan on 70 pork sandwiches. You get three sandwiches from 1 pound raw bone-in pork butt, so you want about 24 pounds raw.

About 4-5 9x13 pans of lasagna, about 14 pounds of meatballs.

I would consider adding 1 electric roaster full of a popular potato dish such as cheesy hash browns, scalloped potatoes or mashed potatoes. Teens eat a lot.

Ranee
03/31/09 		I am having a graduation party. We expect anywhere from 100 - 250 people. This is a full menu. Part of the menu is a raw vegetable tray. How much vegetable dip do I need? I have a recipe that uses 8 oz of yogurt & 8 oz of sour cream
ellen
04/01/09 		Check the veggie tray page, it gives amounts per each 25 people.
Sandy
05/12/09 		Hi,

I'm hoping you can help me. Having a grad party planning for 350. We are serving hot ham and cheese keeping the cheese seperatly so how much ham should I have? We are also have strawberries and grapes how many pounds of strawberries and grapes should I have?

ellen
05/12/09 		See the plan for 100 page for info on the ham. I am unclear about the cheese- you need about 8 pounds sliced per 100 for just sandwich fixings, but 16-20 pounds per 100 for cheese trays as appetizers.

Fruit, see the fruit tray page.

Ericka
05/13/09 		Hi Ellen, I am having a graduation party for my son. I am going to have a taco bar and would like to serve soft shell tacos. Could you tell me how to keep them warm or soft like the restaruants do?
ellen
05/13/09 		I usually serve both crisp and soft shell (2 each per person). The restaurants warm to order. See the thread "warming and holding flour tortillas"- it works for corn, also.

www.ellenskitchen.com/forum/messages/14580.html

Jessica Romero
05/13/09 		Hi Ellen, I'm having graduation luncheon at my house and I have tentatively 35 guests. I was going to do bbqed chicken and tri-tip, but I don't know how much I should buy of each... assuming most guests will want both?
ellen
05/13/09 		1 pound raw tritip for each 2 plus 1 pound boneless chicken for each 4 should cover you for all eaters.
Susan
05/14/09 		Hi Ellen, I am having a graduation party for approximately 225 people, about 180 are adults with 20 of those being high school kids and 45 are young children and I would like to know if this sounds like enough food.

5 - 22 lb. (raw weight) beef rolls.
45 lbs. of sausage cut up with onions and peppers.
4 - 6 lb. bags a penne pasta.
8 - #10 cans of pasta sauce.
8 - #10 cans of pototoes for parsley potatoes
6 - #10 cans of green beans
8 - 3 lb. bags of salad
640 - 1 oz. meatballs
180 - dinner rolls
Thank you!

ellen
05/14/09 		Yes, and you might want to get a few bags of frozen roasted peppers and a bunch of mushrooms, basil, and parsley to cut up and freshen the sauce.
Kris
05/16/09 		I am making cheesey potatoes for a graduation party. I plan on making 16 9x13 batches. I was wondering if I could use one of those large electric roasters to cook them in and how long would it take. I am guessing I could fit at least 5 or more batches in a roaster. Or should I bake them separately in the oven and transfer them to the roaster to keep warm. What do you suggest?
ellen
05/16/09 		The cheesey potato recipe at the end of the festive brunch page has information on cooking these potatoes in a roaster, you will need three roaster pans to do this much- you could cook two in the oven and transfer to the roaster as the previous one empties.
Shelly
05/17/09 		Hello Ellen,

I am having my son's graduation party in 2 weeks. One of the meats I am having is pulled pork sandwiches. I have bought approximately 30 pounds of port butt and I plan on cooking in a roaster oven. Do I need to put some pork rub on and how long should I cook? I am plannig on cooking the meat very slow the day before the party, let cool and reheat the day of party. When do I add my barbaque sauce while cooking or after I pull meat apart? Please advise and thanks for any suggestions you may have

ellen
05/17/09 		Look for a great recipe on the thread called pulled pork, and do 4 times the recipe. Cool/ chill QUICKLY as soon as shredded add the sauce as you refrigerate the pulled pork, reheat in sauce, tightly covered.
Ana
07/31/09 		We are having a birthday cook out for 50 adults and 20 children. We are planning to make carnitas with spanish rice , refried beans with guests bringing a dish. Not sure how much pork butt I should buy for the 50 adults. I figure guys will easily eat at least 5 tacos a piece?
ellen
07/31/09 		These are BIG eaters- 1 pound bone in raw for each 2 people would be about right.