Need ideas for inexpensive food for 25 people

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Miss Goat Cheese Endive here. I have accepted that there are many solutions, and supported two earlier in the thread. Delicious lasagna, like good chili, is heaven. Unfortunately, it requires time and know-how. I have had many dreadful exemplars and think some other things are indeed easier to cook.

Yes, I think it's easy to cook cheap fish or chicken in coconut milk and add peppers and spices. For chocolate mousse you melt chocolate, separate eggs, beat the whites, stir the yolks with the chocolate and sugar, whip some cream and fold the combos together. Easier than making a cake IMHO.

I am actually a Southern girl born and raised and, if I wanted to keep the ingredient list down, would serve fried chicken, black-eyed peas, carrot salad, and potato salad and fresh rolls or biscuits and for dessert pecan pie and ice cream with homeade caramel sauce and fresh watermelon. I don't cook for many Americans which is why I tend to serve more international food.

The OP asked for food that can be made the day ahead. Do you really want to serve fish in coconut milk that was cooked the day ahead?

For more than ten guests I serve chicken curry, which can be made the day ahead. But, as I noted, none of these dishes would really satisfy.

[Anonymous]

I would do mac & cheese (I use the martha stewart recipe subbing equal parts sharp cheddar and jack cheese for the cheese, along with a spoonful of dry mustard and a little cayenne), black eyed peas cooked with peppers and onions (this could also be done as a cold salad), cooked collard greens (with tomato and onion) or a kale salad, corn on the cob, corn bread and texas style blueberry cobbler (frozen blueberries with a batter style topping).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'll call myself whatever I please -- that's what the end of slavery meant for us. I've got the message that I serve expensive but inedible and unappealing food and will take that into consideration when planning future menus for guests.

DCUM Gals, Thank you for opening my eyes to the painful truth.

We aim to please.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pasta (ziti or lasagna)

mac n cheese

salads (green, caesar)

garlic bread

sundae bar

Awful, fattening, no nutrient menu. Please don't listen, OP. Nothing is cheaper than green lentils. Cook some perhaps with a chunk of prosciutto and add chopped carrots and leeks and lemon-olive oil for a flavorful cold bean dish. Another easy salad involves cherry tomatoes with capers, yellow raisins, and cauliflower dressed in light oil. Think about doing a spicy chicken curry with rice or cook inexpensive fish filets in coconut milk and red peppers. Risotto prepared with stock, onion, and a heap of parmesan and butter is rich but not expensive. Perhaps add a handful of shrimp for flavor. Another standby of mine is spiced chickpeas garnished with cilantro. Finger food can be as simple as a cube of good cheese paired with a date on a toothpick or apples dabbed with goat cheese nestled in a single endive leaf. For dessert you can stew pears or oranges in wine and anise but that is more wintery. I have had success serving chocolate mousse or lemon mousse for dessert garnished simply with cream and raspberries. Or rich homemade brownies with a scoop of ice cream drizzled with raspberry coulis. Caramelized nuts and ginger cookies round out the dessert buffet.

Sorry your feelings were hurt. But you did sort of start it when you slammed this poster's sincere suggestions. DCUM can be a tough crowd!

[Anonymous]

I would do something like a chlili bar, letting people choose whatever toppings they want, and then pair that with a salad, corn bread, and some sort of chocolaty-dessert, to balance out the spiciness of the chili. Sorry, but if you have to feed that many people on a strict budget. . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll call myself whatever I please -- that's what the end of slavery meant for us. I've got the message that I serve expensive but inedible and unappealing food and will take that into consideration when planning future menus for guests.

DCUM Gals, Thank you for opening my eyes to the painful truth.

We aim to please.

You all have pleased me right off DCUM. I've posted tons during the last six years but never gotten slammed as I have for food, clothing, and dating advice in the past three months. Adieu, Bethesdans -- exeunt!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll call myself whatever I please -- that's what the end of slavery meant for us. I've got the message that I serve expensive but inedible and unappealing food and will take that into consideration when planning future menus for guests.

DCUM Gals, Thank you for opening my eyes to the painful truth.

We aim to please.

You all have pleased me right off DCUM. I've posted tons during the last six years but never gotten slammed as I have for food, clothing, and dating advice in the past three months. Adieu, Bethesdans -- exeunt!

Maybe if you used a little southern charm and weren't so snarky and stuck up, people would not have reacted the way they did. Time to look in the mirror.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you bought chickpeas lately? Or lentils. A few bucks for huge servings. Risotto is available at Trader Joe's. Chocolate mousse is made with chocolate, cream, eggs, sugar -- all ingredients easily found at Safeway or Giant. Vanilla ice cream is not budget friendly? Since when did cheese and apples become rich man's fare? Cilantro -- Giant, endive -- Giant, oranges -- Giant. If you caramelize peantus and popcorn it is cheap cheap cheap. Brownies require butter, flour, eggs, baking soda, salt, and Baker's chocolate -- let me rush to Whole Foods right away! Lemon mouse is made with heavy cream, six lemons, eggs, and sugar. For ginger cookies you need 2 tbs fresh ginger -- OMG two dollars! -- molasses, brown and white sugar, flour, cinnamon, eggs, butter, nutmeg, powdered ginger and pepper.

It is not my fault that PPs don't know the first thing about cooking good food.

More suggestions: bacon wrapped prunes roasted in the oven as a starter. Wait -- prunes must be imported by air, far too costly to consider!

Onion soup -- beef stock, butter, onions. Throw in meat or a veg for extra flavor.

All of your posts, including your initial one that called someone's suggestion of pasta and salad as being "awful, fattening. no nutrients" were either critical, argumentative, or both (see bold above). That is probably why you got slammed. If you dish it out ( no pun intended) you have to be able to take it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would do mac & cheese (I use the martha stewart recipe subbing equal parts sharp cheddar and jack cheese for the cheese, along with a spoonful of dry mustard and a little cayenne), black eyed peas cooked with peppers and onions (this could also be done as a cold salad), cooked collard greens (with tomato and onion) or a kale salad, corn on the cob, corn bread and texas style blueberry cobbler (frozen blueberries with a batter style topping).

Another good menu

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll call myself whatever I please -- that's what the end of slavery meant for us. I've got the message that I serve expensive but inedible and unappealing food and will take that into consideration when planning future menus for guests.

DCUM Gals, Thank you for opening my eyes to the painful truth.

We aim to please.

You all have pleased me right off DCUM. I've posted tons during the last six years but never gotten slammed as I have for food, clothing, and dating advice in the past three months. Adieu, Bethesdans -- exeunt!

You'll be back. In fact, I bet you are reading this right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would do mac & cheese (I use the martha stewart recipe subbing equal parts sharp cheddar and jack cheese for the cheese, along with a spoonful of dry mustard and a little cayenne), black eyed peas cooked with peppers and onions (this could also be done as a cold salad), cooked collard greens (with tomato and onion) or a kale salad, corn on the cob, corn bread and texas style blueberry cobbler (frozen blueberries with a batter style topping).

I like this alot. I'd add some meatloaf and some sweet potatoes (roasted) to this menu. If you are adventurous, try two or three types of meatloaf, one turkey, another beef/pork combo, and another veggie.

[Anonymous]

It is not my fault that PPs don't know the first thing about cooking good food.

Yep, the earlier poster nailed it. Your posts seem much more about what a great cook you are and how much better your cooking and menu planning skills are than everyone else's. They don't seem to be so much about trying to actually help the OP with her sincere question.

I use cubes for stock -- about 1.79 a box

And then you gave it away. If you're using bouillion cubes for stock, you're not such hot stuff in the kitchen either, hon. Instant salt cubes do not substitute for flavor. Especially in making risotto! (Which, BTW, can't be "good food" and also be made a day in advance. It's one or the other.)

Get over yourself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Original chili poster, yours was a helpful and thoughtful suggestion. A chili feed is a great, easy, easy-to-afford party.
You forgot the beans on your grocery list, though. (Canned--easier than dried. Just rinse them if you're salt-sensitive.)
If you're one of those Texas folks who think beans have no place in chili, then your meat budget is going to have to go up and you'll still need beans for the vegetarian.

[Anonymous]

BTW, I've never heard of shredded lettuce as a chili fixin'. Interesting. Will have to try it.
OP, if you want to splurge a little, avocado slices are also a nice chili toppin'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll call myself whatever I please -- that's what the end of slavery meant for us. I've got the message that I serve expensive but inedible and unappealing food and will take that into consideration when planning future menus for guests.

DCUM Gals, Thank you for opening my eyes to the painful truth.

We aim to please.

You all have pleased me right off DCUM. I've posted tons during the last six years but never gotten slammed as I have for food, clothing, and dating advice in the past three months. Adieu, Bethesdans -- exeunt!

You'll be back. In fact, I bet you are reading this right now.

Yes, I am. Thanks for the great sendoff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'll call myself whatever I please -- that's what the end of slavery meant for us. I've got the message that I serve expensive but inedible and unappealing food and will take that into consideration when planning future menus for guests.

DCUM Gals, Thank you for opening my eyes to the painful truth.

We aim to please.

You all have pleased me right off DCUM. I've posted tons during the last six years but never gotten slammed as I have for food, clothing, and dating advice in the past three months. Adieu, Bethesdans -- exeunt!

You'll be back. In fact, I bet you are reading this right now.

Yes, I am. Thanks for the great sendoff.

It's Bethesdians. You forgot the i - I thought you would enjoy a little spelling lesson - what is a DCUM thread with out a chiding for bad grammar or spelling.

I just call them the "beautiful people".