Need ideas for inexpensive food for 25 people

[Anonymous]

Remember those little bunsen burner rings from high school chem lab? I wonder if you could rig one under the bowl of your stand mixer ....

<just kidding. don't try this at home.>

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

And all of the above is so cheap....nothing cheaper than raspberry coulis and goat cheese in an endive leaf!

Risotto for 25?? I don't want to even think about how long that would take.

And a logistical nightmare.

I have to be in the mood to hover over a stove in order to make Risotto, it is so labor intensive and must be eaten right away or else it it is a disgusting mess.

Luckily it is so amazingly unhealthy, I hardly ever cook it. I do have slight weakness in the fall for am amazing butternut squash risotto I make, but that is an annual event.

[Anonymous]

I do have slight weakness in the fall for am amazing butternut squash risotto I make, but that is an annual event.

Ooohh--recipe?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For something similar to chili but a little more interesting, you could do turkey posole. Roast some turkey pieces a couple days ahead and make a broth. Day before add the seasonings (chili in adobo, maybe some canned enchilada sauce if you want, tomato) and the hominy. Serve with shredded lettuce and lime wedges and whatever vaguely mexican foods you like--quesadillas (prep cheese and fillings, day of brush tortillas with oil, fill, and bake on cookie sheet in the oven), chips and guacamole, taco/burrito bar, etc.

Yum! NP here. I will try this recipe. I'm assuming it is Miss Endive Lady?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Good God! She wants something inexpensive and easy to make the night before! Did you read her post? Prosciutto is expensive. Fish is expensive and cannot be made in advance. Chocolate mousse? Goat cheese and endive? Risotto cannot be made in advance! Who are you?

Sounds like the food snobs from ___schools!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For something similar to chili but a little more interesting, you could do turkey posole. Roast some turkey pieces a couple days ahead and make a broth. Day before add the seasonings (chili in adobo, maybe some canned enchilada sauce if you want, tomato) and the hominy. Serve with shredded lettuce and lime wedges and whatever vaguely mexican foods you like--quesadillas (prep cheese and fillings, day of brush tortillas with oil, fill, and bake on cookie sheet in the oven), chips and guacamole, taco/burrito bar, etc.[/quote]

Yum! NP here. I will try this recipe. I'm assuming it is Miss Endive Lady?

Or just make a pot of chili.

[Anonymous]

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.

Do you realize that many people dislike endive? I have been at large parties where the adults ate the kid food rather than your crap. The meal sounds like a basket of ingredients from CHOPPED on the Food Network.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cook a lot so I know exactly how much food costs. In fact I made pea and mint soup with brown rice and lentils and carrot slaw with those same costly Sunmaid golden raisins for lunch today.

That sounds perfectly horrid.

[Anonymous]

DCUMers aim to please!

[Anonymous]

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.

Who do you cook for, if I may ask? Genuinely curious.

[Anonymous]

Ziti with parmasen cheese and artichoke. You can buy the already marianiated artichoke, easy and pretty inexpensive. I usually dice up some tomatoes and parsley for added color.

[Anonymous]

Big platter of couscous
Veggie skewers on the grill
Chicken/beef skewers on the grill
Bread
Cookies and ice cream

Skewer the veggies, make the bread and cookies the day before. (use the 5 minute artisinal bread technique and it is easy and really good)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In a crowd of 25 people, I would assume that about 5 would like, actually LIKE lentils, another 5 -10 will pick at them to be polite, and the rest will avoid them like the plague and stop at Taco Bell on the way home.

Bwahahahaha!

This has to be right up there with the poop/plastic knife thread and the chitpotle mom posts for a good read!

[Anonymous]

Goat cheese lady - do you do catering? Since I know your meals only cost $2 here and $3 there I figure it will be a bargain. You menu sounds pretty good, although I'd like to hear about some alternatives to the lentils.

[Anonymous]

poop/plastic knife thread

Link, please!