Your menu sounds good. I'd personally skip the mac and cheese and have a fruit, veggie, cheese, dip, cracker, guac, chips tray that's really substantial. You could eat that alone, and the chili/fixings/hot dogs are plenty.

OP here, you're right. I should get a few bottles of wine, and may even have some white on hand.

Green salad sounds good, and should be easy enough I guess -- just not sure how to serve salad to 40-50 people!

Would a huge veggie tray be an acceptable substitute?

OP, you yourself will need wine....lots of it, if not something harder. Also pick up like a 12-pack of a hard cider. As for serving food that may make a mess if spelled, forget it! EVERYTHING you will serve could make a massive mess - another reason why you need to wine. Plus, if you buy too much, you can always return it.

No, you need wine. Always. The answer is always YES you need the wine.

I would personally scratch the hot cider (STICKY if it spills) and the fruit salad but keep a green salad.

OP here. The party is upon us. This will obviously not be a sit down type of party. People will be inside, outside, in the basement catching a glimpse of football, etc.

On the menu:

-beef chili
-white chicken/turkey chili
-vegetarian chili

accompaniments: macaroni, cheddar, sour cream, jalapenos, onions, fritos, corn bread

-hot dogs on the grill for chili dogs/kids

-macaroni and cheese

-fruit salad, tortillas & salsa or something else to snack on

-beer for the adults, bottled water, juice boxes for the kids, hot cider

Questions:

Am I okay w/out a salad? Can I skip the wine?

Anonymous wrote:I was thinking hot dogs are a good supplement, especially for the kids. Good call.

What about beans and franks? It would go with the chili cookout theme.

When I cook for large groups (I've cooked for as much as 75), I make large double batches and then I make multiple entree types. Agree that even if you make more than one type of chili, that you should consider something else as well, whether a sandwich platter, a mac-n-cheese (homemade mac-n-cheese is always a favorite and really easy), a stew, soup (great autumn meal component), etc.

Here's my favorite non-beef chili recipe and it's VERY popular. A few tips: definitely do chicken thighs. I've made it with chicken breasts to be healthier and it wasn't nearly as good. I use poblano peppers instead of green peppers. Canned tomatillos work fine for this recipe. And the most important rule for good chili is to use good quality chili pepper (McCormick or other chili pepper from the regular supermarket pales beside good chili pepper). This is the best chili pepper out there: http://thechileshop.com/dixonmediumhotredchilepowder.aspx I know that it's too late to order for next weekend's party, but keep this in mind for the future.

The chili recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-Chili-Verde-3012#ixzz0qqvt363P

Anonymous wrote:I haven't received my evite yet. Can you re-send?

OP here - did you check your junk mail?

I haven't received my evite yet. Can you re-send?

OP here -- it hasn't happened yet. Next weekend.

So how'd it go OP?