EEEK!! Cooking for 20 for 3 days!

[cbayer]

I am hosting my father's 80th birthday this weekend. There will be 16 adults and 4 children.

Our cooking facilities will be very limited - outdoor grills, one range top and one microwave.

We will use the restaurant for the "Big Event" on Friday night and for a farewell brunch on Sunday, but all other meals will be planned by me and then prepared as a group.

To top it off, we have 1 Vegan, two, vegetarians, one on an Atkins diet and a child who won't eat anything with butter or cheese (!??!?!).

So this is my plan so far:

Breakfast (2): French toast, bacon. Blueberry pancakes, sausage. Both meals with fruits and juices.

Lunch: Make your own at breakfast and take it off on your adventure. Coldcuts, cheeses, fruits, chips.

Dinners (2): Ka-bobs - chicken or mushrooms and other veggies, rice, fruit salad. Tacos - pork or bean, caesar salad, corn on the cob.

I would really appreciate any advice from those that have done this before. I will need to do the shopping today and tomorrow.

I am skeered.

:scared:

[The empressof all]

1. Looks like you got a good handle on things

I'd buy as much pre made as possible. I'd probably go with Burgers, Hot Dogs and Veggie Patties instead of the Kabobs just to make it easier. You also might want to check with a local deli to do some salads for you. Is there a Costco where you are? You can get some great pre made platters or large re heat and eat trays.

You also might want to think about just offering bakery items and cereal for one of the breakfasts. People don't really eat hot breakfasts every day. If you have a great bakery around...get some scones, rolls, danish some butter and a nice jam. I'd put fruit and cottage cheese out as well.

[cbayer]

2. Good ideas. I am in a very small town with one very small grocery store.

We will leave in a day or two to go back to the harbor where the gathering will take place, and they have a teeny, weeny, very expensive store for supplies.

I can't get a lot here, but I think your idea about cereal and bakery items is terrific. I have limited refrigerator space and only a few pots and pans.

I like the burger/dogs idea, too. I was thinking kabobs because I could just cut up the items, then let people build and cook their own.

My life is so stress free these days, but this whole thing is stressing me out.

:pals:

[noamnety]

3. Your breakfast & lunch seems very anti-vegan

unless you are doing vegan versions of french toast and pancakes. Normally both would have eggs, your side is meat, and there's not much in the fruit and juice that would hold the vegans/vegetarians til dinner.

I would look at adding a vegan bread and better-than-cream-cheese, or soy yogurt, or oatmeal, or a cereal with almond milk option so those people get their needs met as well.

[cbayer]

5. Thank you very much. I hadn't thought about the whole issue of eggs.

I will see if I can find some vegan pastries and will definitely get a few soy yogurts. My husband loves rice milk, so we will have that on hand.

Much appreciated!

:hi:

[noamnety]

8. Watch for honey, too.

When my newly vegan daughter came home from college, I got stuff to make a really nice fruit salad. We worked in the kitchen together cutting things up, she turned her back on me for 5 minutes, and when she turned back I was tossing a dressing of honey and lemon juice on it. She was crushed. I didn't realize at the time that honey isn't considered vegan.

[cbayer]

10. Honey? I had no idea. Glad you said something, because my fruit salad was going

to contain honey. It was also going to contain yogurt, but I figured that one out while I was making the shopping list.

:hi:

[tigereye]

4. good luck! I can't offer any better advice than Empress did, although maybe

a broccoli/rice type dish might be good for the vegan/veggie folks and tide them over... when I had my 50th birthday a few years back I was able to order this dish from the local grocery/prepared foods section and it was a good one for folks who can't eat the meat/dairy/conventional party/group-type foods. And since you have a grill, maybe grilled veggies like yams, potatoes, broccoli, mushrooms that fit with your kebab model, etc that people could help you grill, or with some marinade...


Sounds like a lot of fun!

[cbayer]

6. Good ideas on the grilled veggies and a rice/veggie dish.

I hope this is fun. Right now, I feel totally overwhelmed with it all. Just getting them over to this island is tricky.

I will be most happy when we all get together for brunch on Sunday and put them all on the ferry home.

:hi:

[Warpy]

7. Right, portobello veggie kabobs can be scrumptious

but don't be surprised if some non vegans go for them.

[cbayer]

9. I am hoping the local store has portobellos. If not, I hope they have some kind

of mushrooms.

And, I am sure you are right, they will appeal to many non-vegans.

:hi:

[hippywife]

11. A few ideas:

Breakfast:
Here's a vegan breakfast recipe everyone can enjoy:

Banana French Toast
http://www.chooseveg.com/display_recipe.asp?recipe=107

Maybe having muffins for one of the days. http://www.chooseveg.com/display_recipe.asp?recipe=34



The idea of having a few soy yogurts and dry cereals with soy or almond milk and fruit is a good one, too.

Lunch: Add a peanut butter and simple fruit preserves option for the vegan and veggies, some carrots, celery, jicama sticks, sliced cukes along with the fruits. Chips and pretzels, I'm not sure but you might want to watch some of the ingredients, but should be okay. Maybe some mixed nuts for another source of protein for general snacking.

Dinner:
Maybe switch the tacos idea to small vegan flour tortillas and have vegetarian refried beans (traditional ones are made with lard.) Mix a good fresh tasting salsa and a little garlic into the beans. Your omnivores can eat these items also and not miss anything. Or just go with black beans instead of refried and mix a great corn, black bean, avocado, chopped green onion and grape tomato salad tossed with a little salt, pepper, garlic, and fresh lime juice. This will be really fresh and delicious and a great filling for the flour tortillas whether they are eating meat or not. I wouldn't wander into vegan cheeses. Many vegans don't care for them either and should be just fine with the bean salad. Have regular shredded cheeses and sour cream for the omnivores. Fresh tasting is the key and this will show you put some thought into satisfying everyone.

Grilled veggies and fruits are great! Pineapples and peaches would be wonderful grilled. You can make wonderful veggie kabobs with any kind of mushroom, grape or cherry tomatoes, onion, peppers, potatoes (bake a few ahead, cool and refrigerate, then cut into cubes.) Make a simple but tasty vinaigrette to marinate them in and brush on them while they grill just as you would a meat kabob.

Both meals, have a big tossed green salad with all kinds of great stuff chopped into it: celery, onions, olives, tomatoes, cukes, almonds, carrots, strawberries, clementine wedges, with a great light vinaigrette. This should go a long way in feeding everyone well with whatever else you're preparing as the main dish.

Good luck! :hi:

[cbayer]

12. Great ideas all the way around. Thanks so much for taking the time to do this!

I love the french toast recipe and will use it. I can't make enough muffins in my small oven, but I think I will have a few of the children help me make some bread.

Peanut butter and Jelly! Genius! And the kids will like them as well. I had planned to have cruidte veggies available for packed lunches. And a variety of nuts. I am also going to pick up granola bars.

I love the soft taco idea and I will make sure to get vegetarian beans. I will probably have some pulled pork as an alternative. The corn salad sounds perfects as well.

For the kabobs, I was planning to just have all the ingredients ready to go and let people build their own skewers. You added a few things I had not thought of.

We could also make skewers of fruits for dessert. Kids will love that.

Whew! I will be glad when this is over. Thank you again for taking the time to help me out!

:hi:

The big salad is a definite go and I will put several dressings on the side.

[hippywife]

13. You can also

chop some small pieces of apple into the tossed salads and top them off with those little Chinese rice noodles for some crunch.

Another good salad idea is just a whole mess of tomatoes, onions, and cukes chopped up and tossed in olive oil and vinegar. Very refreshing and would give you something different to serve than the same tossed salad both nights.

That bean and corn salad is so awesome, I can sit there and eat tons of if with good tortilla chips.

Glad I could help. Vegetarian/vegan isn't all that hard if you keep to fresh foods.

Have a good time and don't sweat it TOO much. You'll do just fine. :hug:

[cbayer]

14. Thanks, hippywife! I so appreciate the support. My husband will have nothing to

do with food (other than eat it), so he hasn't been much help.

And if the guests need something else, there is a cafe and a small store. Pricey, so I am trying to avoid it, but if they want something I don't have, it is available.

Thanks for the support. I will report back on how it goes!

:hug:

[pengillian101]

15. I would really appreciate any advice from those that have done this before. I will need to do the sh

First off, mellow out. Your Dad would appreciate that, for certain.

You've got pals here, let's figure it out together, eh? I'm in :-)

[cbayer]

16. Good advice! I have completed my shopping and have my meal plans in place, and

I feel much better.

Now I am stressing about the weather, because all these people need to get over to an island and most events will be outside, but that's a whole different story.

Once they are all here, I assure you I will be quite mellow. It's gong to be a wonderful and memorable weekend.

I got lots of good advice here, and I truly appreciative.

:hi:

[pengillian101]

17. Oh good, then!

Feeling better is a great thing, eh? You live on a boat, if I remember right, so that's why I was kinda freaking out along with ya in sympathy, lol!

Island dining - you are for sure good to go! Gads, I am so wishing I was there with you.

Pick me up on your next visit through the Great Lakes on the way to northern MN - I'll be waiting...

:hi:

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

18. Make a big pot

of hearty veggie soup. Cook up some meat on the side (chicken etc) so the carnivores don't feel deprived.
With grated cheese and bread to go with the soup, you can relax with a simple, low cost, tasty meal for the clan........

[hippywife]

19. Are you gonna

give us an update on how thing went. Hope all was well. :hi:

[cbayer]

20. I am in full blown recovery phase and do not plan to leave my bed today!

It went great. Just great.

Everyone had a wonderful time. I had too little of some things and too much of others, but there was always food available.

I ended up doing a cold breakfast one day, which was much easier and just fine with everyone.

The idea of having lunch fixings available at breakfast for packing picnics was a huge hit.

We used paper plates and cups and then saved them all up for the evening's campfire. Kids loved this.

I made large containers of iced tea, lemonade, sangria and had boxed wines. My dear husband actually made espressos and cappuccino's to order in the mornings.

I washed and reused the plastic silverware and cups.

I had just enough help. The women helped chop and mix. The men helped get everything back and forth from the boat and built the fires (some sex roles just don't die!).

For future reference, I have these great enamled cast iron pots. I would heat everything at home, wrap it in a towel and then sit it on the edge of the fire when we were ready to eat. Worked great.

One last thing - I made a very large (and very tasty) cheese ball which became the repeating joked at every meal. The word was that the party would not be over until the cheese ball was gone.

Anyway, thanks so much for everyone's help. It was a wonderful, wonderful wekkend and I am exhausted.

:grouphug:

[hippywife]

21. Sounds like you've earned a little down time.

Glad it all went so well and everyone enjoyed themselves.

Get your rest. You deserve it. :hug:

[pengillian101]

22. How fun!

"One last thing - I made a very large (and very tasty) cheese ball which became the repeating joked at every meal. The word was that the party would not be over until the cheese ball was gone."

Most of my remaining family from Mom's side is also getting together in a couple months at a B&B - updated and renovated that was previously owned by our ancestors when it was a farm. Whole place is rented - house, the huge barn renovated into a B&B and a chicken coop been turned into a bed and bath.

Glad you had such fun - I can't wait till June!

Food - eh? No clue.

:hi:

[tigereye]

24. ah, so nice to hear it went well- sounds like so much fun!

thanks for sharing your experience! :D

[Phentex]

23. I've been waiting for an update!

You really had your act together. I'm glad it went well for you and it's nice to have just enough help. :)

[undergroundnomore]

25. sounds like you have your

hands full. I think the blueberry pancakes sound great.