Hosting a bridal shower and making the food myself?

Any recipes out there for 100 people? LoL I know im crazy but I dont want to hire a caterer. I know people have done this too. I would like recipes for main dishes, appitizers and deserts. I will have kids there too so hopefully you guys can help with non picky foods :)

Hosting a bridal shower and making the food myself?
A big pot of lil smokies and/or meatballs are always good.





Keep warm in a crock pot or two.





1 bag of (frozen swedish meatballs)


2 can of cranberry sauce (not the one w/ the cranberries in it)


2 jar of coctail sauce





Melt the sauces... add frozen balls (or smokies)


Heat thouroughly.


These are delicious and no one will EVER guess the ingredients!!
Reply:I found the perfect source for great recipes for a large groups... the cook at a local assisted living center. He had several books for quanity cooking and was happy to share the recipes for favorites.


I served Texas Sheet Cake made on half-sheet baking pans. They were only $10 at the local restaurant supplier and I have found many uses for the pans since.





My Mother and I did all the food for both my sisters weddings.. no caterer.. and no cold salads, baked beans, chips and barbeque. All were impressed.
Reply:Do sloppy joe's and a tuna or chicken salad...they are easy and can feed a lot of people!! Chips, pickles and so forth too obviously.
Reply:Since you're including kids, how about some type of pasta, served either cold or at room temperature? For the cold, go for a pasta salad w/ vegies, grilled chicken and italian dressing. For the room temp, saute some garlic in olive oil, toss w/ broccoli and pasta.





Pasta is inexpensive and everybody loves it! 100 people is a lot to cook for. Keep it simple, use your slow cookers, and ASK FOR HELP from your friends and family!!!





For dessert, why not go for cupcakes? You can make at least 24 from a box of cake mix. You can get one of those display trees at your craft store, then place the others on trays!
Reply:This recipe always goes over GREAT when I have company! You can multiply it for your amount of people. This recipe will fill one 8X10 baking dish. I usually make 2 for 30 people, but it depends on the appetites (since it will be all women, you may just have to times it by 4) and how much other food you have. And I make one with onions and one without, fussy eaters in my family!





Heavenly Cheese Potatoes:


1 pt half and half


1/2 cup chopped onions


8oz shredded cheddar cheese


1c Velveeta cheese, cubed


1 bag (2 lbs) frozen southern style hash browns





1. Place frozen hash browns in a greased 13x9 pan


2. In a saucepan, combine all other ingredients and heat until the cheeses all melt


3. Pour cheese sauce over frozen potatoes


4. Let stand at room temp 1 hour


5. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until bubbly
Reply:Rent a chocolate fountain for desert. Have several foods to dip in.
Reply:My first suggestion is not to make every item from scratch. I do some catering for friends %26amp; family and have found that some homemade items mixed with some store bought items work very well and will save you a lot of time and will help you keep your sanity.





I'm not sure where you're writing from, but if you have access to a Sam's or Costco warehouse store, you can get large quantity frozen appetizers, or various finger-foods. If you don't have access to those stores, even your local grocery store will have some high-quality frozen options. Many of these same shops have large quantity desserts like chocolate eclairs or cream puffs that you just need to thaw %26amp; serve.





If that's not an option, try an antipasto platter with cheeses, thinly sliced genoa salami, roasted red peppers (from a jar), olives, etc... served with slices of french bread. That way you don't have to "make" the food, just put it on a platter. Also, another easy but filling thing to make in bulk is to purchase frozen puff pastry, let it thaw per package directions and then cut it into small squares and bake them in mini muffin tins to make puff pastry cups. Fill with chicken salad purchased from a favorite deli. Top with a little fresh dill.





Some other ideas... tea sandwiches of any sort like cucumber %26amp; herbed cream cheese, turkey %26amp; avacado, ham %26amp; cheese, etc... use different types of bread to distinguish between the different sandwiches. Cut off the crusts %26amp; cut into wedges. Get some friends to help... make an assembly line %26amp; it'll go pretty quickly. Make a day ahead and store in fridge in zipper bags.





Roasted chicken bites are easy. Buy sliced ham from the grocery store %26amp; some fresh basil. Buy bulk boneless, skinless chicken breasts, Season w/a bit of salt %26amp; pepper and your favorite seasoning blend. Put on a sheet pan %26amp; bake at 375F for about 25 min or till done. Let cool slightly and then cut into bite-sized chunks. With cocktail toothpicks, skewer a bit of fresh basil and then a bite sized bit of ham and, finally the chicken chunk. Easy, tasty %26amp; filling. You can substitute other favorite ingredients if you like such as a bit of Swiss cheese, or a bit of tomato, or whatever you like.





You could make mini "gourmet" pizzas like this: Buy Pillsbury refrigerated pizza dough %26amp; lay it flat on a cutting surface. Use a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter and cut out as many rounds as you'll need. Put them on a disposable foil baking sheet or a regular sheet lined with foil or parchment for easy cleanup. Top with a variety of different toppings. You can make a dozen of a few different types. Try smoked mozzarella with prosciutto, or goat cheese and and veggies, or purchased pesto with roasted chicken, etc... Bake and they're ready to go. They're fine served at room temp and people really love them.





Something like lasagna works nicely if you want to do the plate %26amp; fork type meal rather than finger foods. You can buy foil baking pans at a party store and make a few lasagnas ahead of time and just heat up the day of the party.





For dessert, you can buy tiny little tartlet shells in specialty markets %26amp; some regular grocery stores. You can fill these with just about anything. For a fruit tart, put a bit of vanilla pudding or custard in the bottom %26amp; top with blueberries, strawberries, kiwi, whatever. For lemon tarts, buy prepared lemon curd and fill. Top with a tiny dollop of whipped cream. For chocolate, just fill with a bit of high quality chocolate pudding and top with a bit of whipped cream %26amp; a chocolate chip on top. Etc... Again, I lean toward making finger food type items to make it easier on both you %26amp; your guests. You can make small-sized chocolate chip cookies ahead of time, or any favorite cookie. Mini cupcakes are all the rage nowadays as well for showers.





Just use your imagination, do some research, use pre-made items, and don't forget to have fun! You're a good friend to do this for the bride to be. She's lucky to have you as a friend!!
Reply:Sure! go to foodnetwork.com to get some appetizer and dessert ideas. And if you see any recipes for good foods (usually for baby showers, food that are easy to handle like wing dings are good), and multiply the recipe ingredients!





Also, fingers sandwiches, swedish meatbals on toothpicks, a veggie and chip and dip tray (sour cream and onion soup mix dip always works at my showers for a quick snack them).


Have a selection of tea and basic coffee (offer decaffinated as well) after the meals of course with dessert.





Salads ( like potato salad and tossed salad) are always good fillers and serve alot of people (remember to make this the night before and keep it chilled) Fry or barbecue some chicken wing dings (they come sectioned in a bag so all you have to do is thaw, season and cook them). You can buy brownie bites from your local bakery or Whole Foods. Check out Food Network if this is not up to your speed.
Reply:One of the easiest appetizers for a big crowd is BBQ cocktail smokies. My recipe for the sauce is 1 bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce and 1 jar of red jam or jelly (currant or red plum works best). Put this in the crock pot with as many smokies as you can fit/afford and heat them on low.





Do this, maybe some sort of mini-sandwiches or other meat appetizer, plus a veggie tray a fruit tray, nuts %26amp; mints, and cake. If you have the time and inclination, you can make little holders for the mints out of napkins %26amp; tiny safety pins that look like diapers. If you don't know how to fold them, google it and there are probably instructions or diagrams online.





For punch, the old sherbet %26amp; ginger ale punch in a flavor/color that goes with the decorations is a classic.





Keep the food simple like that, and try to enlist at least some kitchen help the day of the shower.





Good luck!
Reply:For my sisters bridal shower, I made big crockpots of meatballs with this really delicious sauce.


You buy the premade frozen meatballs and then on the stove (for each crockpot you make) you mix together 1 in a half jars of honey barbecue sauce and one in a half jars of apricot preserves until they boil, stirring it continiously and then you pour over the meatballs and let them cook. The meatballs absorb so much flavor from this and they are sooooo delicious and it is something that takes 5 minutes to prepare and then you can forget about it and focus on something else :)