Summer wedding menu.....help?!


Question: I am getting married this June. We have been making good progress on the wedding plans, but I need help with the menu. It is going to be a small wedding in my parents backyard and we are doing as much as we can on our own, so we are cooking all the food. There is about 150-175 people coming and I want to find some good recipes that are not too involved and that can also be made a day or two ahead of time. My soon to be hubby's favorite thing to eat is my mom's shredded pork bbq sandwiches so that is going to be the main course. I need a few side dishes and also appetizers to go with it.
Please HELP


Answers: I am getting married this June. We have been making good progress on the wedding plans, but I need help with the menu. It is going to be a small wedding in my parents backyard and we are doing as much as we can on our own, so we are cooking all the food. There is about 150-175 people coming and I want to find some good recipes that are not too involved and that can also be made a day or two ahead of time. My soon to be hubby's favorite thing to eat is my mom's shredded pork bbq sandwiches so that is going to be the main course. I need a few side dishes and also appetizers to go with it.
Please HELP

Mini quieches (appetizer)

Ingredients:
2 batches pie crust dough
**filling of your choice for quiche**
bacon
onion
Swiss cheese
ham
mushrooms
cheddar cheese
broccoli
feta cheese
spinach
***
2 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
Prepare a pie crust. Roll out and cut in circles using a glass or round cookie cutter. Place circles in the bottom of a mini muffin pan or regular sized muffin pan. Fill with any combination of filling (bacon, mushrooms, onions, swiss cheese, ham etc.). Place the filling so it doesn't go over the lip of the crust. Beat 2 eggs and 3/4 cup sour cream. Spoon the egg mixture over the filling making so it's below the lip of the crust but covering the filling.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

These can be frozen. Defrost and reheat for 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven. They are very easy to make and delicious!


Antipasto Kabobs

an easy make ahead appetizer - my antipasta salad has always been requested whenever I go places but I wanted to dress it up a little so I made antipasta kabobs. I purchased the half size skewers (like 5-6") and put on each of them:

A slice of hard salami, folded into a triangle
A slice of deli pepperoni, folded into a triangle
A cube of provolone
Black and green olives
Pieces of tomato (or you can use cherry but they don't absorb the dressing so I don't recommend)
Red onion slice
Two pieces of tortellini or other durable pasta

Dressing:

1/2 c. Olive Oil
1/4 c. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tbsp. Basil
1 tbsp. Oregano
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

I put the skewers in a large tupperware container and pour the dressing over them and let them marinade overnight or at least for several hours, shaking them up often and sometimes I drizzle a little vinegar before serving depending upon how much dressing was absorbed.


Surprise Cheese Puffs

1/2 c Butter
2 c Grated sharp cheese
1/2 ts Salt
1 ts Paprika
1 ds Cayenne or red pepper
1 c Sifted flour
50 sm Stuffed green olives.

Allow butter to soften; blend with cheese, salt,
paprika and cayenne. Stir in flour, mixing well. Mold
1 tsp of this mixture around each olive, covering it
completely. Arrange on a baking sheet and chill until
firm. Bake in 400 oven for 15 minutes. Serve hot.
Makes 50 puffs.

VARIATION:

Fill them with black olives, dried cranberries,
and nuts


Side Dishes

Spanish Rice

2 cups long-grain white rice (Riceland)
1-2 medium green pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato & chicken bouillon (Knorr brand, "Caldo de Tomato con Sabor de Pollo", in Mexican food aisle)
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt (to taste)
4 cups water
vegetable oil (no olive oil)

Pour rice into a deep pot and stir in enough oil so that every grain is coated.
Cook rice on medium and constantly stir, using a spatula, until it becomes a light toasted color (20-25 min), be careful not to burn.
Add onion and green pepper, cook until they become soft, add more oil if needed.
Stir in tomato, cook for 2-3 minute.
Tilt pot, remove any excess oil w/ spoon.
Sprinkle bouillon and garlic salt over rice (DO NOT STIR).
Pour water over rice (DO NOT STIR), then cover.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook for 25-30 min, or until most liquid evaporated (DO NOT LIFT LID DURING THIS TIME).
Pick out large pieces of veggies w/ a fork and discard, (this step may be omitted if you chopped your veggies, I have picky eaters).
*This rice actually tastes better when cooled, and then heated in the microwave, as any remaining liquid is evaporated.
You got to calculate this for 175 people


Potato Latkes

2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large onion, grated
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream, optional
Grate the potatoes into a large mixing bowl; add the flour, baking powder and salt; stir to combine. Add onion and egg; mix well.
In a large, heavy, non-stick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Using a tablespoon, spoon potato mixture into skillet, using about 2 tablespoons per pancake. (Skillet should hold about 4 pancakes at a time.) Flatten mixture slightly with a spatula. Cook pancakes 4 minutes, then flip and cook another 4 minutes or until golden brown, crisp and cooked through.
Remove pancakes from the skillet, then transfer them to a serving platter and keep warm in a 300° F oven until serving.
Cook remaining pancakes in batches, using 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet for each batch. Serve pancakes with sour cream, if desired.
Makes 4 servings.
You got to calculate this for 175 people

If you are having bbq sandwiches then maybe you can do fries, coleslaw, baked beans,etc. Think cookout food. Also you might want to consider doing some baked chicken or hot dogs for kids and people who aren't big bbq fans.

Congrats on the big day!

Finger foods, little sandwiches of chicken,pork,beef on small crousants with lettuce tomato's and conidments. kinda make it yourself bar and say salads like egg, macironi, tuna, potato and dessert of ice cream and tarts.. iced tea (NO sugar) bar consisting of beer and wine coolers, champayne mimosas for a toast! of course a wedding cake, maybe pineapple upside down cake on side!

Take Graplet Tomatoes, Olives, mushrooms, cubed feta cheese, ham and or pepperoni. Marinate all in Fat Free Italian Dressing except meat. Skewer diff combos with party picks...Can do a couple of days in advance and put in fridge.
Use Fat free because it stays emulsified with all the taste..you can also add sweet basil , my pref.
Easy to pick up and eat and light and cool on a summer day
Best Wishes..watch out for Slaw on hot day...choose marinated slaw instead of mayo

Fresh fruits maybe made up as fruit kabobs, fresh veggies, potato salad is beautiful served in fresh tomatoes, mini quiches, grilled corn on the cob. I would just keep the menu easy and light. Maybe have an ice cream bar as well and serve lemonade?

If you would like to serve sides like coleslaw, potato salad, macaroni salad, or pasta salad - please find some way to keep them chilled, so they can stay out for people to eat, and they will be left out safely. BBQ beans, and the above are all great with shredded pork. You could also do fruit skewers (pineapple, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries).

For appetizers, you could do stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta, chips and dip, cheese, salami, ham rolls, the list is endless.

Congrats on your upcoming nuptials!

well, in my estimation, dear, a small wedding involves about 30 people, not 175!! That said, you are down to worrying about refrigeration space for things like potato salad, mac salad, fruit salad. A big pot of baked beans are good, but you will need a large electric roaster. Get alot of chips, and have veggie platters, and pickles. involve the guests too, if you can, and make it a community affair. best of luck to you





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