chipped (dried) beef dill dip

8oz each sour cream and mayo (use sour cream container to measure mayo -- less clean up)
4 oz chipped beef (or more if you like) cut up very small pieces
1 tbs dill weed
1 tbs onion powder or 1/2 cup finely diced fresh onions.

mix, cover and put in fridge to blend flavors...4 hours or so.

get LARGE loaf of peasent style bread (big round) and cut of top. hollow out to make a bowel, tear up bread removed to make small dipping pieces.

to sever...dip in bread bowl, bread pieces to side.
(large stick to beat off everyone else so it's all MINE!)

people tend to "hover" around this.

(lots of variations of this recipe on net -- search on "chipped beef dill dip")

--------------------

hmm...no one's mentioned

chicken wings w/ blue cheese dip (another heat in crock pot dish)

or

mozzarella sticks w/ marinara dip
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if have the tme (tho' labor intensive) min-quiches.

mmmm...all this food is making me hungrry! What about relish tray(broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots, pickles and olives), with the ranch dip. Chips, queso and salsa! My family also likes spinach/artichoke dip with crackers.

ON the sweet side...you could do a couple of pans of brownies and cut up in small bites, chocolate covered pretzels, too.

Good Luck!

Deffinatley can be done. Just all rally round. buy in bulk and make a lot your self. You can freeze a lot of stuff or pre make. As long as you keep a running total as you buy everything so you don't go over. Remember when you are buying in bulk especially perishables not to buy to much even if it is a good offer as it will go off.
Use the market a lot as they sell cheaper and go later in the day as they sell off cheaper to get rid. if you can buy on the day or last minute the day before.
I've done it on a budget and everybody loved it.

Donh't envy you doing the cake as well. Do you know what your going to do for it.

GOOD LUCK.

Two years ago my best friend and I catered the wedding reception of her daughter. We went to an independent supermarket and local wholesalers and inquired about purchasing the necessary grocery items in bulk, for which we received substantial discounts. What we could not buy through them we bought at discount grocery outlets and stores.

My question for the host of this topic is, does this include the beverages, or is that budgeted separately? You do not mention this, and all the posts so far, including mine, only talk about the food that is being served.

Theresa

Here's two salad recipes which please the crowds. The Broccoli Salad vegetables can be chopped ahead of time and each recipe amount stored in large ziplock bags. The dressing can be made and stored in smaller zip locks and combined with their vegetables either the night before or the day of the wedding. Plastic bags of salads stack nicely in refrigerators. Large plastic faux crystal bowls purchased at party centers for about $3.00 each are easily filled from the plastic bags. Use the same type of trick for pasta salad.

  Bertha Inbodys Broccoli Salad
This was the specialty of one of my mothers friends.
1 bunch broccoli -chopped fine
1 medium onion - diced
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
10 slices bacon- cooked and crumbled
1 cup golden raisins

Combine broccoli, onion, raisins and bacon in a large bowl. In a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar until smooth. Pour dressing over other ingredients and toss to mix. Keep refrigerated.


  Millies Pasta Salad
This is an easy summer salad. Great for picnics and potlucks.
1 lb. box corkscrew pasta-cooked and drained
8 cups vegtables -including the following:
  1 can sliced black olives-drained
  1 small bottle pimento stuffed olives-drained and cut in half
  diced broccoli
  diced onion
  diced green/red pepper
  diced celery (you can add whatever veggies sound good)
1 16 oz. bottle Italian salad dressing

Combine all ingredients, and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for several hours.

my fave and easy dip is a Taco Dip

2--8 oz blocks cream cheese softened
1 1/2 pkg of taco seasoning

mix together with you hands....its fun

then cover with taco sauce (ortega works well)
and shredded cheese to cover the top

great on tortilla chips, crackers, fingers, knives, forks...hee hee
and it doesn't matter if its name brand or store brand.

good luck...you can do it.

oh i have a great and easy veggie dip recipe too...I'll have to go get it...

Ooh, Doug! I forgot about beef dip! We made it without dill, and served with crackers as a spread, but it was always the first thing gone at each get-together!

Drinks -

Lemonade, Iced Tea, and coffee. Lemonade can be the powdered stuff, and add a can of frozen to it to add a more real texture/flavor.

Check out TPC (Thoms-Proestler Company?? I think that's its real name) for lots of stuff from meat to drink mixes to plates. They are for caterers, schools, etc to buy in bulk, and have really good prices on some things. Just be sure to check prices all around, as Sams is cheaper on some things than TPC.

Wow, I'm an event planner in Boston, and I could never make a reception happen for 100 people for $1,000, much less 400. But if you can do it where you live, I say go for it!

Does your budget include beverages, as well? If so, I'd suggest making a giant punch bowl of non-alcoholic sangria (basically just punch with sliced fruit floating in it). Always a hit!

Speaking of punch, here is a yummy recipe that makes a TON!

Luscious Slush Punch - Red/Pink

"This is without a doubt the best punch I've ever had! Makes enough for 2 punch bowls. This is our Christmas Eve punch tradition, and there is never a drop left!"
Original recipe yield: 50 (4 ounce) servings.
Prep Time:15 Minutes
Cook Time:5 Minutes
Ready In:8 Hours 20 Minutes
Servings:50
________________________________________
INGREDIENTS:
  2 1/2 cups white sugar
  6 cups water
  2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored gelatin mix
  1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice
  2/3 cup lemon juice
  1 quart orange juice
  2 (2 liter) bottles lemon-lime flavored carbonated beverage
________________________________________
DIRECTIONS:
1.  In a large saucepan, combine sugar, water, and strawberry flavored gelatin. Boil for 3 minutes. Stir in pineapple juice, lemon juice, and orange juice. Divide mixture in half, and freeze in 2 separate containers.
2.  When ready to serve, place the frozen contents of one container in a punch bowl, and stir in 1 bottle of lemon-lime soda until slushy. (*Note, I usually defrost the frozen stuff for a few hours to aid in this process...it winds up being not so slushy this way though)

Remember serving sizes, and plan for 400, and there will be extras.

1/4 lb meat pp = 100 lbs deli meats ($200-300)
20 gal baked beans (buy in bulk section, around $2/gal ($20-30)
12 gal potato salad (?? Not sure on this, says so on my chart tho - ask at the deli)
25 gal. punch/lemonade ($25)
deli rolls (I'd go with 40 dozen) ($100)
4 large tubs butter spread (Parkay) ($10)
3 industrial containers mayo ($10)

That gives deli meat sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad, punch/lemonade, and cake. I would make cream cheese mints (not a wedding without them!) and ask the church to provide coffee, as they will have everything you need. After you have the basics, use the extra money for fun ideas like others have given!

nawwwww....

none of us like to cook or plan parties.....


nawwwww

Or if you have a Farmer's Market nearby, you could get your fruit and veggies there for next to nothing compared to grocery store prices. I once did a shower with a watermelon cut-out and filled with "balled" fruit and strawberries for less than $20. Sprinkle with 10x (ever heard of it??) to bring out flavor.

Zmama

How were you able to do food for your own reception?? Please tell all...I am getting married in September and FI is trying to keep me on a very tight budget. Oh and where did you go for your honeymoon?

Wedding was Saturday. Thursday, we bought everything needed. Friday, rolled all the meats for the trays (MUCH easier to stack, but I wanted it prettier), put condiments in pretty bowls and covered, made salads, etc. Prepped everything, covered with saran, took to church kitchen so it just needed sat out. Friday night was the rehersal, and we had a decorating party afterwards to decorate for the wedding and reception. We didn't have hot foods for the wedding, but we made lasagna for the rehersal dinner with a salad. At the reception, we had the menu I described: ham and turkey, rolls, mayo and butter, baked beans, potato salad, lemonade (for the gold in the colors), and coffee.

We designed the invitations, and had them printed and cut at Kinkos. Had Thank You cards printed at the same time to match. Now, I would do this at home.

I picked a pattern and material (with help of bridesmaids) and my new mil sewed the dresses. Called in a BIG favor from a family friend, she made the cake for $150 plus we helped her out with the farm. My mil worked for the photographer, and wanted more pictures than we did, so the pictures were her gift to us. My parents gave us luggage for the honeymoon. (Neither parent was asked to fund the wedding, though I was only 18.)

Our honeymoon was done out of season, so it was 1/2 price for the room, and most other things were cheaper as well. We went to Lake Geneva, WI, which is gorgeous, and was within driving distance. Tourist season rates started May 15, and we were there May 4-10, so most things were opening up, but not busy or expensive. You might have the same luck in September.

That was my first wedding, 9 years ago. This time, we are planning a road trip around the country to see states we haven't been to, and to share our favorite finds. We are bringing a tent and a cooler and gas money, and maybe fishing poles, but that's it. The wedding and reception will be intimate, around 50 of us total. We are looking at a yacht, with orderves and dessert, CD music (no room for band or dj, which is how we can afford to rent the yacht), we are making the cakes together, and having a friend do the photography. DF's sister is a minister, so she is marrying us. The whole thing will be less than $4000, including honeymoon.

Any more questions, PM me!

I haven't posted much here but this topic totally has my interest

I'm in NY (Long Island) and we were able to do our reception for $2000 with alcohol for 300. I figure me being in LI- well you can half our cost and be able to do most other places Gotta love NY

Anyway- I had a friend of mine do the cake- which she made as my gift so I didn't have to pay for it- but we did have a rather expensive DJ- which if we cut him out the cost would have been only 1300. The hall cost us 300 to rent & they provided Beer wine & soda for an extra 250.

For Food we had:

Baked Ziti (It really goes a LONG way and sauce is inexpensive- just make sure you buy the cheese in bulk at Costco)

Sausage & Peppers

Shepards Pie- a family recipe and it feeds a lot- we used plain old chop meat & not lamb even though our recipe calls for it)

Teriaki Veggies

Eggplant Parm


We made everything at my BIL's firehouse (with the help of some probies doing a lot of pepper/onion cutting) and actually had a ball doing it. My BIL brought everything to the hall in his pickup the morning of.

I hope it works out for you!

My SIL got married in March and got a bunch of dip recipes from her friend's mom (her second mother). They just got together a couple of days before the wedding and made the dips. Bought pretzels and veggies from Costco. I can't remember them all but my fav was the cut up French bread with spinach dip. Yum! I was helping to serve and everyone seemed to love them all.

loves2bake has a great idea about going to the farmer's market, so let's make it a little better --

If you go about an hour before they close, you can usually get perishable food items at prices discounted even farther. They do this at the local farmer's markets near me, and my family lovingly calls it the Feeding Frenzy!

I have purchased whole cases of produce for $5 each during this time period. One year I bought 5 cases of Roma (plum) tomatoes, and made enough home-made sauce for the entire year!

Theresa

I make spinach roll ups that are really great, no real recipe, but I can tell you how it's done...

spinach (cooked) cream cheese, and butter all mixed up. I add garlic and salt and pepper. Spread it out over pastry dough. Roll it up, wrap in wax paper and put in a bag and freeze. Whenever you need an appetizer, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, pull out the roll, slice it and lay them out on the pan (they don't expand much so you can put a lot on a pan) and bake until golden.

I always have some in my freezer in case someone shows up.

I went to one wedding that they had a chocolate fountain and had strawberries, graham crackers, pretzels and pineapple chunks to dip in it. It's not too costly if you have a chocolate fountain -well, except for the fruit if it's not in season, but you could substitute for apples. With a handy dandy michaels coupon you could get a small one pretty cheap too.

Look on the net for cooking for a crowd sites.
Some notes/charts I've picked up...
--
Planning Party Platters As a personal chef and caterer, I think I can help. Here are a few guidelines:
* Beverages - 8 ounces per person or a 3-pound can of coffee equals 300 servings
* 4 ounce portions of the 4 food groups equals 1 pound per person
* 4 ounces meat (ham, turkey, roast beef, meatballs, chicken or fish). With a sit-down meal, figure 6-8 ounces per person of an entree.
* 4 ounces of potato salad or regular salad (potato salad, coleslaw, macaroni salad, scalloped or Au Gratin Potatoes) * 4 ounces of another vegetable (carrots or green beans) * 4 ounces of dessert
* Therefore, 20 people will need 5 pounds from each food group. 40 people will need 10 pounds from each food group, etc.
This is based on the average eater. Kathleen
-
Insights for Lowering Price
My husband is a catering director and while there are factors like budget, time of day, etc. the guidelines are around 10 to 15 bites per person.
If you are trying to save money, have your party mid-day after lunch and before dinner. That way you can plan for fewer bites per person. If you have a party around dinnertime (approximately 7 p.m.) then plan on more bites.
Also, if you are doing actual bites, like little bite sized brownies and such, plan on more for dessert. People have a tendency to keep nibbling on them. If youre thinking budget wise, have a cake or something where you aren't just nibbling. People will think twice before going for a third piece of cake, but they don't think about the 20 brownie bites they nibble on as they pass the food table.
Also, I've always seen better success with more food, as opposed to less, but more expensive food. Most people are happy with finger sandwiches and don't care so much that you spent $500 on caviar.
Stickler
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Swedish Meatballs for a Crowd

30 lbs. hamburger
15 eggs
5 qt. warm milk
5 qt. dry breadcrumbs
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. allspice
1/2 c. salt
1/3 c. onion
2 tbsp. pepper
1/2 c. nutmeg
Mix all ingredients well. Use scoop #16 and brown on large 18 x 26 inch trays.
Lift into deeper pans and cover with very brown gravy.
Cover and bake 1 hour at 300 degrees. Serves 150 (2 each).

Gravy:
3 1/2 gal. broth or water
1/2 c. beef base
1 c. brown sauce
3/4 c. salt
2 tbsp. pepper
Thicken with Roux made from butter/flour.
------
Tea Sandwiches for a Crowd
When you need to make small tea sandwiches for a crowd, here is a general guide line.
The following amounts make enough sandwiches for 300 people, about 800 small
sandwiches in total!!! Now this is for a Tea NOT a Luncheon. This will allow about 3 small sandwiches per person. Suitable for an afternoon Wedding, Funeral, or a Social Tea at a School or a Church.

Amounts that you will need for Finger, Ribbon or Rolled sandwiches.

12 large sandwich loaves, sliced lengthwise, (get the bakery to do this)
order ahead of time 6 white and 6 brown loaves and have them sliced to order.

A variety of fillings.

4 dozen eggs, hard boiled - make a filling with salad dressing and seasonings.

1 lb. of ham or roast beef, ground - mix with salad dressing, ground sweet pickles and a little bit of pickle juice.

1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese - Mix with salad dressing, spread on bread, sprinkle with well drained chopped maraschino cherries. Make into rolls.
(Need 12 oz. jar red, 6 oz. jar green cherries)

1 1/2 lbs. Velveeta - Mix with salad dressing, make into rolls with dill slices or
olives, (takes about 4 per slice)

3 tins of shrimp - Mix with salad dressing, roll.

2 large tins of salmon - mix with chopped celery, salad dressing and seasoning. Roll
centered with a well drained dill spear.

These should be tightly rolled in wax paper (it seems to keep them better than plastic wrap) and refrigerated until cut.
Makes approx. 800 tiny sandwiches.
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Sorry if this is long. Hope it helps!

Growlies is a great site for cooking for a crowd. they have recipes for 100 and 150. Here's the link:

http://members.tripod.com/~lotsofinfo/index.html

Theresa

Well, I have a very very very large Spanish family and no they do not believe in just appetizers. But we can put a party for 500 and not spend so much and still have tons of food left over.

1st- the idea that everyone has said, use your Costco, Sam's, BJ's (whatever is in your area) that works well. But use with caution, because they usually sell you higher or more known brands and they can get pricey.

2nd - We have supermarkets that have food courts. Well, they usually have the special of the day. Example- On Sat and Sun. our market sells those 3 foot sandwiches for $8.00. You can pick Ham, Turkey or Roast Beef. they also add all the toppings you want, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, mayo, mustard..... you get point. Well, cut in half lengthwise and then about every two inches you get your "finger sandwiches" without all the time consuming process.

3rd- We are "friends" with a chinese restaurant owner, if the party is on Saturday for example we go Friday night and ask what can we get a good deal on. We have walked out with trays of appetizers for about $20.00 each and I am talking about your turkey trays!!!!! You can also try your local bakery for bread, rolls and/or bread sticks. Do all this the day before. That is key. And no it is not "Day Old" anything. Because you don't want to be running around the day of, so you would pick it up the day before regardless even if you ordered it.

I don't know if you have access to a meat slicer, but that is something that will save you lots of money too.

Of coarse like you have heard already, your farmers market are good, but we live near a lot of farms and we go directly and get fresh veggies and fruits for almost nothing.

Make a "menu" regardless of the fact that it isn't a sit down dinner. It will help keep you within some guidelines, and that is KEY. Also look for foods that you can get the most bang for your buck.. Pasta salads are a great hit, sandwiches, fruit, veggies, and even seafood. (I live in Massachusetts so seafood tends to be a little cheaper in this area than in some other areas- but it never hurts to look around your local market for the sale of the week, we have gotten shrimp for $3.99 a pound and they were a good size and taste great.)

and TALK, talk to everyone that you can. My mom just had her 25th anniversary on July 1st and she kept telling everyone that she bumped into that it was her anniversary and plenty of people were so happy for her that she kept getting good "deals" on all sorts of things, she even got 3 yes I said Three dozen Rose for - get this $20.00. I wasn't there so I don't know how she did it but my dad said there was no stopping her. It worked out to her advantage.

Good luck and please let us all know how it all turns out.

And OH Doug, I feel you. Here I am a Brooklyn girl - Huge Yankee Fan in Red Socks Nation. "There is No place like Home, There is no place like home." I miss the thin crust. Lucky for me my husband drives me into NY every now and than just for PIZZA, oh yeah just for pizza and chinese and shish kabobs, and fresh bread and pretzel; yummy food and than we go back home. Freeze it all and eat a little at a time until the next trip. Oh time for a trip!!!!!! lololoololo

Vic

Hope I could help, and sorry for it being so long.

You did not mention if you were going to be responsible for the other things at a reception. Keeping platters refreshed, restocking punch etc..Clean-up. Normally you should figure 2 people for every 50 guests. I am assuming that you are doing all the food as a favor to your friend. Since you are doing the cake also, I would break down your items that you are having and delegate one or 2 people to prepare that item. Food for that many people is alot of work no matter what you are having. I just did a catering for 200 people, I had 4 people. We started on Friday at 10:00A.M. and finished most of the food prep at midnignt. We started back up on Saturday morning at 11 and was ready to load up and get to the reception by 2. The wedding was at 6. I do not buy already made up food. Everything is from scratch, which is time consuming. I also had a 6 tier cake and the grooms cake. We kept things refreshed, cut cake, picked up after the guests, we also had to clean up our area, sweep and mop. We got home at 11 P.M. I pay my staff well for their efforts, because it is alot of work.Because of the time restraints on food, you have to remember that food should not be out any longer then 2 hours. Especially things like chicken salad, so your timing is crucial. Remember to keep cold food cold, and hot food hot. Since your trying to serve 275 to 325 you'll have to be very creative and frugal. Good Luck. GET SOME HELP!!

When I got married 15 years ago, we did it all for $1500. That was for everything. Of course, my mom made all the dresses and the cakes, as well as cooking for the rehearsal dinner.





This is a favorite in my family for appetizers. You can make them up well in advance, and just freeze and reheat when you need them.

Mini Mexican Quiches:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 C. all purpose flour
1 C. Monterey Jack cheese, grated
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained
2 eggs
1/2 C. whipping cream

IN a mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese. Add flour, beat until well blended. Shape into 24 balls, cover and refrigerate for one hour. Press balls into the bottom and up the sides of greased mini muffin cups. Sprinkle a rounded tsp. of cheese and 1/2 tsp. chilies into each cup. In a bowl, whisk together the whipping cream and eggs. Spoon evenly into each shell. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

I just got married in April and my husband and I paid for everything. A lot of things were purchased over the long engagment we had, so I have been shopping and storing for years. The food, beverages, flowers, and cakes were of course done the week before the wedding. I spent $200.00 on the fresh roses and fillers (over 150 roses). I purchased them at local flower shop that sells flowers to go. there may be a place around your home that does that. Also ask for florist discounts, they may give you the discount because you are buying in quantity. I made both the wedding and grooms cakes both cakes served 200 guests. I pruchased all of my food stuff from Sam's. It's worth the membership to get the items. I did not have hot foods at the reception(too hot in Texas).
We made chicken salad sandwiches and we purchased "Shaved" ham from the local grocer. Shaved goes futher. We got about 5 lbs of meat for $3.99 lb. All of the other foods were bought at Sam's. I had fruit salad we bought veg. trays at sam's for $9.99 that serves 20 people it comes with ranch dip. I also had chips and salsa. I made a cheese puffed pastry and purchase the premade pasry cups at the grocery store. They were 1.29 for 15 cup and the week before the wedding they discounted them to .89 cents. we se bought more. A friend gave me some Alaskan smoked salmon to make a spread and served on pita chips. It was a hit very easy to make. A lot of hard work the week of the wedding, but we couldn't have had the type and the ooo's and aaah's from our guests, if we had some one else to it. Good luck
s

My mother has owned her own catering business for over 35 years, and we (her and I ) make everything ourselves. You definitly can do it for under $1000, but the best thing to keep in mind is simple is better. Many think that finger food or apitizers are cheaper and easier, but thats not always the case, you can make and serve a simple meal with a lot less work for a whole lot less. homemade meatballs can be made ahead and frozen, pretty good mashed pot. and gravy mixes can be bought at a resturant supply like gorden foods, also precut tossed salad or make your own fruit salad, rolls and butter, and a hot vegie. just a thought.

I am new to posting on forum. But this one caught my eye. We got married 8 yrs. ago. My first his second and I had a son who was 7. So we were strapped for money. We made it work for around $500 for around 200 people. I bought my knock off dress at a local shop for $80. When I went shopping for the dress it was $600 plus more because I am not a small woman. I totally flipped when I found the dress. It was to big but I found some to take it in for cheap. We got my husbands tux for $80 and my sons was free because of the other tuxes. We had a small country church wedding. My husbands family were member so no rental there. Our reception was at an Eagles club my cousin worked at and got me a discount $50 DJ $100. We had lived toghether for 6 yrs before and didn't need gifts so my family made or donated food for reception. My aunt made our beautiful cake I only paid about $10 for ingredients. She told me what she needed way ahead of time so I got store specials. My sister worked in a store deli. So her gift was sandwiches Ham Salad and Egg Salad. I bought the buns at old home our day old bakery for about $10. She also got the salads. My other sister made the dresses for brides maids (My friend and my niece) flower girl and a candle lighter. They paid for the fabric as there gift to us. Punch was a simple mix of frozen juice and gingerale. Probably only a couple of dollars on sale for it. The hall supplied the coffee.Our family was perfectly fine about buying there own booze as well as ours Our family was just so happy we were getting married we didn't really have to ask for them to pitch in they just did. I know they got there money worth because there wasn't a dry eye in the church and everyone told us how beautiful the ceremony was. We included my son. As well as our marriage vows we exchanged necklaces with our son to become one as a family. And we are now we have a little girl who will turn 8 in october. So a huge reception and a wedding is not necessary. The memories are what is important. Ours was a simple wedding at a small country church and that is all they remember I hope this helps Kay