Dig out the recipe books folks...it's cooking time!

[Riles]

Okay people, I'm looking for something yummy, something new, something hot and spicy or rich and creamy, something sooooooooooo delicious that your taste buds are going to start a rebellion if you don't finish every last morsel.

Sooooo, pull out your cookbooks, the scraps of paper you furiously scribbled ingredients down on, the relic swatches of parchment from ol' granny's kitchen...cause I need em!

I'm taking on the daunting task of throwing a 50th birthday dinner for my parent, and I've got rsvp's for 15 people (just something small I said to my sibling who mailed out the invites...grrrrrrrrrrr, this is a little bigger then I had anticipated.) and NOW I have to figure out what on earth I am going to feed all these people.

I considered catering...and I still might. You are my last hopes. I still want something formal, lord knows I've thrown enough corn roasts and bbq's in my short years...I want something different this time. SO...if you have any ideas on "themes", let me know please.

And yes, I have a place big enough to sit all these folks down at one table, I had to get creative with the dining room...but I did it!

Alright, so off you go, find the mystery recipe that will forever make me sing your praises...are you ready?

Set...

GO!

 

[SkyBluAngelEyes]

Ok... something formal...

Have you thought of cooking up a batch of Chicken Cordon Bleu?

Those really aren't that hard to make and can be made a day ahead, I think.

 

[Weird Harold]

15 + you sounds like a crowd

This is the only recipe I've got for feeding a crowd.


---
(From The Wild Game Cookbook)

MOOSESTEW FOR A CROWD

1 dead moose cut into plate sized slabs
25 lb. dried pinto beans
15 loaves white balloon bread
1 jar _garlic salt

SALAD:

lettuce
1 can 10-50 weight penzoil
55 gallons water

MISC. SUPPLIES:

1/2 cord mesquite wood
1 wooden kitchen match

20 lb. sack onions
1-5 lb. can coffee
I- box salt
1- can pepper
smith-wesson 44 magnum
280 semi jacketed hollow point bullet

Put bullet in Smith Wesson. Shoot the moose with it. Skin the dead moose and cut it up into steaks.

Stack the 1/2 cord of mesquite. Light with wooden kitchen match. Put the 55 gal. of water on to boil. Dump the 25 lb. of pinto beans in to soak while water heats. Throw 112 salt, 1/2 garlic salt, 1/2 pepper and all the onions into the beans. When water boils move to cooler part of fire. Throw 4' x 8' grill over hottest part of fire. Throw meat on. Slather rest of salt, garlic salt, pepper over steaks. Cook till out-side is black as Earl of Hell's Riding Boots and inside is as red as a Honky Tonk Angel's cheek.

Drain off 5 gal. of bean water. Pour 5 lb. coffee into the biggest sock of any of the hunting crew. Put sock into water to boil. If sock is clean boil only 2 min., if not boil 35 min. Then yell "COME AND GET IT".

When everyone begins to belch and talk about the time that one old boy bloated like a cow on a hot day, bring out the white balloon bread so everyone can sop up their beans and steak juice. Put plates on the floor for dogs to wash up and don't nobody light a match!

Anna Churchill Benson, Az.


MOOSESTEW FOR A CROWD

1 dead moose cut into plate sized slabs
25 lb. dried pinto beans
15 loaves white balloon bread
1 jar _garlic salt

SALAD:

lettuce
1 can 10-50 weight penzoil
55 gallons water

MISC. SUPPLIES:

1/2 cord mesquite wood
1 wooden kitchen match

20 lb. sack onions
1-5 lb. can coffee
I- box salt
1- can pepper
smith-wesson 44 magnum
280 semi jacketed hollow point bullet

Put bullet in Smith Wesson. Shoot the moose with it. Skin the dead moose and cut it up into steaks.

Stack the 1/2 cord of mesquite. Light with wooden kitchen match. Put the 55 gal. of water on to boil. Dump the 25 lb. of pinto beans in to soak while water heats. Throw 112 salt, 1/2 garlic salt, 1/2 pepper and all the onions into the beans. When water boils move to cooler part of fire. Throw 4' x 8' grill over hottest part of fire. Throw meat on. Slather rest of salt, garlic salt, pepper over steaks. Cook till out-side is black as Earl of Hell's Riding Boots and inside is as red as a Honky Tonk Angel's cheek.

Drain off 5 gal. of bean water. Pour 5 lb. coffee into the biggest sock of any of the hunting crew. Put sock into water to boil. If sock is clean boil only 2 min., if not boil 35 min. Then yell "COME AND GET IT".

When everyone begins to belch and talk about the time that one old boy bloated like a cow on a hot day, bring out the white balloon bread so everyone can sop up their beans and steak juice. Put plates on the floor for dogs to wash up and don't nobody light a match!

Anna Churchill Benson, Az.

 

[Weird Harold]

PS: There's also a recipe for Elephant stew if you want it.

 

[Riles]

Sky, thank you for your suggestion. I actually thumbed over that in my own recipe books and I marked it down as a possibility...but then stroked it off after.

I was hoping to try something different...right now I'm thinking I might tackle Lobster Thermador. (And yes, I will make sure to practice the recipe before hand...my love gets to be my guinea pig. )

 

[Riles]

Weird Harold

I think I have one similar to that for making x-mas cake...but it involves a really large bottle of rum, a completely "lit" cook and an odd, burnt smelling thing permanently cemented into a bunt pan.


Thanks for the suggestion...but uhhhh no.

~The unpampered chef~

 

[SkyBluAngelEyes]

Sky, thank you for your suggestion. I actually thumbed over that in my own recipe books and I marked it down as a possibility...but then stroked it off after.

I was hoping to try something different...right now I'm thinking I might tackle Lobster Thermador. (And yes, I will make sure to practice the recipe before hand...my love gets to be my guinea pig. )

I've never tried Lobster Thermador before. I really don't care for lobster though. ---> I guess that's why.

Good Luck with your crowd. No offense to WH, but I'd avoid the moosestew also!

 

[Riles]

Sky,

I've never actually tried to make it myself. I've only tasted it a few times, but ooh la la!

Rest assured, I'm giving the moose stew a wide berth. Sorry WH.



~the floundering flambér~

 

[Weird Harold]

Weird Harold

...
Thanks for the suggestion...but uhhhh no.

~The unpampered chef~

Seriously, for my fiftieth, my daughters sprung for dinner at the Blue Bayeau restaurant in Disneyland.

For My sister's fiftieth, we had a family reunion and a Christmas style Ham dinner.

I think you'll probably get the best results from keeping things simple and familiar -- Ask your parent for suggestions, it is the Parent's birthday, after all.

Check Holiday sites for festive suggestions -- Especially Thanksgiving and Christmas sites because they often have recipes for large gatherings.

 

[Riles]

Thank you, WH.

I actually can't consult with the parental unit, it's a surprise. (shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

My sibling and I considered chartering a flight to take her to a little island up north that is home to a wonderful little restaurant that has a fabulous grilled salmon AND has the best view of the northern lights I've ever seen....but we couldn't get the plane for the day we could get reservations.

(so much for a return on a $40.000 education...she can't even get me a damn plane when I want it!)

 

[Weird Harold]

I actually can't consult with the parental unit, it's a surprise. (shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

Of course you can consult -- you just have to be careful not to let on what you're consulting about.

FWIW, Parental units aren't dumb -- If you don't consult about some birthday plans the parental unit is likely to call you up and ask, "Do I have any plans for my Birthday?"

Mysterious silence just doesn't work -- especially for the "Big Five O" -- you need to ask LOTS of questions about all sorts of possibilities to hide the important answers.

 

[Riles]

Eeesh.

Fine time for you to tell me that NOW. But I actually already covered that...I think. I gave her "the plan" for her birthday already, she just doesn't know that it's not the complete plan.

 

[Weird Harold]

Eeesh.

Fine time for you to tell me that NOW. But I actually already covered that...I think. I gave her "the plan" for her birthday already, she just doesn't know that it's not the complete plan.

If you can't ask her, go with what you already know about her tastes -- Lobster Thermidor (just as an example) is fancy and impressive, but if she doesn't like shellfish it's not going to impress her.

Don't worry about impressing the guests -- worry about making it memorable for her (and not in a Murphy's Law sort of way. )

 

[Riles]

~chuckles~

I didn't invite Murphy...and I'll have bouncers at the door in the chance he decides to crash my party!

Ahem....Lobster THERMIDOR happens to be something she loves...or else I would never have been exposed to it.

As far as the guests, that's the siblings department, I'm just the hired help.

(furiously scribbling out the a in my thermador and penciling in W.H.'s i)

 

[Weird Harold]

Ahem....Lobster THERMIDOR happens to be something she loves...or else I would never have been exposed to it.
...
(furiously scribbling out the a in my thermador and penciling in W.H.'s i)

I wouldn't trust my spelling too far if I were you. Aside from being a fair speller, I have trouble with LOTS of common words, my fingers ahve minds of their own and often spell things the way they want it spelled.

In this case, I just double checked my recipe cards and it is thermIdor -- at least in the recipe "Ladies' Seafood Thermidor" it is.

Check back in a few minutes and I'll have a couple of images scanned for you.

 

[bluespoke]

It's just a tad strange that as I write this post, the thread is directly under the one about the Japanese eating Aussie soldiers.

Recipe suggestion? Ick!

 

[Riles]

It's just a tad strange that as I write this post, the thread is directly under the one about the Japanese eating Aussie soldiers.

Recipe suugestion? Ick!

EWWWWWWWWWW

~wrinkles nose~

"And for tonights special occasion, I'm serving a little "down under" with a side of seasonal vegetables and garden salad."

 

[Weird Harold]

It's just a tad strange that as I write this post, the thread is directly under the one about the Japanese eating Aussie soldiers.

Recipe suggestion? Ick!

I noticed the Ick factor earlier when this thread was first and the cannibalism thread was next. Definitely not appetizing.)

Rile, this is the front side of the index card in my recipe box:

 

[Weird Harold]

The back side:

If any of the recipes interest you, I'll scan the card (assuming it isn't one that gotten lost in various moves over the last 30+ years)

 

[Riles]

#25 and #27 look promising....not exactly something I can build a meal off of, but promising nonetheless.

Thank you for all your efforts, W.H.

 

[Weird Harold]

#25 and #27 look promising....not exactly something I can build a meal off of, but promising nonetheless.

Thank you for all your efforts, W.H.

(It's a good thing youdidn't need #26 -- tht's one that's apprently missing. )

 

[Riles]

Lucky me!

That crab and red pepper dip looks awesome!

Thank you, W.H.

NOW, now I am off and running, or off to go running. My poor pup's eyes are floating, she has to go pee so bad. lol

Toodles all.

 

[oceanbaby28]

Okay people, I'm looking for something yummy, something new, something hot and spicy or rich and creamy, something sooooooooooo delicious that your taste buds are going to start a rebellion if you don't finish every last morsel.

Sooooo, pull out your cookbooks, the scraps of paper you furiously scribbled ingredients down on, the relic swatches of parchment from ol' granny's kitchen...cause I need em!

I'm taking on the daunting task of throwing a 50th birthday dinner for my parent, and I've got rsvp's for 15 people (just something small I said to my sibling who mailed out the invites...grrrrrrrrrrr, this is a little bigger then I had anticipated.) and NOW I have to figure out what on earth I am going to feed all these people.

I considered catering...and I still might. You are my last hopes. I still want something formal, lord knows I've thrown enough corn roasts and bbq's in my short years...I want something different this time. SO...if you have any ideas on "themes", let me know please.

And yes, I have a place big enough to sit all these folks down at one table, I had to get creative with the dining room...but I did it!

Alright, so off you go, find the mystery recipe that will forever make me sing your praises...are you ready?

Set...

GO!

Not sure exactly what you're looking for (pasta, fish, poultry...?), but I've found that www.foodtv.com is a wonderful source for recipes and ideas.

Good Luck!

 

[Riles]

Actually I haven't narrowed it down yet, Ocean, but thank you. I'm going to go check it out!

 

[oceanbaby28]

Let me know...

Actually I haven't narrowed it down yet, Ocean, but thank you. I'm going to go check it out!

If you narrow it down to something. I have a gazillion cook books here at home and wouldn't mind helping you out.