PrintLet's have a SE brainstorm session on a family reunion!!!
Ahhh. Here are the particulars. Northeastern Ohio. June. Humid. Must be an Italian theme. Around 100 people. Ive got the venue down pat. Menu is a little iffy. Here's what I got...suggestions, advice and recs appreciated!
Panzanella salad
Grilled chicken with an italian herb/garlic/lemon paste
Envoltini (made ahead, of course)
Beans and Greens
Char grilled garlic bread with eggplant and roasted tomato caponata
Shrimp scampi skewers
Sausage with peppers and onions
Broccoli rabe
Orzo and veg salad with baby mozz ball salad
Cinnamon/Cayenne brownies
Cupcakes TBD flavors
Sangria and lemonade with fresh blackberry puree.
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15 Comments:
Simply Recipes had a nice looking orzo pasta that you could tweak for your specs.(swap feta for mozz balls etc.) here's the link:
http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/007216spinach_and_orzo_salad.php
bisbee at 4:02PM on 04/15/08
Sounds like a Michael Chiarello dreamscape menu! If you're looking for additional inspiration, I'd go directly to FN and let his ideas flood your imagination.
PerkyMac at 4:06PM on 04/15/08
I just want to be invited! I can change my name and everything.
izatryt at 6:52PM on 04/15/08
All of my SE-ers are invited, of course! No name change needed!
ChelleyD01 at 7:03PM on 04/15/08
Great! You want I should bring a box of jello?
PerkyMac at 7:19PM on 04/15/08
@ Perky...LOL. No jello. I need 7/8 of a pound of mortadella.
ChelleyD01 at 9:16PM on 04/15/08
@Chelley.......I couldn't resist. Someone actually asked me that question and I was dumbfounded. It was a picnic in my yard and everyone was contributing. I asked her to bring napkins instead. LOL
PerkyMac at 9:28PM on 04/15/08
@Chelley........I can bring 49/56 if that would work for you?
PerkyMac at 9:36PM on 04/15/08
How about marinated asparagus? This salad is ridiculously easy, we don't usually make the salad, just marinate the asparagus to serve. Quite tasty cold or at room temp. As I live in NE Ohio, I can say this asparagus has been to many a bbq!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33301,00.html
bobcatsteph3 at 10:30PM on 04/15/08
Seems like main dishes are covered...How about adding some desserts? Not sure if your shin-dig will be inside or out (so I will cover all bases), but the following could be options:
Biscotti
Amaretto cheesecake (anything amaretto flavored for that matter)
cannoli's (I mean a serious staple...soooo good)
Tortes
Gelato
Pizelles
I could go on-but these are a few I could think of. I want to go, btw...:) Have fun! If it's anything like my family reunions-you will need an entire park or building to fit everyone. But man the food will be great! ENJOY!!
Butrflygirly at 10:47PM on 04/15/08
put pesto on the shrimp it adheres better and no annoying scampy dripping.
panzanella in June spells soggy and mushy. Make a nice antipasto platter with some fresh veg/cheese and some meats and let them serve themselves.
With that many people I would do the cookie tray and make a some pies or tarts with seasonal fruit and a few cakes, pound, chocolate and a regular iced.
Every thing looks good.
JerzeeTomato at 2:36AM on 04/16/08
Our annual reunion hovers somewhere around 100 as well. They tend to be themed potlucks hosted by one nuclear family each year that sets the "concept". When it was our turn, we asked everyone, in advance, to bring a solid "family favorite" to the table and its recipe on a 3x5 card. Within days following the picnic, I assembled and sent out a "family cookbook of favorites". One of the best remembered gatherings of a thirty-eight year run.
czken at 2:47AM on 04/16/08
You should do a "Buford Pie" or what is known as a "Country Boil". Sounds like you have almost all of the same ingredients.
Hunnyoil at 3:23AM on 04/16/08
I've never been crazy about panzanella, as Italian as I am :D. I think a nice orzo antipasto type salad would be much nicer.
Orzo
Roasted Peppers
Calamata Olives
Marinated Artie Hearts
Marinated Mushrooms
Fior de Latte (little mozzie balls)
You can use some of the oils/dressings from the vegetables to dress your salad, augment with some extra virgin OO, chopped garlic and chopped parsley.
For a real Italian taste treat at dessert, have you considered making pignoli cookies? Pignoli are available at Sam's and Costco at a pretty reasonable price and the cookies are not difficult to make.
One more thing - can you get strawberries, slice and toss with balsamic vinegar and sugar? Balsamico + strawbs is an old Italian trick from way back - before it became en vogue. You can serve them with ice cream if you have a way to keep it frozen.
Lovin' the rest of the menu!
chiff0nade at 10:29AM on 04/16/08
Having finished a bowl of strawberries with balsamic vinegar last night, I (enthusiastically) second chiff0nade's idea - it's an easy and brilliant dessert, and with ice cream, on a hot summer day it will be simply unbeatable!
And yes, I want to be invited too! :-)
brooke29 at 11:05AM on 04/16/08