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if you were approached to cook a casual dinner, buffet style, for 100 persons, what would you cook? Try to keep it casual and use something which will go a long way, yet not extremely expensive. I may have to do this>
I think i would have:
A couple of cheese balls with crackers
fresh vegetable platter with cubed cheese stabbed with toothpicks
sloppy joes or maid rites as some call them
silver dollar rolls
deli meat platter with oven roasted turkey and roast beef
cheese slice platter
small rye bread and selection of other bread
potato salad
macaroni salad
vinegar based vegetable salad with peas, corn, french style green beans, onions, celery
fresh fruit salad
brownies
assortment of cookies, including diabetic cookies
coffee, unsweetened and sweetened iced tea, lemonade, water
Expensive is relative. I don't have the equipment to do a buffet, so that would already make it expensive having to purchase or rent it. If I did have the equipment, refrigerator/freezer space and enough oven space to reheat everything that needed to be, then I would make most of the menu ahead and most likely serve:
Pulled pork sammies (store bought buns)
Chicken and andouille or tasso jambalaya
Andouille sausage with Creole mustard (appi)
Boudin (appi) If I feel ambitious, Boudin Balls
Corn and mirliton maque choux
Collards
Linda's coleslaw (non-mayo based) or Emeril's Maw Maws slaw (non mayo based)
Corn bread (several kinds)
Beverages BYO, of course the cook would have several Abita Beers on ice, Purple Haze, Amber, Andygator etc.
Dessert, well if you have room after that spread, more power to you and BTW your on your own!
I usually have homemade andouille, tasso and boudin in the deep freezer so I wouldn't have to make it at the time.
the thread is years old so hope OP isn't still waiting for suggestions, but if he is: I would do one of 2 things: either a great pot or pots of soup and good bread. BTW we have cooked for up to 50 plus more than once. If not soup I would do spaghetti and meat balls. That is one time I would buy the meat balls already shaped and ready to be cooked. I would do a green salad with just a plain oil and lemon juice dressing and Italian bread. For dessert maybe home made cookies.
I would go for as many things that do not need to be kept hot, and can be made ahead, as possible. Keeping in mind that this is not the only meal the guests will ever have, but just the main meal for that day, I’d rather do large quantities of fewer things than every food I can think of.
Drinks...
Bottled water
Beer
White and red wine
Several kinds of soda
Appetizers....
Cheeses and thin sliced Italian salami
Cut assorted fruit
Dips and cheese balls
Assorted crackers
Main...
Cold shrimp and surimi crab salad
Cold smoked salmon, mini bagels and cream cheese
Baked ham
Pulled pork, barbecue sauces
Buns and sliced baguettes
Tossed salad with dressings
Potato salad
Pasta salad, with Italian dressing
If I have electricity, I’d do a crockpot of baked beans
Desserts...
Cookies
Cupcakes
Donations of anyone who offers
I realize this is old, but if I had to do this, I'd make a pasta bar with assorted sauces and then some roasted chicken pieces so there are some non-carb options as well.
Garlic bread
Giant bowls of Caesar salad and a mixed green salad.
Fruit salad and cupcakes for dessert.
But the reality is that I'd be calling my caterer, I wouldn't try this myself, because I don't think I could pull it off.
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If I did have the equipment, refrigerator/freezer space and enough oven space to reheat everything that needed to be, then I would make most of the menu ahead and most likely serve:
