Hospitality Suite Take 2

13 years ago

After all your kind help with the other thread, I'm thinking of changing the menu for the Hospitality suite after last nights meeting. Turns out we will only have, at most, 40 for lunch and a handful for dinner. The Band Directory would like a hot meal for the lunch crowd, and is still talking about the rice pilaf served last year. I was not there, but I know it was a boxed brand from Smart & Final.

This may seem a bit ambitious, but what do you think???

Steak & Veggie Kabobs
Rice Pilaf
Fruit Salad
Cheese Tortellini Salad or Oriental Green Beans
Perhaps Garlic Toast?

I was thinking of using my large grill pan (covers 2 burners) to grill the steak and veggies individually, not skewered. I cold do all the meat. Then all the Zucchini, etc. Knowing that everything cooks in a different amount of time, this would give me control over each of them.

After everything is done and cooled, I would then skewer it all together, with an eye toward presentation. I would do all of this the day before the event.

At the event, I do have use of the kitchen ovens and warming ovens. So, I could reheat the skewers at 350 until hot and put them in the warming ovens until time to serve.

I also have a 60 cup rice cooker and can do the pilaf in that. I have found a bay leaf added makes it something really special.

The Cheese Tortellini Salad would double as a meal for any non meat eaters in the group. Or, I could nix this and just have some veggie kabobs for the non meat eaters? I also have an Oriental Green Bean recipe that I love and I think tastes best cold or at room temp.

I was thinking of Sirloin, Zucchini, Red Peppers, & onions. Simple but good.

What do you think???

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Comments (10)

jeri
Original Author
13 years ago
If grill marks are not important, I could cook them on cookie sheets under the broiler until done. That might be even easier! I have a double oven - so I can do 2 at once. :-)
colleenoz
13 years ago
To be honest, the idea of reheated kabobs leaves me cold.
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lizbeth-gardener
13 years ago
For a high school jazz festival hospitality room, it does seem overly ambitious to me. If you want a hot meal, maybe pulled pork or beef in crock pots (with buns), relish plate or slaw, chips, fresh fruit and brownies or cupcakes, soda, bottled water, coffee and tea.

I'm assuming when you say hospitality room, people will come and go and not all be eating at the same time. This could all be made ahead and seems much simpler, both to make and to eat.
teresa_nc7
13 years ago
I don't think I would try to make kabobs to transport and reheat. What about a beef stew to serve over the rice pilaf?

Or skip the pilaf from a box and do couscous with dried fruit and toasted nuts to serve with a stew. Just because everyone liked the pilaf last time is not a reason I would choose to serve it again. Beef tips over couscous could be economical with less tender cuts of beef. And a stew only gets better the second day and would reheat easily.

Teresa
annie1992
13 years ago
I also don't think I'd try to make kabobs ahead and then reheat them and try to hold them long enough to serve them, beef will get impossibly tough if cooked, reheated and then held for a period of time, I'm afraid. Chicken might be more forgiving, skewers like sate, maybe?

I do like Teresa's idea of a beef stew or maybe steak tips to serve over the rice if the Director has his heart set on the pilaf.

Annie
gwlolo
13 years ago
Cheese tortellini salad sounds good. Mexican fajita and taco with fixings can meet all your requirements - meat, veg, assemble it yourself and yummy. Ou make a coule different types of salsa. Get a nice tortilla chip from Costco, guacamole, black beans, Spanish rice etc.

At our last swim get together, they served sliders with trader joe veggie patties and they were yum.

Reheated kabob sounds iffy.
jeri
Original Author
13 years ago
OK - No kabobs. How does this look? I have no idea if there will be any vegetarians and I worry I don't have enough for them if there are.

Thank you!

Breakfast (plan for 20)
Breakfast Burritos (ready-made and wrapped in foil)
Yogurt Parfaits (ready-made / granola available to add)
Muffins
Sliced Oranges

Mid morning Snack
Items from Breakfast
Sliced Apples in Baggies + peanut butter for dipping (3 oz cups) - Should I skip the apples???

Lunch (plan for 40)
Tri-Tip - (Chafing Dish / Tongs)
Baked Potato Casserole (chafing dish / Silver Spoon)
Caesar Salad
Garlic Bread
Watermelon
Pinto Beans???? Yes or No???

Chocolate Fountain - all afternoon
Strawberries, Pineapple, Marshmallows, Rice Crispy Treats, Madeleine's, Cream Puffs)

Afternoon - 6:00 p.m.
ready-made Mini Sandwiches (Spiral Ham & Tri-Tip, Hawaiian Rolls, Dijonnaise, Horsey Sauce)
Mini Corn Dog Muffins (Ketchup, Mustard)
Salad - something hardy that will stand up well
Trail mix - individual bags
Baby Carrots (individual bags) / Ranch Dressing (3 oz cups)
Nuts - in bowls on table - mini ladles for serving

Water, soda, coffee, & tea all day.
jeri
Original Author
13 years ago
Thought I would post an update on this thread too. :-)

I'm thrilled to say that the day could not have gone better. Everyone was pretty impressed with what the ladies and I did for the room and for the food.

The breakfast burritos were a huge hit, as was the home made muffins. I was surprised that not many of the fresh fruit yogurt parfaits were taken. I had 2 Keurig coffee machines with various k-cups available and this (surprisingly) really Ã¢ÂÂWow'dÃ¢ÂÂ them!

Lunch was Tri-tip, a variation of Church Potatoes, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread, and Fruit (watermelon & honeydew mixed together). For the Tri-tip, I seasoned liberally with McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning 3 days in advance - a Dry Brining I think. Wow - what a difference! The meat was a bit overcooked, but it didn't matter because of the flavor and tenderness. I had 4 large steaks - probably close to 12 lbs total, and it was all gone. The potatoes & salad were well received too. I was surprised at how much garlic bread I had left though. I purchases Mamma Bella Garlic Toast from CostCo - a product that I really like.

The chocolate fountain was a huge hit, as were the mini sandwiches and salad available in the afternoon.

What a long day! Up at 4:30 a.m. to be at the school by 6:30. Home at 8:30 p.m. I had some GREAT help which made all the difference. Who knew this could be so much work! I think feeding 80 band kids at a competition is easier than this! But it was fun and I look forward to doing it next year which should be easier now that I have some experience.

Thank-you to everyone for all your help and support.

Jeri
jimster
13 years ago
"Thank-you to everyone for all your help and support."

In the future it will be us who comes to you for advice.

Jim
annie1992
13 years ago
Wow, it sounds great and I'm glad everything went off without a hitch.

I pity the person who does it next year and has to follow this act!

Annie

Hospitality Suite Take 2

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jeri
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Hospitality Suite Take 2

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