Several questions.....will this be sit down or buffet? Will you be plating the food or will they serve themselves? And will the salad be on a separate plate or will everything go on one plate?
If you will be plating with the salad on a separate plate....I would add another 2 or 3 cups of greens to the total salad....you don't want skimpy on a salad plate.
If people serve them from a buffet they will take fewer peas than you figured and probably a little less gnocci than you figured but may want a second slice of bread.
And when you figure one breast per person ( I presume you mean 1/2 a breast) take into account how big the pieces are.
I would fix about 4 more pieces of chicken just in case there is the one person who wants more....and more bread....and if you put 3/4 cup of gnocci on a plate with the peas and the chicken, some will be left.
In a nutshell....more bread, I always figure 1 1/2 slices or rolls per person, and a couple of extra pieces of chicken, just in case.
I'd like tos ee your recipe for the gorgonzola sauce by the way....sounds yummy!

Linda C

Hi, Linda C,

Thanks for the input! I really appreciate it!

The event will be a buffet, but four people will be served because they are either elderly or disabled.

The recipe I use for the gorgonzola sauce is this--feel free to tweak it, double it, etc!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 small clove garlic, "pressed"
2 to 3 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel
dash of s & p
1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
6 oz gorgonzola (or more to taste)
freshly grated parmesano-reggiano
chopped fresh parsley

In a saucepan, heat olive oil and then saute onion and garlic over med/med low heat. Add cream cheese and get it all melty.

Reduce heat and stir in cream, then gorgonzola and s&p.

Pour over gnocchi. Add freshly grated parmesano-reggiano and fresh chopped parsley.

Enjoy!

I agree with Linda's suggestions concerning the salad, bread and chicken. A full serving of green salad is probably closer to 1 cup, depending on how it is served (separate plate, salad bowl, etc.). With the chicken, I would go by weight, perhaps 6 oz. per portion, since appetites will be diminished by the gnocchi and other things. You can make enough pieces to provide for those who want seconds.

Jim

I too would up the salad to 1 cup per person given it's a buffet but I'd reduce the peas to 1/2 cup per person. Much can be controlled by the size of the serving piece. People will take one or two serving spoons of each side dish.

If there is an expectation of seconds then you need to add another 5 or 6 rolls and 3 or 4 extra chicken breasts which may never be eaten but if there is an expectation of seconds......

I agree, I'd do a little extra if it is buffet style, because I know some people who will take two pieces of chicken and no peas, or two slices of bread but no gnocchi.

If you were plating the individual portions, you could be a bit more precise.

Oh, and what about dessert?

Annie

Thanks, Jim, chase and Annie for the ideas and thoughts. Y'know, I totally forgot to ask if there was an expectation of "seconds"--something that I'll remember for next time!

The "bride" decided she wanted to take care of the dessert herself, so we're having sherbet. I think that's her favorite.

:O)
Sooz

When I do a "funeral lunch", for a buffet self served, I figure a cup of greens per person, 4 oz of meat, unless I am serving portions as you are. It would be good to have different sizes of chicken portions for the light eater....and for seconds.
If they are putting salad on their dinner plate they will take less ( but for a few who will fill their plate with salad and have little else!)
Of all the "stuff" i put into casseroles and mixed veggie salads, peas are the thing most often left at the side of the plate! Not broccoli, not mushrooms, not green peppers....but peas! Who knew???
Teh sauce sounds great!.....wish I had time to make some gnocci to put it on!!
Linda c

Linda, isn't that interesting? I would have thought broccoli or mushrooms for sure.

Sooz, might want to consider adding a second choice for a veggie. I did some Googlin' & it looks like quite a few people dislike peas. They scored #14 on this list of "20 Most Foul Foods" from an AOL survey.

I love some of these responses...

"PEAS!!! When i was little my mother would count out a pre-agreed upon (after MUCH argument and bargaining on my part) number of peas and place them on a plate with a tooth pick -- at which point I would eat one single pea at a time with my toothpick, while I plugged my nose with all my might with my other hand. As soon as I could force that one little pea down I'd follow it IMMEDIATELY with at least half a glass of chocolate milk. This would go on for 20 peas or so -- usually resulting in me sitting all by myself at the dinner table (with my mother watching closely from the kitchen) while everyone else was excused from the table." -- Jenny

Not a lot of surprises, to me, on the list except for #20...blueberries. Gosh, I didn't expect blueberries to be a most foul food.

Here is a link that might be useful: 20 Most Foul Foods

Little green peas--who would have thought!

Well, the "bride" chose peas out of all the veggie choices I gave her, so I guess she likes peas. Personally, I love the little petite peas--toss them in salad, steam them with butter, put them in chicken pot pie...

Sooz, Congrats on the job! How old are the guests? That will definitely impact the amount of food that they consume. One piece of bread maybe too skimpy for some, but then again, some people won't take any!

Sherbert,ugh! You might try and sell her on sorbet instead. Tell her that it's much more "in the moment" than sherbert. She can buy it and you can add a fancy cookie!
Lots of good info here for all of us to use!

Cheese in an appetizer and cheese in the sauce--you could end up with leftovers, because the fat in the cheese sates people so quickly. I'd pick one or the other.

That's a good observation, ideefixe.

Jim

Thanks for the thoughtful, helpful posts, everyone!
:O)
Sooz

I disagree about the cheese.....that's my "most often" appetizer....and I don't notice it spoiling appetites...
And if thereare cocktails involved...it's good to "soak up the booze" as they say.
But....think about it....they are having sherbet for dessert....people can get their fat in that lucious cheese sauce and the mini mozzerela balls instead of in frosting or pastry.
Linda C