DD's getting married. Recipes needed for meals.

[jiminyC_fan]

Hi guys,

I need to turn to all you pros for help. My daughter is getting married in June and we are opening our house to several people. I need recipes for all meals that are simple and maybe can be made ahead of time. The main ones are probably breakfast and dinners. I can have deli meat and chips on hand for lunches. I remember when my cousin got married my Aunt had great egg recipes like baked scrambled eggs and the one I loved was a warm fruit casserole. Any ideas for me????

Thanks!

 

[lewdyan1]

Not a cook, so no help there, but I wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Not a cook, so no help there, but I wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS!!!

That's sweet. Thank you!

 

[Mickeyteacher]

Congrats! I can give you several- My mom did this for my wedding 10 years ago.
We had breakfast dishes that we made ahead of time and only put the eggs in them that morning and baked.
For our open house, the day after the wedding, we had a BBQ pulled Beef that was made 3 months ahead and frozen- very easy and great teasting. Mom added a few cold salads, rolls, chips and baked beans in the crockpot- very easy and everyone loved it.
If these are things you are interested in, let me know. I will get you the recipes.

S

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Mickeyteacher, I am MORE than interested. If you could do that for me I would be forever indebted!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

 

[Mickeyteacher]

I will type them up this evening and e-mail them to you. Can you pm me with an e-mail address?
Thanks,
S

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Thanks, I sent you a pm.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Thanks Mickeyteacher....you are the greatest. I will definitely use them.

 

[denisem]

Congratulations!

Here's a few of my favorites from allrecipes.com: do a search by title, and read some of the reviews, they often give great tips (i.e., for the ARFTS, someone suggested smearing the raisin bread with whipped cream cheese BEFORE cubing - lots faster than chunking a block of cream cheese).

Breakfast:

* Oven Scrambled Eggs
* Apple Raisin French Toast Strata

- Round it out with pre-cooked sausage patties or links.
- Fresh fruit bowl (ready made -or- remember: some guests LIKE to help...so don't be afraid to take 'em up on it and give 'em some melon to chunk!)
- Selection of muffins from Sam's Club or whatever.

Dinner:

* Family Casserole (can be frozen ahead)
* World's Best Lasagna (likewise)
* Beef Bourguignon I (time-consuming, but I do double/triple batches & freeze)
* Antipasto Pasta Salad (This is seriously addicting and a meal in itself if you use cheese tortellini; I've also cut corners by using all salami and halved grape tomatoes).
* Hash Brown Casserole II (can be made ahead & frozen - pick up a honey baked ham & you're set. Leftover ham can double as lunch, added to salads, or fry some up with the scrambled eggs.
* Sloppy Joes II (I'm also a big pulled pork fan, but the beef suggested sounds great, too.)

- Get veggie trays from the grocery store/deli - they can round out a meal, be used as snacks or incorporated into a salad bar.

Best wishes and try not to stress about it (after all, you ARE the mother of the bride!) Take advantage of any help or time-saving pre-prepared meals you can....and never forget: EVERYONE loves pizza!

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Thanks! And you are right.....everyone loves pizza! LOL

 

[RumpleMom]

Crockpot for salsa chicken

Spray crock with No Stick. Put in 6 boneless chicken, breasts or thighs, one half jar of salsa ( use mild in case not everyone likes spicey), 1/4 cup of water. Cook on low 6-8 hours. I have done as many as 12 boneless breasts at a time. I used a whole jar of salsa and still the 1/4 cup water. Turned out great. Served it with buttered noodles and a veggie. Very easy!

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Mmmmmm, that chicken sounds good. A crockpot meal would be perfect. I am sure we will have some friends that will want to sight see since they have never been to CO. Thanks!

 

[FormrCastMbr]

This is a recipe that was posted by fellow DISer, TigerKat. It is one of the best pork recipes that we have ever had and tastes even better the next day. It is a bit spicy but not too spicy. If you want less kick, just lessen the amount of cayenne pepper.

Cajun Pork Tenderloin with Garlic Butter

Dry rub:
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder

2 pork tenderloins
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

In a small bowl combine dry rub ingredients. Rub thoroughly into the pork and let sit for 30 minutes. Grill or pan sear/oven finish until done - 170 degrees internal temp. Melt butter and stir in garlic powder (I usually double the sauce). Slice tenderloin on the bias and pour garlic butter over.

********I usually coat my roast with the rub and olive oil and marinate for several hours. I then cook it for 10 minutes in a 450 oven, then lower the heat to 250 and cook 25 minutes per pound or until the temp of the meat reaches 160 - 170.

Congratulations to your daughter!!!

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Oh my gosh, you have to be kidding. That sounds so scrumptious. Thank you so much.

 

[OKWMom]

I'd also suggest Paula Deen's baked spaghetti. It's easy to double (or triple or quadruple) the recipe for a crowd, and you can freeze it and bake when you are ready to serve. My family loves it. I can post the recipe if you like.

I also have a recipe for a make ahead (freezable) dip if you're interested. It's the buffalo chicken one.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I love Paula Deen. I like her homestyle cooking. I would be delighted if you would share the recipe. On top of that a freezable dip would be awesome. I am hoping to have a "game night" and thought that would be perfect.

Honestly, I thank all of you for your help.

Hugs,

 

[OKWMom]

I'll post them both tonight when I get home.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Thanks for your time and effort!!

 

[OKWMom]

This dip recipe I got from another Disser - liamsaunt. I have made it several times for parties and family get togethers and always bring home an empty dish.

Bonnie’s Buffalo Chicken Dip
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, about 2 lbs., poached and shredded with 2 forks
1 (12 oz) bottle Frank’s Hot Sauce
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
½ cup chopped celery
1 (16 oz) bottle ranch or blue cheese dressing
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar or jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9 x 13 x 2 baking dish, combine the chicken and hot sauce and smooth to an even layer. In a saucepan over medium heat combine cream cheese and dressing. Stir until smooth and hot. Pour evenly over the chicken and sprinkle the celery on evenly over it all. Bake 20 minutes uncovered then sprinkle on the cheese and bake until just bubbly and melted. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with sturdy scoopers like celery sticks or corn chips.

I have frozen this with great success. If you freeze this, stop after adding the celery and place dish in freezer. Thaw before cooking and bake as directed above.


My sister also makes a quick and easy dip that goes over well and that can be frozen.

Sausage and Rotel Dip
1 lb. roll Jimmy Dean sausage, regular (or you can use mild, or hot, to your taste)
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 can Rotel - mild, medium or hot, to your taste

Brown sausage over medium-high heat. Drain fat. Combine sausage, Rotel and cream cheese in a 2 quart baking dish. You can bake this at 350 until hot and bubbly or you can heat in the microwave, stirring frequently.

This can be frozen and reheated when needed. Honestly, when I make this I usually at least double the recipe. This is the dip you will see the men standing over. I have also served this in a hollowed out bread bowl.

Serve with tortilla chips or corn chips.

 

[OKWMom]

Here is the baked spaghetti recipe. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Paula Deen’s Baked Spaghetti
2 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons seasoning salt
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
2 small bay leaves
1 ½ pounds ground beef
8 ounces uncooked angel hair pasta (I wouldn’t substitute another kind of pasta - this is the best)
1 cup grated cheddar
1 cup grated Monterey Jack

In a stockpot, combine the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, onions, peppers, garlic, parsley, seasonings, sugar, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and let simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Crumble the ground beef in a large skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until fully cooked. Drain the fat from the meat and then add the ground beef to the stockpot. Simmer for 20 more minutes. Remove bay leaves from sauce.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 x 2 inch baking pan with sauce. Add a layer of pasta and then a little less than ½ of each cheese; repeat the layers, ending with the sauce. Bake in oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Top the casserole with the remaining cheese, return to oven, and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 more minutes.

This recipe multiplies really well. I have made several batches at a time and frozen the leftovers. You can also make the sauce ahead and freeze it alone.