Pasta expert for large crowds/budget

[dreamin_disney]

DD wants two types of pasta for her Bday.

1. one will be like a rigatoni( I think that's the one)
-kinda like a lasagna -ground beef, sauce (we like Prego chunky garden with mushroom), cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese(its cheaper substitute) ,parsley , seasonings and mozzarella cheese.

2. penne pasta with broccoli with Prego Alfredo home style sauce
- how do I cook the broccoli for the dish . Do I boil or steam the veggie?

I'm also having a salad and rolls. Anything else go good with this ?

*How much should I make of each dish for about 40 people??

*How much/boxes do I need?

* How much sauce for each?

* sugesstions keeping it warm ? I was planning on usung the large foil tins.

I know preo had a large jar of the chunky veggie but the prego alfredo is the smaller jars

Can I prep the ground one beef one a few hours ahead like . Cook the meat and layer everything so I can just pop it in the oven?

ANy tips or ideas please

 

[pesto78749]

plan on a cup of pasta per person. toss the broccoli in for the last 3 to 5 min with the pasta and let it boil. You can save money in sauce by boiling the pasta till done, having the sauce mixed with the beef, seasonings, and cheese then tossing the two together, hot sauce to hot pasta. THEN SERVE. If u let it sit u will have to use 2x the sauce. I say a jar for every pound of pasta. We have a saying pasta waits for no one! Good luck

 

[MommyMK]

I would say a jar of sauce to a box of pasta as well. We usually get 6-7 servings out of a 1 lb box of pasta, so I'd go with 10 boxes of pasta and 5 of each kind of sauce to be sure to have enough. Pans w/ sterno to keep it warm

 

[clh2]

Do you have access to a Nesco roster?

A neighbor let me borrow one when we were hosting about 50 girls for a pasta dinner before a cross country meet.

The rigatoni dish you are describing sounds like a baked ziti, which worked great to cook it and serve it in the Nesco ( keeps it warm too while you are serving the meal).

A crock pot would work well for the Alfredo sauce too.

Is having just a plain spaghetti sauce an option too? Both of your dishes sound very cheesy, but having a homemade sauce (very inexpensive) might give you a vegetarian option, as well.

I always erred on the side of too much food; but I just froze the leftover sauces, or the ziti.

 

[dreamin_disney]

plan on a cup of pasta per person. toss the broccoli in for the last 3 to 5 min with the pasta and let it boil. You can save money in sauce by boiling the pasta till done, having the sauce mixed with the beef, seasonings, and cheese then tossing the two together, hot sauce to hot pasta. THEN SERVE. If u let it sit u will have to use 2x the sauce. I say a jar for every pound of pasta. We have a saying pasta waits for no one! Good luck

Are you talking about the regular size jars? The biggest jar I've seen is like
67oz in the prego mushroom the homestyle alfredo sauce I've only seen the regular size jar which is 14oz-16oz

I would say a jar of sauce to a box of pasta as well. We usually get 6-7 servings out of a 1 lb box of pasta, so I'd go with 10 boxes of pasta and 5 of each kind of sauce to be sure to have enough. Pans w/ sterno to keep it warm

ok Thanks. I should have a head account by Monday.

Do you have access to a Nesco roster?

A neighbor let me borrow one when we were hosting about 50 girls for a pasta dinner before a cross country meet.

The rigatoni dish you are describing sounds like a baked ziti, which worked great to cook it and serve it in the Nesco ( keeps it warm too while you are serving the meal).

A crock pot would work well for the Alfredo sauce too.

Is having just a plain spaghetti sauce an option too? Both of your dishes sound very cheesy, but having a homemade sauce (very inexpensive) might give you a vegetarian option, as well.

I always erred on the side of too much food; but I just froze the leftover sauces, or the ziti.

I just bought an 18 qt oster roaster oven. Do I just bake it in there or do I place the baked tin in there. I've never used the roaster to bake so wanna make sure I do it right-lol!

The alfredo wont have any extra cheese in it. I boil the pasta, Drain, Then pour sauce and will add the cooked broccoli and mix until its hot. DD doesn't like cheese or it baked.
I do have a crockpot. If I put it on low will it dry out?


Has anyone seen any larger Jars of the Prego Alfredo homestyle sauce???

 

[clh2]

We specifically have a Nesco! And we can bake in it as well as keep things warm. It is like a second oven!

Since yours is new, check your directions-mine needed a time to "burn-off" before it was used the first time.

As far as the Alfredo-low is fine, although I am notorious for getting things up to temperature faster on high, then dropping the heat to low. I do not think it would dry out, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to have an extra jar of Alfredo sauce-just in case you need to add

 

[nancycg56]

I threw a pasta bar birthday party for my daughter's 30th birthday. You can read about it here ~ http://nancysrecipes.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/pasta-bar-birthday-party/

 

[cel_disney]

I threw a pasta bar birthday party for my daughter's 30th birthday. You can read about it here ~ http://nancysrecipes.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/pasta-bar-birthday-party/

That looks great and how I would have done it as well. Put a bit of olive oil in the pot when cooking the pasta to help coat it so it doesn't stick together in the pot and then let everyone apply their own sauces. I also always make my own Alfredo sauce (garlic, cream, butter, Parmesan cheese is all it takes!) and red sauce (some garlic and herbs, some crushed tomato (from can), and some tomato paste). I think that making red sauce is likely cheaper than the Jar. Alfredo is likely closer in price.

I like keeping all of the meat cooked - not in sauce - as an add on. That will use less sauce and be better for those not interested or with diet restrictions.

 

[dreamin_disney]

We specifically have a Nesco! And we can bake in it as well as keep things warm. It is like a second oven!

Since yours is new, check your directions-mine needed a time to "burn-off" before it was used the first time.

As far as the Alfredo-low is fine, although I am notorious for getting things up to temperature faster on high, then dropping the heat to low. I do not think it would dry out, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to have an extra jar of Alfredo sauce-just in case you need to add

How do you correctly burn off???
Yes, I figured it wont hurt to have extra jar of sauce. I like my pasta with a lot of sauce

I threw a pasta bar birthday party for my daughter's 30th birthday. You can read about it here ~ http://nancysrecipes.wordpress.com/2014/04/14/pasta-bar-birthday-party/

loved reading about your pasta bar. Where did you find your pink and white striped table cloth? I've checked Wal-Mart, target, 2 local party stores and no luck. Oh I loved how you had your bread sticks in the jars. Anyone know if Costco or sams sells those bread stick in large quantity? I was going to just buy rolls but bread sticks yum!!!!

 

[nancycg56]

The pink striped runner was actually paper and my daughter already had it.

Good luck with your party!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

That looks great and how I would have done it as well. Put a bit of olive oil in the pot when cooking the pasta to help coat it so it doesn't stick together in the pot and then let everyone apply their own sauces. I also always make my own Alfredo sauce (garlic, cream, butter, Parmesan cheese is all it takes!) and red sauce (some garlic and herbs, some crushed tomato (from can), and some tomato paste). I think that making red sauce is likely cheaper than the Jar. Alfredo is likely closer in price.

I like keeping all of the meat cooked - not in sauce - as an add on. That will use less sauce and be better for those not interested or with diet restrictions.

Putting oil in a pot of pasta also doesn't allow the sauce to stick to the pasta so you very very little oil.

 

[cel_disney]

Putting oil in a pot of pasta also doesn't allow the sauce to stick to the pasta so you very very little oil.

Yes! Just a very tiny bit does the trick and gives you the balance needed for sauce to stick but for the pasta to not clump!

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

If it is going to be made ahead, even a short time ahead of serving, be careful to not overcook the pasta (it will continue cooking when it is hot) and use extra sauce as it gets absorbed.