# Help Please, Wedding Party Menu



## jusnikki (Feb 25, 2015)

Hi all!!!(waving) What's a good menu for a wedding party dinner? Looking along the lines of pasta and what may go with it...


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## Cooking Goddess (Feb 26, 2015)

Hi 'nikki! (waving back)  Nice to see you pop in. A wedding - how exciting!

Our go-to dish for a large group is something a friend dubbed "Pound Of". It's a pound each of macaroni, rotini, ziti, ground beef, Italian sausage, pepperoni (I used just 1/4 pound for a full recipe), and a pound of mozzarella cheese. Cook all the pastas up, fry up the beef and sausage, and combine all meats and pastas together with enough jar sauce (or your own, if you're so inclined), and about half of the mozzarella. Fill your baking dishes with it, top with the remaining cheese, and bake at 325 for 45 minutes.

We would make this for scout gatherings, but it came in handy for feeding football players a few hours before a game. I'd always make a much smaller batch for home, using up whatever pasta shapes I have on hand. You can tweak it with extra herbs, some grated parma cheese on top, anything you think sounds tasty.

I would think a simple tossed salad would work along side.

If you want fancier, maybe cheese-stuffed shells? Then there are the chicken and eggplant Parmesan entrees that can be served over/along side pasta.

Good luck!


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## Aunt Bea (Feb 26, 2015)

Nice to see ya!

Your question brings so many more questions to mind!

Does it need to be made in advance?  Maybe a seafood lasagna or maybe stuffed shells.

Do you know all of the people well enough to pick one dish?  Maybe one pasta with a choice of two sauces.

Can it be done at the last minute?  Maybe angel hair with shrimp, asparagus or snow peas and cherry tomatoes.

Once you decide on the pasta I would go with a basic green salad and warm crispy Italian bread or rolls.  For dessert I would go with a simple scoop of ice cream and a crunchy cookie or a small serving of biscuit tortoni.

If it's a buffet maybe a choice of two pasta dishes,roasted chicken pieces and a salad bar with rolls.

Good luck!


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## medtran49 (Feb 26, 2015)

We had our last night's dinner at a wedding dinner once, penne alla vodka.  I think we had a salad to go with and there was some kind of garlic bread.  There was another pasta dish as well, probably something vegetarian with eggplant as I think that's what Craig had since he really likes eggplant.  

I'd serve at least 2 pastas, with 1 being a vegetarian option unless you know for a fact that none of the guests are vegetarian.  In fact, I'd probably go for 3 make-ahead pasta dishes, with 1 being vegetarian and the other 2 with pork, beef or chicken.  Personally, I'd stay away from seafood since it has the potential of going bad quickly and also a lot of people have allergies or quirks about eating seafood, not to mention the expense of it.  

Maybe you could tell us a bit more, like if it's going to be a buffet or table service, whether all dishes need to be pre-made, budget, whether you need an appetizer, dessert, etc.


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## lyndalou (Feb 26, 2015)

What is the location? If it's in the south, etc. you might want to go with a signature dish of the region. When is the event?


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 26, 2015)

Whatever pasta you decide, remember, sauces flavored with oregano, basil, rosemary, etc. must be seasoned just before serving, as the aromatics of those herbs will give up their flavors to the air, or, in other words, evaporate out, leaving you with a bland sauce.

Of course if the pasta is tossed with olive oil, and freshly cut herbs and spices just before serving, it tends to be flavorful, and perceived as lighter, and even healthier food.  Add sun-dried tomato and some sliced olives to add more layers of flavor.

I agree that though wonderful in flavor, seafood should be avoided due to expense.

Choose pasta shapes that sauces will stick to. Rigatonie, ziti, bowties, and anything with ridges on the outside work well.  

Good luck.  Have fun.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Whiskadoodle (Feb 26, 2015)

Chicken Tetrazzini

green salad or spinach salad w sliced strawberries,  poppy seed dressing

--
Stuffed shells or manicotti with a marinara sauce on top.  Festive but a lot of work.  

-- 
Nobody serves this, at least any weddings I've been to -- devilled eggs, a good hors d' oeuvres  and easier than stuffing shells.


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## Aunt Bea (Feb 26, 2015)

Whiskadoodle said:


> Chicken Tetrazzini
> 
> green salad or spinach salad w sliced strawberries,  poppy seed dressing
> 
> ...



I agree they do take a little bit of time to make.  One advantage is that they can be made ahead and frozen, without sauce.  You can bring down the cost and increase the visual interest by adding chopped spinach or chopped broccoli to the cheese or meat filling mixture.


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## Janet H (Feb 26, 2015)

Another vote for this: *Stuffed shells or manicotti with a marinara sauce on top. Festive but a lot of work. *

Stuffed shells taste great, look awesome on a buffet and are pre portioned   They also serve most vegetarians..  You could add a separate tray of meatballs in sauce (also a great do-ahead), a big lovely salad and garlic bread or rosemary breadsticks.  Lovely, fairly easy, cost effective and best of all will hold well.


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## jusnikki (Feb 26, 2015)

Cooking Goddess said:


> Hi 'nikki! (waving back) Nice to see you pop in. A wedding - how exciting!
> 
> Our go-to dish for a large group is something a friend dubbed "Pound Of". It's a pound each of macaroni, rotini, ziti, ground beef, Italian sausage, pepperoni (I used just 1/4 pound for a full recipe), and a pound of mozzarella cheese. Cook all the pastas up, fry up the beef and sausage, and combine all meats and pastas together with enough jar sauce (or your own, if you're so inclined), and about half of the mozzarella. Fill your baking dishes with it, top with the remaining cheese, and bake at 325 for 45 minutes.
> 
> ...


 
This sounds good. I will definetly be trying this... thank you.


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## jusnikki (Feb 26, 2015)

Aunt Bea said:


> Nice to see ya!
> 
> Your question brings so many more questions to mind!
> 
> ...


 
Yes, I will probably be making it the same day right before dinner. I thought it would be a good idea to do two type of pasta dishes also. Maybe a chicken and beef. I don't deal with seafood so won't be that, lol.


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## jusnikki (Feb 26, 2015)

medtran49 said:


> We had our last night's dinner at a wedding dinner once, penne alla vodka. I think we had a salad to go with and there was some kind of garlic bread. There was another pasta dish as well, probably something vegetarian with eggplant as I think that's what Craig had since he really likes eggplant.
> 
> I'd serve at least 2 pastas, with 1 being a vegetarian option unless you know for a fact that none of the guests are vegetarian. In fact, I'd probably go for 3 make-ahead pasta dishes, with 1 being vegetarian and the other 2 with pork, beef or chicken. Personally, I'd stay away from seafood since it has the potential of going bad quickly and also a lot of people have allergies or quirks about eating seafood, not to mention the expense of it.
> 
> Maybe you could tell us a bit more, like if it's going to be a buffet or table service, whether all dishes need to be pre-made, budget, whether you need an appetizer, dessert, etc.


 

Yes it will be buffet style. The wedding party has about 30 to 35 people.


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## jusnikki (Feb 26, 2015)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Whatever pasta you decide, remember, sauces flavored with oregano, basil, rosemary, etc. must be seasoned just before serving, as the aromatics of those herbs will give up their flavors to the air, or, in other words, evaporate out, leaving you with a bland sauce.
> 
> Of course if the pasta is tossed with olive oil, and freshly cut herbs and spices just before serving, it tends to be flavorful, and perceived as lighter, and even healthier food. Add sun-dried tomato and some sliced olives to add more layers of flavor.
> 
> ...


 
Yea that's what I had in mind to keep it kind of light. I know I will do a tomato base with beef and a chicken with a light sauce. Keep the salad simple as mentioned and Italian and or garlic bread.


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## Kayelle (Feb 26, 2015)

Hi Niki! Waving too!

You've got some great ideas there but because I'm so nosy, who are the bride and groom?


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## Cooking Goddess (Feb 26, 2015)

jusnikki said:


> This sounds good. I will definetly be trying this... thank you.


This, too, can be made a day ahead. Just use more sauce when you mix it to allow for liquids being absorbed the day before.

And yes, like Kayelle, I'm nosy too. Will you let us know who the happy couple is?


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## jusnikki (Feb 26, 2015)

Cooking Goddess said:


> This, too, can be made a day ahead. Just use more sauce when you mix it to allow for liquids being absorbed the day before.
> 
> 
> 
> And yes, like Kayelle, I'm nosy too. Will you let us know who the happy couple is?




Yes I will lol... I will post pics of the rehearsal dinner. This is my nieces wedding. She's a couple of years older than I but we are more like sisters. 


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## Kayelle (Feb 28, 2015)

It's wonderful you'll be hosting the rehearsal dinner Niki. That's so much nicer than having it at a restaurant and I'm sure your gift of love will always be remembered. There's nothing better than a family celebration of love.
Keep us posted how it went, ok?


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## jusnikki (Mar 1, 2015)

Kayelle said:


> It's wonderful you'll be hosting the rehearsal dinner Niki. That's so much nicer than having it at a restaurant and I'm sure your gift of love will always be remembered. There's nothing better than a family celebration of love.
> Keep us posted how it went, ok?




Will do...


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