{diy list: food remix}

Okay. It happened. And I'm sure it will continue to happen. I changed my mind.


This time it is about serving Gourmet Burgers for dinner. I love this idea. I love it so much and think that it is so fun and interactive. I am, however, nervous about implementation. To make it most cost effective, it would mean buying the ground beef in bulk, forming patties, and then grilling them. The estimated guest count will probably be around 100 people so that would mean a LOT of burger-making-grilling time. And, that wouldn't be the end of it. Burgers wouldn't provide a vegetarian option (not that I know of any vegetarians on the list at this current time but I'd like to be an equal-entree-opportunity provider). Not to mention, a burger option does not make a meal. There would be sides that are required: potato salad, fruit salad, etc. Calculating how much to prepare for each and the simple preparation of several different sides means a lot more work. Even the action of cooking would require someone to spend time manning (or wo-manning) the grill and not boogin' down.
 
So, time to rethink our plan. The new solution?
Well... let me give you a teaser:



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...do you get it?

We're planning on throwing a soup and salad reception.
(This is where I first saw this brilliant idea.)
 
Before you start picturing kiddie pools topped off with good ol' canned chicken noodle, let me explain...
 
 
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While canned soup would be easier (jury is out on cheaper), we're definitely not interested in going this route. Don't get me wrong, I eat canned soup. Just not interested in serving it on our wedding day.


Instead, I'm thinking about serving a range of soups and stews that will ensure that everyone has something they like: Homemade Chicken Noodle and Baked Potato Soup. Maybe Vegetable Beef and Tomato Basil, too. All will be homemade and the recipes will definitely be tested out before hand.


Oh, and you can't forget a good supply of bread to go along with the soup options, too. Ya'know: to mop up all of the good stuff at the end. Mmm. Yeah, I'm a soup kind of girl.


So, why is this so much better?

• I already bulk cook for D and I. Cooking up bulk batches of our soup and freezing them wouldn't be too difficult before the wedding.
• Day of requires reheating of the soups and that is just about it. We'll rent some tureens that will help keep it hot for anyone interested in seconds, but not much work. Reheating soup? Oh, we can do that.
• Less day of prep means less man hours taken away from our party. The time it takes to reheat the soup does not equate to the time of manning a grill and making sure each burger turns out right.
• Bulk is cheaper. By cooking them in large batches, we won't have to worry about individual parts to coordinate. (IE: burger buns, patties, toppings, etc.)
• Chopping up veggies for the salad can be done the day before. Not to mention, any leftovers of the salad bar will probably be taken home as leftovers and put back into another bulk cooking batch for D and I. Yep, definitely won't complain about having extra carrots.
• D and I eat pretty healthy. A lot of our meals are loaded with veggies and I'm happy that the food that we provide on our wedding day can match the kind of diet that we believe in. People with lachanophobia can totally pig out, too. (Lachanophobia is fear of vegetables.) Yep, totally googled that.)

 So what do you guys think? Would you pig out at a soup and salad buffet? Any hesitation or things that we might not have thought of? Any super great passed down from generation to generation recipes?