Rehearsal Dinner Menu/Wedding Luncheon - Menus and Entertaining

Mel-icious · #1 (**permalink**) 09-20-2002, 10:08 AM

We've decided it will be so much easier to have our rehearsal dinner at my sister's house. Since she is 10 minutes from the rehearsal site, has a cleaning lady who is coming the day before, and Maddie isn't the best diner when we go to restaraunts. Soooooooo, now I get to plan the menu!

My sister's hubby is going to do the food, he is an awesome cook, he's going to do a pork roast on the rotisserie and I told him I would make up a few dishes he would just have to heat up and he will take care of the veggies, grilled asparagus, steamed string beans in browned garlic butter, and that kinda stuff. I guess I can make up a really "big" salad but after that I am stuck as to what to do dessert wise, I need a starch I know that, and/or other entree, and should I have another one? Should I make up a lasagna, baked ziti, stuffed shells, kinda thingy? Any suggestions to make it a little more special? Would love to hear them! Oh and I am also going to do a little lite luncheon for who ever is here the day of the wedding, I need stuff I can make up the night before since we are doing pics in advance, people will have to get here around 1 PM......suggestions?

Deana · #2 (**permalink**) 09-20-2002, 10:46 AM

Way cool that you're doing the rehearsal at your sister's house! I would suggest two things: a pasta (ziti, lasagna... whatever's easier on you) and a potato dish (scalloped, layered, even mashed). Then your starches are covered. Or maybe instead of a pasta 'dish', you could boil up a couple different shapes of pasta and then brew up two different sauces (red and pesto??) - like a mini pasta bar?
If it was me, I'd do really simple "hand held" deserts like brownies or cookies. Or maybe a big apple crisp/cobbler.
For the day of, my stepmom had a deli tray, fruit, cheese and crackers, spinach dip and some pastries (from the bakery). She just put it out and we all noshed while we were getting ready.

It's getting so close!!

Mel-icious · #3 (**permalink**) 09-20-2002, 11:49 AM

Oh, a cheesy scalloped sounds good, I remember CL had a few good ones.....that and baked ziti or lasagna, {T's faves} then I can make them up ahead of time.

At first I was going to do a fallish deal, ya know butternut squash soup, deep fried turkey, the whole nine, but that is just soooo much work. I didn't want my brother-in-law to have to work so hard.

Have you tried that Texas Sheet Cake CL put out? Maybe that would be good for a dessert? Or it it too messy you think?

I am liking the deli tray idea, at first I was thinking chicken salad, but that is kinda heavy. So maybe I'll go with the deli tray, and definitely spinach dip, I may gain 10 pounds that afternoon! LOL!

Can you believe less than a month!

Deana · #4 (**permalink**) 09-20-2002, 12:02 PM

Maybe you could do a butternut squash dish as a side veggie to incorporate a fall food? (didn't Sept's CL have a bunch of recipes for butternut squash?) Maybe a big homemade macaroni and cheese (I always think of fall w/mac & cheese...)
I think the Texas sheet cake is a great idea. Not too messy. I haven't tried that version (but I've had the full fat version several times

). Actually, I'm having a friend and her husband over for dinner in two weeks and I was going to make that for desert. I'll let you know how it goes!
Gosh, I wish I could come there just to help you cook! Do you have a pretty good sized freezer? Hopefully you can do a bunch a head of time.

Mel-icious · #5 (**permalink**) 09-20-2002, 12:06 PM

I don't but my sister does, her hubby converted an extra fridge into a beer meister, its to funny, he has a tap on the outside and everything, there is a freezer up top they keep mugs in so I have all that freezer space to work with.

Mac and cheese is a good idea too for the kids, {my niece, Rayanne, Maddie, and Nick} CL's 4 cheese is a good one, I always make that and it flies!

I'll check out CL, your right they did do a lot with butternut squash.

And if I thought you'd make it up here I'd ask you in a heartbeat to come on over....in fact just come on over!

ksix · #6 (**permalink**) 09-20-2002, 01:07 PM

All your ideas for the rehearsal dinner sound great! A mashed redskin tato casserole would be good with the pork. Or I have a recipe for a ranch baked mashed potato thing if you'd like.

As for the day of...a deli tray sounds fabulous! We ended up having my MOH's husband stop and pick up Subway for us to eat on the way to the church...would've much rather had a nice deli tray to nosh on at our leisure!

Don't try to do too much yourself though! We don't want you to be a frazzled mess!!

Deana · #7 (**permalink**) 09-20-2002, 03:25 PM

M, that's great that you can use all that extra freezer space. David would LOVE that beer meister! We have the ice/water thing in our freezer door - he always says it would be complete with a beer tap

Back to your "day of" menu... we had a TON of juice at the house, which really saved me. I wasn't hungry at all (my mom forced me to eat a sandwich before I got dressed) but I sipped juice all morning 'cause I would get woozy every now and then (we later mixed the oj with champagne

) my mom also bought several boxes of granola bars which were great since they were so 'transportable'(running around in the car, etc.).

Mel-icious · #8 (**permalink**) 09-20-2002, 03:39 PM

Kim, I'd love to check out your recipe!

D, great ideas, keep them coming! Mimosas {oh I mean juice} and granola bars, adding to the list!

Btw, all he did was cut a hole in the side of their old fridge {its in their finished basement} and stuck a tap in it. He puts a whole keg in there and that lasts him a couple weeks {unless we visit}