Recipes

[Calcgirl]

Hello ladies and gentlemen, 

My turn will be coming up to cohost a breakfast at our PEO meeting. There will be about 30 women attending and I will need to transport it to another home who is hosting the meeting.  The breakfast starts at 8:30 AM and the travel time for me with the food is about 20 minutes.  I need suggestions. Thank you so much

[gizmogal]

Discuss your needs with a caterer. Select a menu and have the caterer deliver the food at the time you need it to be at whatever is the location. 

Caterers know how to prepare food for 30 people, how to keep it hot or fresh. They have vehicles and serving trays that help to transport that much food safely and attractively. They will supply utensils and plates.

For the amount of labor and expense you will put into this, plus the challenges of transporting food for 30 people, you may find the cost of a caterer very reasonable since it frees you from all but making decisions. 

Your easiest alternative, if you can put out cold food, is to buy 3 dozen or so assorted bagels and  a few different spreads.Iif the budget allows, include lox or slice a vegetable or two like tomatoes or cucumbers ready as toppings . Slice the bagels the night before to make it convenient for eating and bring loads of disposable knives or spreaders, napkins and 6" plates.

Breakfast food for 30 people is manageable only if you have experience with serving that many and have a good skill for detail when planning and preparing. If the budget allows, cater it. 

[beach-mom]

@Calcgirl - An easy solution is a sausage and cheese casserole with some fresh fruit. You could also do a French Toast blueberry casserole and maybe some mini quiches. I've made so many!

This time of year a pumpkin bread loaf or pumpkin muffins would be good too. Or you could serve mini bagels and flavored cream cheese spread.

Easy Breakfast Casserole 

1 roll Jimmy Dean mild sausage 

6 slices cubed bread 

1 tsp. mustard 

1 tsp. salt

2 c. milk

4 eggs 

1-8 oz. bag shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 

 Brown sausage and drain. In 9 X 13" pan layer bread, sausage, and cheese. Mix mustard, salt, milk, and eggs. Pour over sausage mixture.

Refrigerate overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover with foil and bake for one hour. Uncover and bake 10 minutes more. 

This is the other one I thought of that I have made often. I got the recipe here from @JeanLouiseFinch ! It's so good!

Blueberry Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole     

12 slices of bread, any kind (I used a long skinny loaf of Fr. Bread and it was perfect - thick slices and discard the heels)
2 pks. Cream cheese, room temp.
1 C. blueberries, fresh or frozen
12 Lg. eggs
1/3 C. maple syrup (the real thing)
2 C. Milk

***Note – I think a hearty kind of “white” bread is required to stand up, so to speak, – French, Brioche, maybe Challah – nothing like Wonder Bread or soft white sandwich bread…blech!

Directions

1. Spray 9 X 13 inch dish with Pam. Cut or tear bread into large, rustic cubes and arrange in the bottom of dish

2. Cut up cream cheese into 1" cubes. Drop the cream cheese cubes over the top of the bread. Sprinkle 1 cup blueberries over the top.

3. In mixing bowl, combine 12 eggs, 2 cups milk, 1/3 cup maple syrup. Slowly pour this mixture over the bread, cream cheese and blueberries - make sure you cover everything evenly and not too much in any particular spot so you don't get a soggy result after baking. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight.

4. The next morning preheat oven to 350°. Take casserole out of the refrigerator. Place covered casserole in a 350° oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Then uncover and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until top is a golden brown and the center is set.

5. While the casserole is baking, you can heat up the blueberry sauce on top of the oven or microwave until warm. Serve over top of casserole.

6. Prep time: 30 mins. to put everything together. 8-24 hours - refrigerate several hours or overnight until bread is soaked through with egg, milk mixture. Cook time: 1 hr. - 1 hr. 15 mins.

Blueberry Sauce:
(You can make this ahead of time and refrigerate, then warm up before serving or you can make it while the casserole is baking.)

- 1 C. sugar
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 C. water
- 1 C. blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 Tbsp. butter (I use real)

1. Stir together 1 cup sugar and 2 Tbsp. cornstarch in a medium sauce pan. Add 1 cup water and stir until smooth. Stir well so cornstarch won't be clumpy. Heat to boiling and stir 2-3 minutes until thickened.

2. Add 1 cup blueberries; simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until blueberries just start to burst. Don't let them all burst.

3. Turn heat off the blueberry sauce and stir in 1 Tbsp. butter. If making in advance, store in plastic or glass container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Serves 8

*** I have made this for a crowd. I'm used to it. At breakfast, people sometimes don't take a lot. For 30 people I might make both - maybe doubling the first recipe (because it's easier). But I think you'll be safe if you put other things out.  

[Tinkrbl44]

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@Calcgirl wrote:

Hello ladies and gentlemen, 

My turn will be coming up to cohost a breakfast at our PEO meeting. There will be about 30 women attending and I will need to transport it to another home who is hosting the meeting.  The breakfast starts at 8:30 AM and the travel time for me with the food is about 20 minutes.  I need suggestions. Thank you so much

---

@Calcgirl 

I'm hoping you plan on having a buffet.   

I once singlehandedly put together a Thanksgiving dinner for 24, and IMO buffet is the only way to go.    

[Janey2]

Let me understand this....you are expected to feed 30 people in another person's home? Call a caterer. How would you transport all that food unless you have a truck? Why not have the person whose house the breakfast takes place provide the food? Seems to me that would be a much smarter way of doing things.

[ThinkingOutLoud]

a bowl of purple and green grapes (cut sprigs of 5/6 each)

apple breakfast bake (torn bread, apple pie filling - works warm or cold)

yogurts (transport in cooler)

mini muffins (various flavors)

mini donuts 

[honeybeagle]

Please be more specific on your budget. Did you want to cook or prepare food at home and bring with you? if so, yogurt parfaits layered with fresh berries and granola would be delicious. Buy punch cups and begin layering. Panera also has great breakfast ideas you could order and pick up on the way.

[Group 5 minus 1]

PEO is this a sorority? If it is, I am a member.

[JeanLouiseFinch]

Glad you enjoy it, @beach-mom.  It used to be a favorite go to years ago.  

[jackthebear]

Panera