Budget friendly Purim seuda

amother

Ginger

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 10:26 am

We are hosting Purim seuda for many years. But this year we are on extremely tight budget. Not hosting is not an option as majority of invitees will not have a seuda otherwise. So here is the question. I need an ideas for festive yet very frugal menu for about 15 adults and few preteen boys.
Some things I already have in freezer - boneless flanken and chopped meat. All bought on a good sale. I also have chicken bones for soup and wonton wrappers . I'll make my own rolls. We also hold that fish is necessary as it's yom tov seuda.
Thanks a lot.

mha3484

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 10:31 am

I would do Chinese.

You can make wonton soup
some sort of asian beef with the flanken
Fried Rice or lo mein
Vegetables

Its a lot of fun.

Iymnok

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 10:33 am

pasta salad
Rice
Stir fried veggies
Potato dish
Cabbage salad
Other salads

Basically lots of starches and well priced vegetables to stretch the meats.

A grilled salmon salad will stretch the salmon. Add some sautéed mushrooms and onions- yum!

amother

Ginger

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 10:48 am

Asian sounds good. I have tons of rice at home. What can I use for stir fried veggies that doesn't require a lot of work cutting and checking? I have cans of baby corn.
Forgot to mention that I have very low energy level recently and I'm also known for good food.
My reputation is at stake here. Wink

tichellady

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 10:55 am

amother wrote:

Peppers- they sell frozen multicolored strips of peppers at Trader Joe's. Snow peas don't require much work. Maybe water chestnuts

amother

Ginger

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 11:04 am

I have couple of cans of green beans. Is there a way to use them that they will not taste like canned?
Last year I made Asian salmon skewers with veggies (2 cubes per skewer). They were really good. And I think they are economical as well. I might just do this again.

Iymnok

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 11:05 am

Can any of your guests bring something or come early or a few day before to help?

amother

Ginger

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 12:11 pm

Iymnok wrote:

Can any of your guests bring something or come early or a few day before to help?

I hope 2 of my friends will. But it's Purim, everyone is busy. The rest are only allowed to bring fruits and some are allowed to bring wine since we taught them to buy mevushal only. Majority of my guests are not frum.

mha3484

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 12:19 pm

I would just buy a bag of the frozen stir fry veggies. I am kind of lazy that way.

amother

Taupe

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 12:31 pm

I like to make my won stir fry with sautéed onions, sliced carrots, canned mushrooms, baby corn, peppers, snap peas and towards end when carrots are softish I add stir fry sauce and let it cook on low flame to absorb taste. yum!

amother

Ginger

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 12:39 pm

mha3484 wrote:

I would just buy a bag of the frozen stir fry veggies. I am kind of lazy that way.

That won't fly. First of all they are expansive and I need few bags. Second, I don't like the texture. And third and most important one, they all have onions and I would not touch them with a 10 foot pole. I'd rather check my own broccoli.

I think I'll just go by what's on sale that week and add some sliced red pepper for color.

Thanks for everybody's ideas.

Anyone has a good recipe for an Asian boneless flanken?

amother

Ginger

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 12:52 pm

mha3484 wrote:

this is yum http://damndelicious.net/2015/.....beef/

Thanks! Looks good, uses slow cooker and I have all ingredients. I guess this is what I'm making.

Iymnok

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 1:01 pm

Marinated salads are great
-Coleslaw
-Cucumber onion
-Thinly cut colored peppers, 4 carrots, purple onion, and 4 cucumbers. Vinegar, oil, sugar/honey salt. Colorful and delicious. Can be made in advance.
-Guacamole
-Three bean salad

amother

Ginger

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 1:13 pm

Iymnok wrote:

-Thinly cut colored peppers, 4 carrots, purple onion, and 4 cucumbers. Vinegar, oil, sugar/honey salt. Colorful and delicious. Can be made in advance.

This sounds good (without onions). How far in in advance I can make it?

Iymnok

Wed, Feb 22 2017, 3:03 pm

I've done two days. Longer the cucumbers may start to taste a little like pickles. (But they could be added later)