Inexpensive Menu for 25 Seminary girls

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saramalka

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 12:53 pm

I will be having my husband seminary class of 25 girls for all 3 Shabbos meals. I need suggestions of easy to make foods that will stretch for this number of people (plus my own family) Finances are an issue, as is ingredients that are easy to find in Israel

imasinger

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 1:09 pm

Let's start by asking what is inexpensive and easy for you to find? Grains? Veggies?

My advice is not to serve filet mignon.

Liba

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 1:14 pm

How about a stir fry with rice, vegis and some chicken for Friday night.

Liba

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 1:20 pm

If you can get a good sale on chicken wings they are also a crowd pleaser and cheaper than most other part of the chicken. Smile

tizunabi

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 1:40 pm

Soup for night-time. Chulent for day-time.
Try to make BIG portions as opposed to lots of choices

ray family

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 1:43 pm

girls like salads so I would have a few types of salads and dips- you don't need to make fancy expensive salads w/ meats or exotic fruits
if you're making a traditional meal make the soup w/ bones, necks and wings. the wings can then be cleaned and pieces of chicken can be served w/ the soup.
I would not serve wings to sem girls bec. they're messy and I don't think many of them would be comfortable using their hands to eat!
I would put out more than one type of dish you don't need to make enough for 25 girls but there should be variety in case s/o doesn't like s/t.

shabbos day chullent, homemade kishka (served separately so it's like another dish) potato kugel and another kugel from another cheap veg and or a lukshen kugel. salads

3rd meal- tuna, eggs maybe some leftover kugel, salads

I don't know if there's any real way to make it inexpensive when cooking for 25+ pple. just look for cheaper ingredients or things that can be stretched

Liba

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 1:51 pm

We currently have access to 39aug/kilo tomatoes and cucumbers, so I would make tomato dip, tomato salad and cucumber salad or Israeli salad.

FWIW we have yet to have seminary girls who won't eat wings. I usually offer two types of chicken when we have a lot of guests (wings and cut up whole chickens) and the wings are usually appreciated and eaten more than the roasted chicken.

Tamiri

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 2:04 pm

Will there be room for everyone to sit comfortably or will the plates be on the young ladies' laps?

Meiraleah

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 2:14 pm

Im sort of surprised that the seminary isn't assisting financially...its not a teacher hosting a few girls a few shabbatot a year.
Also, girls like to help. Why don't you have your husband suggest they devide up bringing dessert, salads, and paper goods? These things are not major expenses but will relieve some of the financial burden and Im sure the girls will be happy to participate!

That being said, I second the soup and cholent suggestions.

Raisin

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 2:24 pm

lots of challa, 3-4 dips and 1-2 salads, thinly sliced gefilta fish or other fish
wings and/or meatballs for friday night
kugel/potatoes/rice
carrot based side dish (carrots are cheap)

more salads and dips for lunch and big cholent.

bagels or wraps or pitta for 3rd meal (you could serve falafel and chummous and salads if using pitta)

Aetrsnrady

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 2:28 pm

Another vote for soup and Chulent. And if you're ok with the girls bringing food- go for it! Keep it simple and homey. The girls are coming for your company more than the food. They want to experience shabbos in their teachers home. The atmosphere is much more important than the actual food. Add a few salads and fruit, and lunch is done. I dont know many girlswho eat chicken wings. Would 'meatballs' made of dark meat turkey cost less than chicken? Maybe you vould serve meatballs and rice friday night, after the soup with some type of hot vegetable- Im thinking zuccini because of simplicity as far as checking and quick prep- if its inexpensive where you live.
For dessert, if you feel you need some type of baked goods, cookies or bars are easier to serve than cakes and require less baking time. What do you usually serve your family for Shabbos? Can you just make more of the same?this way it is familiar to you and you'll know where the bargains are.
Hatzlacha!

aussie2

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 2:31 pm

yup I 2nd meirela's post. The seminary should def. be helping out. But, as far as the food goes.. like others have said- challah, dips, salads, fish (but many prob. don't eat that, so you can prepare less) soup, chicken - that was a good idea- some wings and some quaters and I would add cubed potatoes which can be a side dish and two kugels (do s/t that has ing. that are cheap in your area) and have the girls bring dessert..
The day meal can be- challah, same dips, eggs, cholent, israeli salad, 2 kugels and ice cream or a diff. easy dessert.

Good luck cooking!!

Aetrsnrady

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 2:33 pm

Another thought- is there someone at the seminary, ie a madricha, or em bayit who could organize a 'hostess gift' for you? When I was in seminary they really impressed upon us the proper midos and hakaras hatov by bringing a gift to our Shabbos host. If someone organized it, the girls could pitch in to buy wine, challah, dessert, etc

Hashemlovesme

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 3:09 pm

Liba wrote:

Do you live in Beitar by chance? They are having a price war on veggis there. I've never seen anything less than 99 aug/kilo. cucs & tomatoes are like 406 shek/kilo these days.

Dolly Welsh

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 6:08 pm

How about a vat of home-made humus as an inexpensive, filling food? You would need bread to eat it with.

Can one dilute humus in a blender until it's a loose slurry and then call it a soup?

I don't know if olives are inexpensive there but if they are, put a few in the center of each bowl with a green leaf of some kind, any kind. Dust the center with a red spice such as paprika or chili powder.

Raisin

Mon, Oct 29 2012, 6:17 pm

Dolly, I don't think any israeli (or even chul) shabbos meal is complete without chummous.

But the soup idea is not very appetizing...

DrMom

Tue, Oct 30 2012, 1:00 am

How about starting with a hearty lentil soup? Nutritious, cheap, filling, yummy.

saramalka

Tue, Oct 30 2012, 3:58 am

Which stores in Betar have price wars. It might be worth it for me to travel

Liba

Tue, Oct 30 2012, 4:10 am

Rami Levi has (or at least had yesterday) cucumbers and tomatoes for 39aug a kilo. The sign says up to three kilo and only with 100nis purchase, but in reality there is no limit in the computers, no other price and the 100nis purchase isn't needed. They has noodles on sale for 1nis a package as well. I haven't heard about any other great deals though.

elaela

Tue, Oct 30 2012, 5:14 am

cheap fish strater very shabbosdig easy to make (eventjough it takes a while):

thuna wraps

tuna, mayo, spices, lemon
wraps: flour, mineral water, eggs

fry wraps in pan (for 25 pieces it takes about an hour:( )
fill with thuna spread
wrap it up and cut diagonally

my guests love it, looks great when served with dips and sprinkeled with persley or dille and is far ceaper than salmon, gefilta fish or anything else I can think of (thuna is gerenally cheaper and you dont use much of it, as it is in the wrap, and the wrap itself is filling).

soup made of bones/necks
vegetable, lokshn and potatoe kugel are cheap but can be a patchka
rice and couscous is easier and also cheap
chulnt (add less meat and more beans/potatoes)

meat dish: meatballs or chickenwings. Check what is on sale!!!

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