image source:
http://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger
It is time to decide on your graduation food for your party. Use the same idea as the graduation tips… Keep It Simple! First, what can you afford? Secondly, what does your graduate like? Third, what is within reason of your talents?
So first, set a budget! Can you afford to have a local BBQ place, restaurant or grocery store prepare items for you? If so, go for it and keep your stress down! If like most of us, you prefer for your budget to prepare items, sit down and talk with your graduate and get them involved. Yes, enlist help. Plan your menu. Are you going to grill hamburgers and hot dogs? Are you going to do finger foods? Do you prefer to do grab and go type foods? Are you going to just do cake and beverages? Here are a few great recipes to use and in the next post, I will list out some finger food ideas. Whatever you choose, split up the items and make it a group effort! I am a list person, so I make lists, watch sales and delegate! Below are some suggestions and ideas. I have found with all the graduation parties, people get caked out. It is simple, usually cheap and fits the bill, but you may have some left over. I prefer a couple kinds of cookies baked a week ahead and put in Ziploc bags in the freezer. Just pull them out the morning of the party and they taste fresh.
HAMBURGERS HOT DOGS & Brats Idea
List:
- Hamburger Patties
- Hamburger Buns
- Hot Dogs/Brats
- Hot Dog Buns
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Relish
- Tomatoes
- Pickles
- Lettuce
- Chips
- Baked Beans
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Potato Salad
- Cup Cakes, Cookies or something sweet
- Hamburger Patties, you can buy these already pre-formed in your freezer section. Just take them out a couple of hour before you need them and sprinkle with some Season All or Season Salt.
- Homemade, do them the week or two before and freeze with wax paper in between each patty.
Hamburger Patties
- Makes approximately 50 burgers (about 10 per pound)
- 5 lbs Hamburger
- 2 Tbl Minced Onion
- 2 Tbl Garlic Salt
- 2 Tbl A1 Sauce
- 2 Eggs (beaten)
I like to line a pan with wax paper and Saran Wrap. Don’t use tinfoil, the meat will absorb a metal taste. The key with good burgers is to not over handle the meat. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and just make sure they are thoroughly incorporated. Take a ¼ cup measuring cup and scoop it up and fill it level, dump it in your hand and make it into a ball and flatten to about ½ inch thick with a flat bottom bowl and small plate. Sprinkle with season salt and put in the pan you lined. Make a single layer and then a layer of wax paper between. Repeat until all patties are made. Make sure if you are freezing them to seal them up with Saran Wrap so they don’t get freezer burned.
Baked Beans
- 1 #10 can Cheap Baked Beans (this is the industrial size from your local wholesale club or several grocery stores sell them as well)
- 1 cup Ketchup
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Tbl Mustard
- 3 Tbl Minced Onion
- 1 Tbl Liquid Smoke
- 8-10 slices Thick sliced, raw Bacon (cut into pieces)
- Drain most of the liquid off of the baked beans from the can. Add in all the ingredients except bacon and this will fill a 9×13 pan and will serve about 40-50 people. Bake in the oven until bubbly and hot! You may also cook and keep warm in a crock pot.
Potato Salad
Watch for my Potato Salad Recipe coming out next Friday in an upcoming blog for Memorial Day! Tip: only use red potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes!
Cookies
Make your graduates 2 favorites! If sugar cookies, cut them into squares and ice the center in a square shape with school color icing and pipe around the outside a thin line in dark chocolate and a dark chocolate circle in the middle for graduation caps! If you’re really adventurous, take a the dark chocolate icing and draw a line from the center button diagonally to a corner and make a tassel at the end of the edge of the cookie, just keep it all on the top so they stack better.
Macaroni & Cheese
- This is always a crowd favorite!
- 2 lbs Boxes of Medium Shells
- 1 32 oz can/box of Chicken Broth
- 3 Tbl Garlic Salt
- Water
- 1 lb Velveeta
- 1 8 oz pkg shredded Co-Jack Cheese
- 2 16 oz cans evaporated milk
- ½ cup Butter
Bring water, chicken broth and garlic salt to a boil and cook noodles al dente (just softened and pliable). While boiling, cube up Velveeta and butter. Drain pasta, put in Velveeta and butter and let melt a little then add evaporated milk and shredded cheese. Mix until all is coated. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees and serve warm.
Author: Ann King
Kansas City Bone & Joint Clinic
Ann works in our office in the insurance and pre-certification department. She is experienced in catering and restaurant management and is also our lunch program organizer.
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