February is overloaded with birthdays for my family and usually, it is Chinese New Year and a Valentine. So, this is what happened when you have a family member whose birthday is near Valentine and Chinese New Year, he gets the idea that it is outdone by Chinese New Year totally and when Valentine, who wants to celebrate birthday right?
This is an attempt to combine Valentine and Birthday celebration into one or rather incorporate Valentine elements into a birthday party just before Chinese New Year! Here is some menu that I want to try:-
The year was 2017, well, it was the peak of my hospitality "Career" as I would do with my maid, home-cooked menu for major festive events. The following menu listing were for a crowd of 40-50 pax. I am glad I penned these down and saved it for future reading.
This year now is 2023, we just been through 3 years of pandemic of COVID-19, we do not like huge crowd of gathering, my current maid does not cook that much, and I am feeling overwhelmed by the idea of whole-day-cooking (sometimes for 2 days). But I still love large batch cooking because my basic family will be 18-20 pax.
A note to my past-self :-
Doria, you are incredible because you dared to try out new dishes and you are bored with same dishes. But sometimes, no cooking is the new cooking, just empty the wallet and called in catering!
~ written on 15 November 2023 (2 days before my 57th birthday and 3 days to my mother in law, Teresa Wah's 80th Birthday).
22 Dec Winter Festival Dinner
Pot Bless Menu :-
1) Hainanese Chicken
2) Vegetarian Glass Noodles
3) * Roast Char Siew - marinate 20 Dec
4) Pork Knuckle Eggs
5) * Pizzas ordered
6) * Green Salad
7) Stir Fried Vegetables
9) Taufu with minced meat
10) Steam Fish 7) Pork Spring Rolls 8) * Try Chickpea Dip with Raw Vegetables
1) Kifer Drinks
2) Lemon Tea 3) Tong Yuan in Gula Melaka (pre made)
Guests List :-
1) Heng Family - 17 (minus 8)
2) Tai Family - 13
3) Uncle George Family - 3
Total : 36
24 Dec Christmas Eve Dinner
Menu :-
1) Spaghetti Bolognese (2 pots)
2) Roast Chicken Wings - 6 Kg
3) Roast Turkey
4) Stuffing -
5) Pumpkin Soup
6) Roast Lamb ?
7) Pork Spring Rolls Roast Char Siew Platter
8) Roast Vegetables Salad (New) Roast on 23 Dec
9) Chickpea Dip and Raw Vegetables Platter
10) Mexican Salsa (Cilantro leaves) coriander seeds
11) Green Salad
12) Mashed Potatoes
13) Mac n Cheese n Bacons make cheese sauce on 23 Dec
14) Pasta Salad - made early morning
15) Quiches Zuchinni - Grate Cheese on 23 Dec
Make Candied Peanuts
Check Plates enough for 50 ?
Appertizers :-
1) Tuna Pastries
2) Fried Seafood Platter by Susan
Desserts :-
1) Minced Pies - make on 23 Dec
2) Prune Cake
3) Fruit Cake
4) Cookies
6) Tiramisu
Guests List :-
1) Heng-Tai Family - 20
2) Worship Team - 12
3) Susan Bong - 5
4) Katherine, Gem - 2
5) Amelia - 5
6) Annie - 5
Total :- 50
20 Dec Wed
- Buy all vegetables for the cooking to start cutting
- Buy Green Apples, herbs
- Roast Candied Peanuts
- Bake Prune & Date Cakes (frist round - 3 portions?)
- Soak Fruits for Minced Pie & Fruit Cakes
- Sort out recipes folders and things to do
- Make all the contacts and check on dates
21 Dec Thu
- Cutting and dicing vegetables (23 Dec)
- Marinate Char Siew for 22 Dec
- Bake Fruit Cakes & Date Cakes
22 Dec Fri
- Roast Char Siew
- Bake Fruits, Prune, Date Cakes
- Make Pastries for Minced Pies
- Make Tong Yuan & Gula Melaka Soup
23 Dec Sat
- Marinate Char Siew
- Make Minced Pies
- Prepare Stuffing
- Make Cheese Sauce
Here is a record of how I prepared for a BBQ Dinner party for about 40 pax. I always plan for more meat, any extra, we could put them aside for family meals. This happens to be Elliot's 21st Birthday on 3 September 2017, we have a few good recipes and have been tried out before.
Guest List :-
1) Our family - 7
2) Tai family - 12 + Grand-Aunt Cecilia
3) Heng family - 11
4) Annie family - 6
5) Aisha - 2
6) Elliot's friends - 6
7) Rekast friends - 6
Total :- 51 (about 7 kids)
Menu :-
1) Spaghetti Mee & Bolognaise Sauce
2) Tea Eggs
3) Chicken Wings - 6 Kg
4) Lamb Shoulders (Bone & Meatless) - 4 Kg
5) Hot Dogs - 8 packs
6) Sweet Potatoes
7) Mashed Potatoes
8) Macaroni Cheese
9) Coleslaw
10) Green Salad
