PO, Renda, and others.... Need your help....

[Esther]

Originally Posted by BeenThinkin

Ron, I don't know about you, but I don't think I'm gonna show up now. They'll be trying to put those saddles on us!

Have fun ladies!


Been Thinkin

Did anyone mention lasso's?

[BeenThinkin]

Originally Posted by Esther

Did anyone mention lasso's?

Boy, this is getting out of hand! Hi Oh, Silver away!

BT

[Margies3]

Originally Posted by Esther

Loved the idea of bandanna hankerchiefs wrapping the silverware and tied with jute! Also, the lanterns on the serving tables would be nice, IF you have a serving table, if not on each table or lanterns on some and boots on some.

Lots of great ideas PO, as usual.

I KNEW I could depend on you ladies (and gents) for some great ideas! thanks sooooo much!! We're going to get the handkerchiefs and tie them around the silverware with jute. We had talked about that earlier today because Pat has a boatload of jute available to us But I do like the idea of putting them in the jar until they are ready for their beverages. That's kind of cute.

Originally Posted by BeenThinkin

Do you know anyone that has a saddle or two? A couple of saddles by the door would kinda set an atmosphere as they enter. Trying to save myself Ron. Not about food this time.

Been Thinkin

Been Thinkin!!! That's a FANTASTIC idea!! and I am sure I can come up with a couple of saddles. (We're a small town out in the country, after all )

Originally Posted by Esther

Did anyone mention lasso's?

Esther, I hadn't thought of lasso's, but that's a good idea too. Now to figure out how to use them for decorating.

I saw some big cutouts of cowboy boots on the Oriental Trading Company site but they are very expensive. I can draw them easily and we can just cut them out of brown poster board to hang on the walls. Might do that. We'll see.

If we do the handkerchiefs around everyone's silverware, they can then take that home with them at the end of the night. Is that tacky to send them home with a used favor? LOL

[Margies3]

I hadn't thought about brisket. I wonder how that would go over with ladies?

On the other hand, how will they feel about fried chicken? that's kind of a finger food, in my opinion. Very hard to eat with (plastic) silverware, even if we get the really good plastic (which we will)

I've been trying to think of traditional southern dishes to have. Bean soup comes to my mind. But do we need soup AND a salad? And if we do bean soup, we definitely will not do baked beans. One or the other maybe.

We want traditional southern foods (like Kentucky/Tennessee type southern foods). But we also want foods that the ladies will enjoy. So I hesitate with things like bean soup for that reason.

The other thing I am trying to decide is how to serve these foods. In the past we always had them get up table by table and go into the next room where the food is laid out buffet style. We can do that. But I really don't like doing it that way.

So my other two options are:
1) We can have the men fix their plates for them, then bring them in on serving carts and pass them out. or
2) We can serve the foods "family style". I would get a whole bunch of disposable (but nice) serving platters and bowls. The men could put enough chicken on a platter and enough of the other stuff in the bowls to put at each table. Then the ladies could pass the food family style.

What do you think? What would be your preference?

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Margies3

I hadn't thought about brisket. I wonder how that would go over with ladies?

On the other hand, how will they feel about fried chicken? that's kind of a finger food, in my opinion. Very hard to eat with (plastic) silverware, even if we get the really good plastic (which we will)

I would go with the fried chicken. (But I really don't like brisket, so I'm biased.) Something else you can do that's really easy is pork tenderloin sliders. Jeff smoked some tenderloins to 145 and sliced them about 1/2" (again, for Barak's party) Put on rolls and serve with sauce. Pastor T mixes half BBQ sauce and mayonnaise for a great slider sauce. The sliders are still a finger food and would go good with the fried chicken.

I've been trying to think of traditional southern dishes to have. Bean soup comes to my mind. But do we need soup AND a salad? And if we do bean soup, we definitely will not do baked beans. One or the other maybe.

We want traditional southern foods (like Kentucky/Tennessee type southern foods). But we also want foods that the ladies will enjoy. So I hesitate with things like bean soup for that reason.

Jeff has a great recipe for baked beans. We've used it for years; he got it from a fellow BBQer who gets his newsletter. They're called Dutch's Wicked Baked Beans. I can send it to you if you want it. I think the recipe is in his book, too....

The other thing I am trying to decide is how to serve these foods. In the past we always had them get up table by table and go into the next room where the food is laid out buffet style. We can do that. But I really don't like doing it that way.

So my other two options are:
1) We can have the men fix their plates for them, then bring them in on serving carts and pass them out. or
2) We can serve the foods "family style". I would get a whole bunch of disposable (but nice) serving platters and bowls. The men could put enough chicken on a platter and enough of the other stuff in the bowls to put at each table. Then the ladies could pass the food family style.

What do you think? What would be your preference?

I really prefer the buffet style.

[Esther]

Originally Posted by MissBrattified

I would go with the fried chicken. (But I really don't like brisket, so I'm biased.) Something else you can do that's really easy is pork tenderloin sliders. Jeff smoked some tenderloins to 145 and sliced them about 1/2" (again, for Barak's party) Put on rolls and serve with sauce. Pastor T mixes half BBQ sauce and mayonnaise for a great slider sauce. The sliders are still a finger food and would go good with the fried chicken.



Jeff has a great recipe for baked beans. We've used it for years; he got it from a fellow BBQer who gets his newsletter. They're called Dutch's Wicked Baked Beans. I can send it to you if you want it. I think the recipe is in his book, too....



I really prefer the buffet style.

I'm shocked! You don't like brisket? Isn't your hubby an expert at grilling?

Girl, what's wrong with you?

Tender brisket it great. Touch brisket, don't care for.

BTW...you had some great ideas.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by Esther

I'm shocked! You don't like brisket? Isn't your hubby an expert at grilling?

Girl, what's wrong with you?

Tender brisket it great. Touch brisket, don't care for.

BTW...you had some great ideas.

Well, it's not that I don't like the taste of it, but ironically, I am sensitive to smoked meat. Smoking meat puts nitrates into the meat naturally, and some meats seem to absorb more than others (probably because of the extended cooking time). Most smoked meat makes me sick if I eat more than a few bites. (As does other processed/preserved lunchmeat, hot dogs, etc.) I know. It's a tragedy. Smoked poultry and seafood bother me the least--and that's probably because they don't take as long on the smoker.

Brisket is the chief offender--being as I have eaten it and been unable to keep it down multiple times.

It's sad--because Jeff is such a GOOD COOK!!!!!!

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Margies3

I hadn't thought about brisket. I wonder how that would go over with ladies?

On the other hand, how will they feel about fried chicken? that's kind of a finger food, in my opinion. Very hard to eat with (plastic) silverware, even if we get the really good plastic (which we will)

I've been trying to think of traditional southern dishes to have. Bean soup comes to my mind. But do we need soup AND a salad? And if we do bean soup, we definitely will not do baked beans. One or the other maybe.

We want traditional southern foods (like Kentucky/Tennessee type southern foods). But we also want foods that the ladies will enjoy. So I hesitate with things like bean soup for that reason.

The other thing I am trying to decide is how to serve these foods. In the past we always had them get up table by table and go into the next room where the food is laid out buffet style. We can do that. But I really don't like doing it that way.

So my other two options are:
1) We can have the men fix their plates for them, then bring them in on serving carts and pass them out. or
2) We can serve the foods "family style". I would get a whole bunch of disposable (but nice) serving platters and bowls. The men could put enough chicken on a platter and enough of the other stuff in the bowls to put at each table. Then the ladies could pass the food family style.

What do you think? What would be your preference?

I like Number 2 and I would especially like it if the men would clean the kitchen afterward.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Margies3

I KNEW I could depend on you ladies (and gents) for some great ideas! thanks sooooo much!! We're going to get the handkerchiefs and tie them around the silverware with jute. We had talked about that earlier today because Pat has a boatload of jute available to us

I like how they wrapped these jars. You could do a strip of fabric in the center for more color.