Help! Need inexpensive breakfast ideas for 50-75 people!

[kf4qhk]

Hey guys,

My name is Jeremy, first time poster from South Alabama.

Our church recently decided to have a breakfast before our weekly service, and, I have inherited the honor of being responsible for it for the next four weeks. No sarcasm intended at all, I am VERY EXCITED about this.

We have just been having this for a month now, and, it is going pretty well. While I was scared we would only have 30, we have had 50-70 each week, and, may continue to trend up.

Up until now, the fare has been pretty standard, at least by "Southern" standards. They have had eggs, grits, sausage, bacon, pancakes, biscuits, gravy, and the like. Now, they have mixed it up a bit, and haven't had all of the stuff on any given Sunday, but, that's typical fare for down here in the South. And, it's pretty popular.

However, for this next month, I am wanting to take it to "the next level." I'd like to "fancify" (made up word) our fare, with the hopes of giving our people an above average experience.

What are some examples of things we could prepare, with a minimum amount of talent/resources? Most of my team, to the best of my knowledge, has a limited amount of cooking experience, but, I am hoping to practice some this week on the things we are going to cook.

I need something that I can make "in bulk" at less than $3 a person, which is the cost for our breakfasts.

I saw a recipe for Red Velvet Pancakes and Cheesecake Pancakes. I may try those.

(I'd like to have one "fancy" dish and one "regular" dish, because not everyone is going to go for the fancier stuff.)

It is my goal that the food, along with some skits/dramas/extra touches from my team will cause breakfast attendance to increase. We are trying to use these breakfasts, as a church, to build unity and friendship among our attendees.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Jeremy James

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Welcome to DC!

I am thinking pancakes with seasonal fresh fruit toppings and whipped cream would be good. Add Canadian Bacon and maybe a melon and cheese platter to make it lighter for warmer weather.

Sounds like a good time.

 

[kf4qhk]

Welcome to DC!

I am thinking pancakes with seasonal fresh fruit toppings and whipped cream would be good. Add Canadian Bacon and maybe a melon and cheese platter to make it lighter for warmer weather.

Sounds like a good time.

Hey, thanks for the answer.

I actually saw a sign tonight advertising a IHOP meal, and it was pancakes with fruit and whipped topping. Do people put fruit on regular pancakes?

 

[forty_caliber]

Muffins would add some zing without adding too much cost. Can be purchased pre-made from your local warehouse club.

Instead of pancakes you could do crepes and fill them with eggs and sausage or berries and cream. Adds elegance without getting "crazy".

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[kf4qhk]

I have never had a crepe - saw a recipe the other day that had crepes with cheese and ham in them.

Dumb question - is a crepe like a burrito but the external layer is egg instead of a tortilla?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I have never had a crepe - saw a recipe the other day that had crepes with cheese and ham in them.

Dumb question - is a crepe like a burrito but the external layer is egg instead of a tortilla?

Kinda the same, used more for sweet fillings, but can be filled with anything. And there's no such thing as a dumb question...

 

[forty_caliber]

A crepe is an egg pancake. The batter is more watery and doesn't have baking powder to make them rise. The result is a thin "pancake" kind of like a tortilla but without the lard.

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[PrincessFiona60]

Oh, and they are usually thin enough you do not have to turn them.

 

[kf4qhk]

How hard are they to make in a regular non stick skillet or on a flat grill? Can they be put in a warmer for a while and then "folded up" with the toppings in later?

 

[PrincessFiona60]

It would be easiest to clean your grill, lightly oil and make up all your crepes, they will keep warm in a foil covered steam table pan.

In other words...yes!

 

[kf4qhk]

Ok - I am assuming that I beat the eggs first, like I would scramble them, but, pour a bit on the grill..keeping the grill at very low temperature, and trying to make it a bit wide...and then it would slowly cook. Am I right?

Would I need to flip it? How could I get it to stay a certain shape?

 

[luvs]

french toast stuffed w/ cream cheese & fruit. peach, strawberry, or banana, they're great. frozen fruit is cheaper sometimes although if your're hurried, canned (if you chose peaches) is easier & they are good. w/ a bread lke schwebel's, creamcheese & fruit purchased on sale, w/ a sprinkling of sugar, a couple types of syrup, that would be inexpensive enough.

maybe waffles & a compote- compotes, they're very easy. fruit/sweetener/h2o/a cornstarch slurry poured into the fruit after cooking that through, cook for a minute or so thereafter/maybe a dash of cinnamon.. may i recommend blueberry & strawberry?

heuvos rancheros.

stuffed homefries, w/ peppers, onions, & that type of stuff. cheese, maybe cheddar or a blend.

baked (shirred) eggs

fritatta

a yogurt bar, w/ various types from lite to greek, granola, fruits

BLT's- yes, bacon ain't too cheap. a BLT uses, though, often, 3-4 half-pieces.

if i think of other items, i'll post~

i thought of another- a simple egg sammich! they're so good, they're easy, they don''t cost too much, & there's plenty of versatility there.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Ok - I am assuming that I beat the eggs first, like I would scramble them, but, pour a bit on the grill..keeping the grill at very low temperature, and trying to make it a bit wide...and then it would slowly cook. Am I right?

Would I need to flip it? How could I get it to stay a certain shape?

There are other ingredients for crepes, you need flour for sure. But yes, it would all be beaten together and then usually a 1/4 cup or less of batter for each crepe. Now is when you need to look at a recipe.

 

[forty_caliber]

Here are some great instructions from Alton Brown. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/crepes-recipe/index.html

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[kf4qhk]

Been looking at a video or two on Youtube and reading some recipes. This is going to be FUN!

I am going to try to make 60 crepes, and the rest of the eggs, I will scramble in case people want regular eggs.

If I make the crepes a day in advance, and store them in the fridge, can I just put them in the warmer a few hours before breakfast, and they'll warm up?

Also - what are good fillings for crepes? I was thinking about ham/cheese, but, some may like fruit..how hard is it for me to make a crepe on a serving line, with either topping? Can they be made pretty easily and quickly?

Jeremy

 

[forty_caliber]

Practice at home before you add to the menu. It's not hard but there is a knack to it. You could pre-fill it for the guest. If there are multiple fillings, present a plate as a suggestion and have a someone standing by to assist. In some regions folks might not have ever seen a crepe.

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[taxlady]

How hard are they to make in a regular non stick skillet or on a flat grill? Can they be put in a warmer for a while and then "folded up" with the toppings in later?

I wouldn't do it on a non-stick skillet. A chef friend of mine spent a couple of weeks trying it on non-stick before he got the knack.

 

[simonbaker]

Baked French Toast: Spray a full sized steamtable pan 2" deep. Generally serves 30 people. Fill sprayed pan with cut up sweetbreads(day old rolls or croissants.) Take 3-4 cups frozen blueberries & 1 pound cream cheese cut up into small pieces. Distribute berries & cheese evenly into cut up bread. In a seperate bowl mix together 18-20 large eggs, 2.5-3 quarts milk, a splash of vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg. Pour egg mixture over bread/berry/cheese mix. Bake 50+ minutes or until firm in the middle. May need to cover as it can get to brown. Serve with butter & syrup on the side. Hold warm in a chafing dish.
Breakfast Burritoes: Scramble eggs with a small amount of lemon juice(this will prevent the eggs from turning green). Set aside. Using a flat top grill: spray 10-12" flour tortilla's with cooking spray sprinkle with you favorite seasoning(I like chili powder or cumin& garlic) Place tortilla's on grill, seasoned side down. Top tortilla with shredded cheese, diced ham & bacon & cooked scrambled eggs. Once they start to get a little crispy fold in each side, then roll up, wrap them tight. Depending how big you make the they can be cut into 2-3 pieces. Serve with salsa, sour cream & jalepeno's on the side.
A couple of idea's for you to try out. Hope it works out for you.

 

[kf4qhk]

Baked French Toast: Spray a full sized steamtable pan 2" deep. Generally serves 30 people. Fill sprayed pan with cut up sweetbreads(day old rolls or croissants.) Take 3-4 cups frozen blueberries & 1 pound cream cheese cut up into small pieces. Distribute berries & cheese evenly into cut up bread. In a seperate bowl mix together 18-20 large eggs, 2.5-3 quarts milk, a splash of vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg. Pour egg mixture over bread/berry/cheese mix. Bake 50+ minutes or until firm in the middle. May need to cover as it can get to brown. Serve with butter & syrup on the side. Hold warm in a chafing dish.
Breakfast Burritoes: Scramble eggs with a small amount of lemon juice(this will prevent the eggs from turning green). Set aside. Using a flat top grill: spray 10-12" flour tortilla's with cooking spray sprinkle with you favorite seasoning(I like chili powder or cumin& garlic) Place tortilla's on grill, seasoned side down. Top tortilla with shredded cheese, diced ham & bacon & cooked scrambled eggs. Once they start to get a little crispy fold in each side, then roll up, wrap them tight. Depending how big you make the they can be cut into 2-3 pieces. Serve with salsa, sour cream & jalepeno's on the side.
A couple of idea's for you to try out. Hope it works out for you.

Thanks!

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

If you want crepes, they should sell them precooked and packaged, usually in the produce section of the supermarket where they keep the prepackaged salads etc. Then all you have to do is fill, roll, and brown. I like mine stuffed with a strawberry/cream cheese mixture, then topped with strawberry compote. You can also use cottage cheese or ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese.

I was thinking something most of your patrons haven't had before: Huevos Rancheros is very popular in the southwest. A flour or corn tortilla, topped with some ranch style beans, covered with a fried egg or two depending on your budget, sprinkled with shredded cheddar, dressed with a medium hot salsa, and garnished with sour cream and/or guacamole. Add Mexican (not Spanish) rice and a side of fresh tropical fruit such as mango, papaya, pineapple, and/or passion fruit; or green salad with Southwest Caesar dressing.

Also, one of my favorite brunch items is a Monte Cristo sandwich. It's a sandwich made with Texas Toast bread, ham, turkey, and Swiss cheese, cut diagonally, toothpicked for stability, battered and deep fried, then plated, dusted with powdered sugar, and served with a huge dollop of strawberry preserves and some fresh fruit or a small green salad with a sweet dressing.

If you need recipes for any of that just let me know.