Guess who's coming to dinner challenge

[Duchesse]

You just received a phone call, there will be 20 guest arriving this evening. It is imperative that you feed them and look good doing it. You have $10 to your credit. Tell us how much the items cost, prices should be believable.

Let's head for the grocery store and then the kitchen

[Jacklad]

Do we have to buy everything or can we use pantry items?

[Duchesse]

I guess I'll go first.

3 1lb boxes of spaghetti 1.50
1lb of ground beef 2.39
8 cans of store brand tomato sauce 1.00
2 cans of tomato paste .90
2 lb bag of onions .69
2 large green peppers .99
2 Head of lettuce (.89 a piece 1.98
Overipe tomatoes 1.00
Store brand salad dressing 1.00

Grand total $ 9.95

[Duchesse]

Originally Posted by Jacklad

Do we have to buy everything or can we use pantry items?

You can use your salt, pepper, and or seasoning salt.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Okie doke.

**Stir fried vegegetables with rice:
1# white rice $.90 (Save-a-lot)
3 heads of cabbage fresh from the garden FREE
1# snow peas ($3)
1# carrots ($1.20)
8 yellow onions ($.80 Save-a-lot)
garlic chives fresh from the garden FREE
fennel flowers to garnish fresh from the garden Free

**hot pot style Szechuan Mustard greens:
8 cloves garlic fresh from garden FREE
2 habanero pepper, fresh from garden FREE
1 small portion of fresh ginger root ($.50)
bunches of fresh mustard greens fresh from garden FREE

**Soy sauce for both dishes, good brand $4

**Salad
8 or 10 tomatoes fresh from the garden FREE

**Beverages:
Cold water with the meal FREE (Our water is flat rate, Fill a pool or fill a glass, the cost is the same)
Dessert beverage- choice of fresh pineapple mint tea fresh from garden FREE, or Agastache tea fresh from Garden FREE

**Mixed Bouquets on the table and in the living room
Buddleia, sweet autumn clematis, rose, viburnum blooming out of season, salvia, fennel flowers and agastache., Japanese anemones, Yes, of course, from garden FREE

Oops that comes to $10.40. Well, realistically I always have on hand the soy sauce have on hand, I didn't include a bottle of oil either, which I also always have on hand. If I have to add it in, let's say I get Save-a-lot's least expensive, I suppose about $.90. That would put me $1.30 over budget. Could I barter some tomatoes or flowers for some oil?

[Staceyy]

I would probably make: cassoulet & salad, homemade quiche and salad or red beans and rice and salad.

Cassoulet

3 lbs white northern beans
smoked sausage
chicken thighs
onion
garlic
tomato paste
bouquet garni
croutons or bread crumbs

Quiche

cheese
eggs
half & half
bacon or ham (optional)

Crust
flour
shortening
salt
water

Red Beans & Rice

Dried kidney beans
onion
green pepper
garlic
bacon
smoked sausage
herbs
rice

Cornbread

flour
cornmeal
salt
milk
baking powder
shortening
eggs
sugar

Salad dressing

Oil
Vinegar

I'm sorry, I don't know the individual cost of each of the above items but I know I can make each of these meals for less than $10 for 20 people. I would get the lettuce and tomato from my garden. To drink, I would serve water with a slice of lemon.

[getforfree]

I would make a simple meal. MAshed potatoes, salad, chicken, tuna, eggs, fruits. tea.

I would buy:
10 lb bag potatoes: $2.40, but I would use only half a bag, so $1.20

Salad:
3 big cucumbers---$1,
1 lb tomatoes---$1.40,
Sour cream 1 lb --$1

Chicken-- I would buy frozen leg quarters which are cheap, about 49c/lb, 4lbs= $2

Eggs--$1
Tuna--50c or less
I boil the eggs, cut in half, take the yellow part out, mix with drained tun and mayo and put on top.

OK, $6.10 so far, which leaves me $3 on fruits. Bananas are the cheapest, about 40c/lb here, so if no other fruits on sale, I will do bananas only, but 3-4 different kind of fruits are the best.

Tea--- I have a lot at home, to make 20 cups, I would need probably 12 bags of lipton which cost less than $1.

I always stockpile, so I never have to buy stuff for a whole meal in one shopping trip, because not all of those items will be on sale in the same day. I would probably not go to the store and use food from my pantry and freezer. That way, I would spend much less than $10 to feed all those people. And if I don't have something, I will have an excuse that I didn't have time to go to the store, not the real one that I didn't want to spend money.

[LuxLiving]

Thanksgiving Time

9 lb. Turkey @ .39 lb. 3.51
Box stuffing .10 w/coupon
5 lbs. potatoes 1.79 (on sale)
can milnot .33
Green Beans 2 cans .80
Peach Cobbler 2 cans peaches 1.98
Flour/water/salt for crust .25
Tea Bags .99
Sugar .25
___________
10.00 (not including tax)

If you'd allow 12.00/or pantry useage I could have made us some mean hot rolls to go with!!

Just thought...I could drain the peach juice from the can and make peach tea and save the sugar.

[Duchesse]

These are good meals and when you think that some of it is free, some even given out in pantries and gov't agencies all over this country

I don't see any reason for anyone to complain of hunger in this country.

[Broken Arrow]

Scarey challenge. I hope they like Ramen.

[Ima saver]

I would leave home, or buy some really cheap hot dogs and buns!

[LuxLiving]

Oh...looking good while doing it - missed that part. Well, I'd slap on my dollar store lipgloss and wear my tiara! Now, does that help?

[boefixepa]

Hum...I can't even phathom not using the pantry...I could make a wonderful meal just taking it from my pantry...let's see if i can guess the amounts.

Pork roast from the freezer
Spices, onions (garden), bell peppers (garden), Anaheim peppers (garden), garlic (garden), carrots, potatoes all wrapped in foil and slow cooked in the oven. I'll add extra water and make gravy with the drippings and sevre the veggies too.
5.00 for the roast? Maybe 1-2 for the potatoes

Fruit/jello/coolwhip mix, all ingrediants from the freezer/garden...maybe $2

Fresh homemade rolls or bread...less than a dollar maybe two if I do the fancy bad with the parmasen cheese.

Desert could be.....pie, cookies, brownies, any of them would cost under a dollar

So there, but I don't have exact prices sorry...I don't shop that way.

To drink, water, or koolaid if they can't deal with water...it's about the only thing I do drink...healthier that way.

[PrincessPerky]

I actually have to do this Friday..not 20, 10-15

unfortunatly I froze when asked what was for dinner, and picked veggie meatloaf..because DH found garbanzo beans on sale, and bought 10 cans! I used one in the recipie I asked for them (a chili) and one I mixed with fake hamburgerhelper.

niether was good it so I have 8 left, nbut eons ago I read a recipie for veggie burgers that needed garbanzo beans, I couldn't find them then, so I didn't make it..I sure hope it was good....and that I can find the recipe again!

[LuxLiving]

Princess Perky:

Try here... the one w/Walnuts sounds good.
http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...urger+garbanzo

Good luck with your meal. I'd make it into veggie meat loaf and save the costs of buns and make hot rolls to go with instead!

[jodi]

Wow, I don't think I could buy enough meat alone for 20 people for under $10. One pound of hamburger for 20 people? We eat that much with four adults and two kids in one meal. But if I had to, I would probably make a huge pot of chili and stretch it with a lot of beans.
2 lbs. ground beef = $3.98
4 cans beans (kidney, black, red, whatever) at 2/$1 = $2
tomatoes and peppers from garden - no cost
onions = $.50
cornbread - normally I would make from scratch, but if we have to buy everything, I would buy the Jiffy mixes, 2/$1 - three batches = $1.50
I don't know what else is needed for the mixes - maybe eggs/water? I'll throw in another $.25 for eggs
seasonings - chili powder, cumin, garlic powder
Two generic bottles of soda = $1.50
Water
$9.73 total
If 20 people are showing up at my house with only a few hours notice, at least one of them ought to be bringing dessert!

[kealina]

Originally Posted by PrincessPerky

I actually have to do this Friday..not 20, 10-15

unfortunatly I froze when asked what was for dinner, and picked veggie meatloaf..because DH found garbanzo beans on sale, and bought 10 cans! I used one in the recipie I asked for them (a chili) and one I mixed with fake hamburgerhelper.

niether was good it so I have 8 left, nbut eons ago I read a recipie for veggie burgers that needed garbanzo beans, I couldn't find them then, so I didn't make it..I sure hope it was good....and that I can find the recipe again!

garbanzo beans are really good for making hummus if you like that...

[Duchesse]

Originally Posted by jodi

Wow, I don't think I could buy enough meat alone for 20 people for under $10. One pound of hamburger for 20 people? We eat that much with four adults and two kids in one meal. But if I had to, I would probably make a huge pot of chili and stretch it with a lot of beans.
2 lbs. ground beef = $3.98
4 cans beans (kidney, black, red, whatever) at 2/$1 = $2
tomatoes and peppers from garden - no cost
onions = $.50
cornbread - normally I would make from scratch, but if we have to buy everything, I would buy the Jiffy mixes, 2/$1 - three batches = $1.50
I don't know what else is needed for the mixes - maybe eggs/water? I'll throw in another $.25 for eggs
seasonings - chili powder, cumin, garlic powder
Two generic bottles of soda = $1.50
Water
$9.73 total
If 20 people are showing up at my house with only a few hours notice, at least one of them ought to be bringing dessert!

Haven't you ever eaten spaghetti w/o meat. This small amount of meat is used to flavor the sauce but I do see what you are saying. So...

2 lbs of ground beef 4.78
3 cans of store brand green beans1.50

Grand Total $9.86


FYI Spaghetti marinara is found on the menu at many fine italian restaurants.

[Duchesse]

Originally Posted by Jacklad

Do we have to buy everything or can we use pantry items?

The purpose of a pantry is to be prepared. The real challenge was to get everything from the store other than seasoning ie salt, pepper, seasoning salt, garlic either powdered or fresh from fridge or garden, chives fresh or from garden, curry, cumin, oregano, basil, (garden spices are fine).

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by LuxLiving

Princess Perky:

Try here... the one w/Walnuts sounds good.
http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...urger+garbanzo

Good luck with your meal. I'd make it into veggie meat loaf and save the costs of buns and make hot rolls to go with instead!

Doh! I never would have thought of putting garbanzo beans in the search! I would have been scrolling down looking atr tons of varities for hours! thanks.