Expert: Teri Davis Newman - 3/1/2009

Question
I have to feed approx. 85 high schoolers a luncheon in the school cafeteria and I have approx. $250 to spend. My thoughts were to purchase meatballs and rolls, pizza and either wings or hoagies (probably cutting 12 inch sandwiches into 5 pieces). I would make fruit salad and tossed salad. One mom has offered to make mac and cheese and I would look for others to donate soda, water and desserts. Do you think this menu would work and what amounts would you suggest for the main courses (considering there will be three)and fruit salad? The teenagers would not be hanging out, they will eat and then head back to the program they are participating in. Thank you for any help you can give.

Answer
Meal 1: Pasta and meat sauce with garlic bread--I've got a great recipe!
Meal 2: Macaroni and cheese with either tuna or ham chunks added and some kind of salad.
Meal 3: Use the leftover meat sauce for baked ziti--it's delicious!
Here's my meat sauce recipe--it will feed 8 per batch so make 20 batches and use the leftovers for the ziti.
Spaghetti/Pasta sauce.
1-11/2 lbs ground beef
4 15oz cans any cheap tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp Basil
2 tsp garlic powder
1 TBS Italian Seasoning blend (Spice Islands)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 c. sugar (trust me)
1 tsp accent
crushed red pepper (for hot and spicy, optional)
Brown the beef, add the rest of the stuff, bring to a boil. Cool, boil,cool, boil. When ready to serve, cook you favorite pasta shape according to the directions on the box. Reheat the sauce and ladle over the cooked drained pasta.