Spaghetti Party for about 100

Antipasta platters were set out on the tables prior to guests arriving. 

 

 I am friends with a most amazing and silly group who put on a Melodrama every year and accompany it with a Spaghetti Feed.  Super fun.  However, the old guard has retired and it was asked if I would be willing to take over the food.  This is not an easy task since the prior cooks were fabulous and the menu tried and true.  The tricky thing is they all know that I don't do two starches in a meal so that meant garlic bread was out.  Boo Hoo!  We provided other goodies such as an antipasta platter that included cured Italian meats, artichoke hearts, fresh mozzarella, and Kalamata olives.  (Thank you Costco).

Mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and mushrooms
dressed with a simple vinaigrette.
 

Next came the salad which was super simple.  Using my old standby vinaigrette, it balanced the spaghetti as well as the antipasta.  Some people used the antipasta to dress up their salad. By itself though, the salad was light and fresh.

Not everyone is a fan of pasta so this meal provided guests with options. 

We served family style.  Cooked pasta was dressed with sausage
and mushroom red sauce. 

Gluten-free pasta was available on the side and amazingly about 10 people asked for it.  (10% of the participants!).  In addition, I provided a vegetarian sauce on the side.  Again, more people than I expected desired that sauce.  I can't call it vegan because I put the heel of a Parmesan wedge into the sauce for depth.  Otherwise it would be....

By the time we served dessert, I was forgetful about taking pictures.  It consisted of the sweetest end-of-season canteloupe slices and small biscotti cookies. 

I was really pleased with my lemonade.  By making a simple syrup ahead of time and adding in fresh squeezed lemon juice, all one needs to do is add ice and water to a serving container and voila!  Oh, and being a melodrama, we also had popcorn. 

Recipes to follow!

- Kim Fielding