I need some recipe help.

[Amy Gen]

Next weekend, we have a swim meet. You know that saying about how a small % of the people in the group always do a large % of the work? Our former meet director always had those people over to his house to thank them after meets. They had tons of catered food and drinks. 
 

Now my husband has taken over as meet director and I need to work out our own way of saying thanks. The previous traditions are a little out of my price range, but it needs to be a special. Here is what I’m thinking. We have a nice fenced on patio to entertain. I’m going to make homemade hamburger buns and hamburgers that also have ground sausage and bacon formed into them. My 14 year old has also requested pulled pork sandwiches. I need a fail proof recipe for this that can be cooked in the oven or stovetop. (My instant pot is small and my husband’s smoker gave up the ghost.) 

I’m just going to buy juice boxes for the kids, but I need a killer margarita recipe for adults. I usually entertain in the summer, and I make watermelon margaritas by putting fresh watermelon through a sieve and then adding lime juice, contreau and tequila, but I don’t think I can get a sweet tasting watermelon in February. I’m not going to buy a bunch wine and beer, so unless guests bring those, margaritas it is, so they need to be memorable. 
 

I think I’ll make chocolate eclair crepes for desert. I can make them the day before and keep them in the fridge until we are ready to eat them. Other than stuff to put on hand burgers and individual bags of chips, is there anything else I should include that won’t jack the cost up too much? 
 

One more thing. We have stroke and turn officials who volunteer every meet. I’m not having them over, but I have about $20 per person to buy them token gifts. Starbucks gift cards are something a lot of teams buy. That feels kind of generic to me. We live by Napa, so I think I could get a wine maker to give me some bottles of very good wine for a very low price, but not everyone wants that for a gift either. Can you guys think of anything that would be special, appreciated, and not break the bank? 
 

Thanks! 

[Arcadia]

For pulled pork, I use the same recipe as for my instant pot (scaling up for quantity) but just slow cook over the stove. My instant pot is 3 quart while my pot is bigger than 8 quart.  
 

For gift card, Oxbow Market gift card might work but they start at $25. https://oxbowpublicmarket.com/oxbucks-gift-cards/

[klmama]

Your menu sounds delicious, and I'm sure your guests will enjoy it!  Do you know if anyone in the group has special dietary needs?  If you know everyone in your group can eat all this, you're set; if you aren't sure, here are some things to consider:

The burgers sound great, but you may want to let people know what's in them and have some beef-only ones set aside ready in case anyone in the group needs to avoid pork for health or religious reasons.  Forks handy, in case someone can't eat the bun.

Maybe have a hearty tossed salad and/or a couple vegetarian side dishes for those who don't eat meat at all.   No eggs or mayo, so vegans can eat it, too.  

Eclairs will be a hit!  Maybe have some fresh fruit on hand for people who can't have the dairy or sugar or wheat or chocolate.

In addition to margaritas, you might make a non-alcoholic version available to offer those who don't want to drink alcohol.  Be sure to have ice water available for those who also want to avoid sugar, maybe with some sliced lemons or limes to fancy it up.  

You're right that Starbucks cards are kind of generic, but most people can find something there to enjoy, whether they drink coffee or not.  I wouldn't give wine unless you knew for sure they'd welcome it.  

I hope you enjoy your party!  😃

 

[Amy Gen]

I forgot that I did want to make a fruit salad too. One coach is vegetarian, so I will make sure I have something for her. We have a huge lemon tree so I’ll make lemonade for people who don’t want water or margaritas or juice boxes. I know that there isn’t anyone attending who doesn’t eat pork, but that is a good reminder. I do have some frozen patties I could cook if someone has preferences I’m not aware of. 
 

Gathering on the patio, and the grill is right there, I think it will actually be easier for me than trying to have everything ready ahead of time. 
 

The more I think of it, the more I think that the wine is a bad idea. I remember a meet where my husband was given a bottle of wine, but that was because the person it was given to didn’t want it. 
 

I have some soap that I made, I might give them a bar of that to be personal, and a gift card to be practical. I just with I could think of something really nice, but that is probably too much to ask for $20 each. 
 

Thanks for the ideas. 

[Kanin]

Do you have to do this after every meet? That's going to get so expensive. 

[Guest]

27 minutes ago, Kanin said:

Do you have to do this after every meet? That's going to get so expensive. 

I was assuming this was a season-finale type of event. I could be wrong though. 

[Guest]

I think the handmade soaps are a nice idea. I would like that. If you pair it with a practical gift card, you could hardly go wrong. 

I have a cheeseball recipe that’s great at a party. People can nosh on that while the burgers are cooking. I can put up the ingredients if you want. 

[Kassia]

1 hour ago, Amy Gen said:

I forgot that I did want to make a fruit salad too. One coach is vegetarian, so I will make sure I have something for her. We have a huge lemon tree so I’ll make lemonade for people who don’t want water or margaritas or juice boxes. I know that there isn’t anyone attending who doesn’t eat pork, but that is a good reminder. I do have some frozen patties I could cook if someone has preferences I’m not aware of. 
 

Gathering on the patio, and the grill is right there, I think it will actually be easier for me than trying to have everything ready ahead of time. 
 

The more I think of it, the more I think that the wine is a bad idea. I remember a meet where my husband was given a bottle of wine, but that was because the person it was given to didn’t want it. 
 

I have some soap that I made, I might give them a bar of that to be personal, and a gift card to be practical. I just with I could think of something really nice, but that is probably too much to ask for $20 each. 
 

Thanks for the ideas. 

This all sounds perfect and so thoughtful!  

[Carol in Cal.]

I actually really like the Costco marguarita mix.  I mix it with tequila in the amounts mentioned on the bottle and serve over ice rather than blended.  I get Penney’s kosher flaked salt to rim the glasses with, which is super easy and not overly expensive.

I don’t know how old these kids are but in the past I have been a big hit with the K-6th set by bringing big platters of PBGJ sandwiches to events like these—half of them cut diagonally and half horizontally since that matters so much.  Obviously if there are nut allergies I don’t do this.  Also, a popular kid item well into high school is a very large platter with mounds of different kinds of cheese cubes—sharp Tillamook cheddar, pepper jack, havarti, and maybe Jarlsberg.  Those are usually available in big, reasonably priced blocks from Costco, and easy to cut up and put in plastic bags the day before, to dump onto the platter right before serving.  The nice thing about these options is that they take the social pressure off of guests who are quite hungry and unaccustomed to the grownup food.  

Citrus is in season now so I’d be inclined to put out a big plate of orange wedges or two also.  

I’m impressed that you’re doing eclairs—I have never attempted them!  If it were me, I would do chocolate chip bars, blonde bars, and cinnamon bars.  Those are all pretty easy and fast and good.  Or I’d do the Mounds Pizza recipe if I had the right pan handy—this is our family name for it.  I brought this to a potluck the first time I made it, and while my husband was standing by the wall holding the dish on the way out he was MOBBED with people raving over how good it was and begging him to get me to make it again the next year.  Here it is:  https://www.pamperedchef.com/recipe/Desserts/Chocolate+Macaroon+Pizza/10022

 

[Lady Marmalade]

I feel like you could make margaritas like you do your watermelon, but with whatever you can get that is in season and super fresh and ripe.   I personally love guava margaritas, but I totally cheat when I make them at home.  I buy guava nectar and add it to Costco's pre-made margarita blend. 

I would love to go to a party where someone made margaritas.  🙂  I think the whole affair sounds lovely to me right now!

[Amy Gen]

18 hours ago, Kanin said:

Do you have to do this after every meet? That's going to get so expensive. 

Usually we have 3 home meets a year, and the previous meet director would have a big party afterwards because it is just so much work for the parents and the kids. 
 

But due to COVID, we can’t have huge meets with 800 kids. No one is hosting away meets, but our kids are practicing and they want new official times, so we have been having 2 home meets each month that include only our team and sometimes one other team. 
 

This makes so much more work for the tiny core of families who do 90% of the work.  I will try to alternate after meet celebrations. For example, this month, I’ll host a party. Next month,  I’ll invite people to go eat together on a restaurant patio, but people would pay for their own meals, then the next meet, we might just meet for Boba afterwards and then the next meet, I’ll host a party again but I might make it a potluck, then start the rotation again.  
 

It is important, partly because hospitality is a core value of our team. We might not always be the fastest, but we are the most gracious and the best cooks, LOL. But I’m starting to realize that these gatherings have another function as well, the kids have been so focused to get good times at the meet, so they need a minute to decompress and goof off together. The parents want to talk about what went wrong and what went right and what we can do better next time. 
 

I’ll have to start brainstorming ways to meet the team’s needs during these unprecedented times while not completely blowing my budget.