We're having 12 guests for Friday night and are really nervous that maybe there isn't enough food prepared. Here is the menu:

1 pint of salsa
2 bags tortilla chips
1 pint of refried beans
1.5 pints bulgar salad
1 head of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts salad
1 big pot of Mexican chicken soup
1 8x12 (shallow) pan of vegetables
1 pan Chicken Tamale Pie
3 pans Mexican Shepherd's Pie
2 Liters brown rice + 1.5 kg black beans
9" Frangipane Pie
9" Chocolate Ganache Tart

Is this enough or should I add some more things to the menu? Please help!

yes, that is more than enough. and it sounds delicious. yay mexican shabbat!

at every meal i host, i worry about there not being enough food, and there always is. but that srsly sounds like enough for 20.

If I were a guest, my dinner would be chips and salsa

Sounds like tons. Unless you have 12 large and hairy hungry bochurim you'll be eating this stuff until Wednesday.

Um..wow!
Am I being narrow-minded or isn't there an inyan to eat traditional shabbos foods?

sounds great, classic

i think it's enough and all sounds so interesting and delicious! (although i don't know what half of the dishes are what are the last 2? and how does the mexican chicken soup differ from the regular - do you add beans? )

Margaux - i've never heard of that.

What makes the shepherds pie mexican? Sounds delish & plentiful.

Thanks for all your input!


That basically describes them.


We're having chicken soup. Oh, and challah. Meat and chicken "kugels". Salads. What's so untraditional?

Frangipane Pie
Chocolate Ganache Tart
The Mexican chicken soup has tomatoes and lots of spices, and sometimes we add black beans and corn, but there was enough of that stuff this Shabbos.


I didn't know what else to call this dish, so that's the name I gave it. It's basically a very spicy ground meat mixture topped with a sweet corn crust.

Classic, sounds great! [I hope everyone appreciates the hard work that you've exerted in preparation for the meal]

What does "traditional" mean? Eastern European?

I think you will have enough, but it depends on the people coming. If they are big eaters then I don't think you'll have as much left over as some people think. If you were having 12 of me over then you'd have enough but not much left over. If you're having 12 people including a bunch of women and average eating men then you should be fine.

Are the 3 pans of shepherd's pie also 8x12? And, how shallow is "shallow?" 1/2" or 1"?

I think you have more than enough rice and chips. Also, you probably have more than enough soup for anyone who wants seconds.

Here are the leftovers:

1 pint of salsa - finished
2 bags tortilla chips - finished
1 pint of refried beans - finished
1.5 pints bulgar salad - 1/4 remaining
1 head of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, sprouts salad - a little bit leftover and was finished at lunch
1 big pot of Mexican chicken soup - finished
1 8x12 (shallow) pan of vegetables - one small serving remaining
1 pan Chicken Tamale Pie - finished
3 pans Mexican Shepherd's Pie - one whole pan and about 1/4 of another remained. It freezes well, so we'll probably eat it for dinner once a week for the next few weeks.
2 Liters brown rice + 1.5 kg black beans - about half of the brown rice remained, but the beans (2 kg in the end) were finished.
9" Frangipane Pie - two small servings remained
9" Chocolate Ganache Tart - two small servings remained

i call both pieces of the ganache !

It might be too late.

Recipe? It sounds delish! Do you think it would be ok with a potato crust (i.e. for pesach?)?

Mexican Shepherd's Pie (ground meat with corn on top)

1 lb ground meat
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup red pepper
1 cup zucchini (original recipe calls for celery but I don't like celery)
7 tablespoons crushed tomatoes
bread crumbs
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili pepper
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can corn (I use frozen - boil it for 5 minutes and drain well)
2 tbsp flour (I usually use whole wheat)
2 eggs
1/2 cup soy milk

Saute the onion, garlic, red pepper, zucchini, and crushed tomatoes for 15 minutes. Combine the meat with mixture. Add bread crumbs, cumin, chili pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pack the bottom of a pan with the meat mixture. Mix the corn with flour, eggs, and soy milk. Cover the meat mixture with the corn mixture. Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes.

It would probably taste fine with regular potatoes or sweet potatoes (my personal preference) on top, mashed or sliced, leave out the eggs and matza meal, use your usual margarine or cream or neither in the potatoes, and I might top it with matza meal to make it crispy.