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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 5:31:39 GMT
If you have 53 people who have RSVP'd for a party (a chili cookoff, if it matters) and the dessert you planned serves 48 would you cut it that close and only order 1, order a 2nd and have a ton of leftover, or have a few extra "something else" available. Me making the dessert is not an option.
Question #2 - at the risk of sounding like a total control freak, I plan to make printed ballots for the party and I've sent out an email to everyone who is bringing chili or cornbread to compete that I am looking for a fun name for their entry and that one of the prizes will be for the most creative name, but I've only heard back from 3 people (out of about 18 that are bringing entries). I could forego the "best name" award, but I really, REALLY want to get these ballots printed and don't want to leave it until the day of (because my printer is crap). Bug them again about it? Just assign names and let it be first come, first to pick their name, or just call them Chili 1, Chili 2, etc. I also know that someone who didn't let me know they were planning to bring something will likely show up with crockpot in hand and I'm going to have to be flexible anyway. Probably more than one person.
Do people seriously not understand that I actually AM a control freak when it comes to things like this? This is seriously putting a kink in the big picture plan.
I am beginning to feel like Marney of the infamous control freak Thanksgiving Letter.
ETA: I actually DO recognize I'm being a total control freak about it. I'm not a natural hostess. It's actually really hard for me for various reasons so having control over the details is important to me and I put a lot of effort into making sure things go smoothly because improvising at the last minute is something that I find stressful.
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Post by beaglemom on Feb 18, 2018 5:35:40 GMT
I totally get the wanting names for the chilis. But as someone who has done a bunch of them I would be at a loss as to what to call mine. I would just assign each chili a number when someone arrives with it and have however many you are expecting numbered out on the ballot. We have always done the chilis as a blind tasting, so the winner really is the best chili.
Have fun! I love chili cook offs!
Oh and for dessert, have a dozen or so cookies or cupcakes in addition and you should be good!
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 5:38:26 GMT
I totally get the wanting names for the chilis. But as someone who has done a bunch of them I would be at a loss as to what to call mine. I would just assign each chili a number when someone arrives with it and have however many you are expecting numbered out on the ballot. We have always done the chilis as a blind tasting, so the winner really is the best chili. Have fun! I love chili cook offs! Oh and for dessert, have a dozen or so cookies or cupcakes in addition and you should be good! See how easy you make that sound - LOL. Ugh, why can't parties and hostessing be easy for me. One of my friends is such a natural hostess and she can pick up the phone, invite 70 people over and be ready to feed them a 6 course meal from crap in her freezer within an hour. I like the idea of parties. I like it when they are happening. But they give me so much anxiety between the time that I get the idea until the time that the party starts. |
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Post by Lexica on Feb 18, 2018 5:39:10 GMT
1. I have always hated the idea of not having enough food available. Especially desserts, because many people really like their dessert. Obviously, I would either be ordering a second to make sure there was plenty, or I would buy another type of dessert to offer choices, thereby assuring that everyone would get something. As people leave, hand them plates of the leftover dessert to share with their family to get it out of your house.
2. I'm with you, I want people to respond. I would bug them again. For those that don't get back to you in time and those that bring something without letting you know, I would go ahead and add the required number of fun names and then just assign them as they come in. I would leave a couple of blank lines for the last minute add-ons that people can write in themselves for those that show up with a dish without telling you. That gives those people a subtle nudge that they should have let you know, and are now relegated to a blank line, forcing everyone to write their name in and letting them know they didn't play by the rules.
And 3. What is this dessert?
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Jun 26, 2024 4:05:04 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2018 5:39:42 GMT
I would number the chili dishes instead of name them. Names CAN influence the taste experience.
For the dessert, I'd pick up a smaller something different in case there are people who don't like what your picked in the first place or can't eat it for some reason.
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Post by epeanymous on Feb 18, 2018 5:39:45 GMT
I would get some extra dessert but not order an entire 48-person extra dessert.
I would print out numbered ballots and then have a poster (maybe?) where the entrants can write the name of their dish next to the number themselves to help people ID/remember them. I wouldn't want to have to deal with that the day of either.
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snyder
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,061 
Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Feb 18, 2018 5:41:00 GMT
I would have a few extra of something else such as a plate of cookies or maybe a little fruit like grapes and strawberries or other berries in case some one wanted a lighter dessert. As for the other question, I would remind them with, if you would like to be entered into the naming contest, please submit your name by such and such date. Those that do not respond then get name #1, #2, etc. They will be judged, but not entered into the name contest.
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 5:46:21 GMT
And 3. What is this dessert? Honestly I'm just going with a Costco cake. Our friends really like them and they are inexpensive. I can get an amazing tasting cake for 48 people for less than $20. (the party happens to be on my birthday, which is ONLY because I was trying to coordinate with National Chili Day and make it so that 2 of my best friends could come since they were out of town this weekend, but people are insisting on a damn cake, so cake it is.) I think I'll add cookies - their cookies are really good too and that will keep me from having an entire sheet cake left over. It became a bit bigger of an undertaking than I anticipated because of the number of people coming. Apparently, our infamous People of Walmart party was such a success that pretty much everyone invited is coming to this party. |
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 5:49:29 GMT
I would have a few extra of something else such as a plate of cookies or maybe a little fruit like grapes and strawberries or other berries in case some one wanted a lighter dessert. As for the other question, I would remind them with, if you would like to be entered into the naming contest, please submit your name by such and such date. Those that do not respond then get name #1, #2, etc. They will be judged, but not entered into the name contest. That's probably what I'll end up doing. If I don't hear by Wednesday, they get a generic name. If I hadn't already said that we were having a naming prize, I would eliminate it but I hate to disappoint the people who went to the trouble of coming up with a name and several mentioned they are "working" on a name. (Seriously people, just google it. There are a thousand name ideas.) I had already planned for fruit, so I have that covered. |
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Post by Eddie-n-Harley on Feb 18, 2018 5:56:14 GMT
Have two sections on the ballot: one for chilis by number for the best tasting, and one with just the names for people to vote for their favorite name.
With the cake-- does costco precut it or something? Because if not, I'd just cut slightly smaller pieces to stretch it for 53, plus buy a 5-gallon pail of ice cream or two.
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 5:56:22 GMT
I would get some extra dessert but not order an entire 48-person extra dessert. I would print out numbered ballots and then have a poster (maybe?) where the entrants can write the name of their dish next to the number themselves to help people ID/remember them. I wouldn't want to have to deal with that the day of either. See - this is where I overdo things - LOL. We're having a whole "diner" theme and I planned to have a menu board, which is just another thing that I can't do if I don't have names. And the ballots were going to look like menus. Sigh. Why can't I just throw some crap out with some paper plates and call it good? I need to find a balance between DH's "just invite people and put out some cold cuts and paper plates" and my "OMG, I have to throw a Tori Spelling quality party." |
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Post by leftturnonly on Feb 18, 2018 5:57:15 GMT
Another BF party thread! Woot woot!  There are always people who don't want desert so fill in with something completely different. For example, if your main star is a cake, have some beautiful fruit and/or cheese also available and cut the slices of cake a tiny bit smaller. Face it. You'll either be loading your guests with a ton of leftover desert or just throwing it out all together if you get two of them.  If you want clever names, you could send out one more general text warning people that if they don't supply a name, you'll make one up for them.  I can totally see you two turning that into something pretty fun for everyone there. Control freak or not, people do enjoy your parties and appreciate how nicely you lay things out beforehand. Sweat the details now and just have a great time then. <waving Hi to Mr. BF> |
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Post by jenjie on Feb 18, 2018 6:00:24 GMT
You can cut a sheet cake to accommodate the 5 extra people. Just make each row a little bit smaller so you have room for an extra one on the end.
Have fun!
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 6:02:48 GMT
Have two sections on the ballot: one for chilis by number for the best tasting, and one with just the names for people to vote for their favorite name. With the cake-- does costco precut it or something? Because if not, I'd just cut slightly smaller pieces to stretch it for 53, plus buy a 5-gallon pail of ice cream or two. DH wanted ice cream, so maybe that would work too. |
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 6:06:20 GMT
Control freak or not, people do enjoy your parties and appreciate how nicely you lay things out beforehand. Sweat the details now and just have a great time then. <waving Hi to Mr. BF> Hey BJ! Our parties have improved since the one you came to. Plus it won't be 110 degrees. Hopefully it won't be a monsoon though. We are expecting nonstop rain for the next several days. |
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PrettyInPeank
Pearl Clutcher
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Post by PrettyInPeank on Feb 18, 2018 6:10:21 GMT
1) I would order one cake, and buy cookies. Did you know Costco has more design choices than pictured? I've had a train, a green caterpillar, and even once put an edible image in the order box and they added it. You can ask if they can get creative!
2) I would post a post here at 2peas and ask everyone to come up with 30 funny chili names. Id send out one more email saying, "Pick your name before I assign it! You can also come up with your own if you email it by ______."
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Post by leftturnonly on Feb 18, 2018 6:12:43 GMT
Control freak or not, people do enjoy your parties and appreciate how nicely you lay things out beforehand. Sweat the details now and just have a great time then. <waving Hi to Mr. BF> Hey BJ! Our parties have improved since the one you came to. Plus it won't be 110 degrees. Hopefully it won't be a monsoon though. We are expecting nonstop rain for the next several days. You could make up weather names for those who <like me> would "forget" to send you one themselves. Nothing like the weather in Dallas to get people talking! |
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 6:16:09 GMT
1) I would order one cake, and buy cookies. Did you know Costco has more design choices than pictured? I've had a train, a green caterpillar, and even once put an edible image in the order box and they added it. You can ask if they can get creative! No, I didn't know that! I'll have to ask. Their cakes are so good though. |
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Post by katlaw on Feb 18, 2018 6:31:28 GMT
If you have 53 people who have RSVP'd for a party (a chili cookoff, if it matters) and the dessert you planned serves 48 would you cut it that close and only order 1, order a 2nd and have a ton of leftover, or have a few extra "something else" available. Me making the dessert is not an option. I would add some fruit trays. After chili and corn bread some people may be too full for cake. I know I personally would not eat a piece of cake and my DH would. I find I stress about stuff like that and it all works out in the end. I need to learn to let that control freak part of me let stuff go too. And it sounds like fun. I want to enter, my chili will be Pirates of the Chili bean chili. And I will wear a pirate girl costume.  |
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Post by yivit on Feb 18, 2018 6:32:58 GMT
I got nothing other than MMMMMMchili
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Post by idahopea on Feb 18, 2018 6:41:55 GMT
I'm still stuck at the part where you got 53 people to RSVP! How did you get everyone to reply? We host a couple of parties each year for dh's work and even with reminders people will not let me know how many are coming. We provide everything too so they don't even have to bring something.
If you are going to have ice cream anyway, you will probably have people who will just have ice cream and no cake. Be prepared with bowls and spoons for that.
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Post by ~summer~ on Feb 18, 2018 6:54:19 GMT
I would definitely only order one - a lot of people won’t even eat dessert
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Post by Lexica on Feb 18, 2018 7:02:50 GMT
And 3. What is this dessert? Honestly I'm just going with a Costco cake. Our friends really like them and they are inexpensive. I can get an amazing tasting cake for 48 people for less than $20. (the party happens to be on my birthday, which is ONLY because I was trying to coordinate with National Chili Day and make it so that 2 of my best friends could come since they were out of town this weekend, but people are insisting on a damn cake, so cake it is.) I think I'll add cookies - their cookies are really good too and that will keep me from having an entire sheet cake left over. It became a bit bigger of an undertaking than I anticipated because of the number of people coming. Apparently, our infamous People of Walmart party was such a success that pretty much everyone invited is coming to this party. I typically hate cake. Just hate it. BUT, I really like Costco's cakes. They taste fresh and yummy, unlike so many of those nasty bakery cakes that we had to eat at my last job. They tasted as if they had been frozen for centuries. |
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 7:16:22 GMT
I got nothing other than MMMMMMchili I cannot believe the number of people who are actually bringing chili who have NEVER made homemade chili. WTF people. Who are you? I grew up on chili. It's my favorite food. I ate it 3 times a day for 9 months when I was pregnant. I'm still stuck at the part where you got 53 people to RSVP! How did you get everyone to reply? I only had a few people say no (and they are all mostly out of town), but I do still have 10 that haven't responded. Out of those, I suspect 5 or 6 will be last minute yes when the Evite reminders go out. Our social group uses Evite regularly for everything so they are pretty accustomed to RSVPing, but there are always those that never RSVP. I probably get 4-5 Evites per month during a regular month and 15-20 during the holiday months. We use them for everything from Bunco to happy hours. It's just a quick and easy way to get the word out and add it to your calendars. I did not, however, expect quite the turnout that I got. Fortunately, we also have a very large system for borrowing tables and chairs, party supplies, etc. Most of the stuff never makes it back to the owner and just goes from one event to the next. |
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 7:23:07 GMT
I would definitely only order one - a lot of people won’t even eat dessert Gasp! Blasphemy. I'm sure there are but not most of my friends, that's for sure. (To be honest, I never pay attention to who does and doesn't eat sweets, so you are probably right, especially with fruit available but there also will be those that take 2 pieces I'm sure) |
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Post by yivit on Feb 18, 2018 8:05:00 GMT
I got nothing other than MMMMMMchili I cannot believe the number of people who are actually bringing chili who have NEVER made homemade chili. WTF people. Who are you? I grew up on chili. It's my favorite food. I ate it 3 times a day for 9 months when I was pregnant. They're transplants, aren't they?  Please tell me you told them no beans unless it's as a side dish! (I remember way back when you came to the board asking how to lessen the heat of some chili you made where I think somehow a super hot pepper got put in it accidentally) |
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Post by nlwilkins on Feb 18, 2018 8:06:26 GMT
Instead of listing the names on the ballot for voting, leave a blank for the voter to write in the name they like the most. That way those that show up at the last minute still get to compete in the name contest. It could be a great party starter where everybody is trying to come up with a great name at the last minute. Plus it means you can go ahead and print your ballots. This can go under the a la carte part of the menu/ballot with perhaps four blank lines for people to write names on with their favorite circled. That way they have a place to write some names down in case they forget them. You can get golf pencils real cheap to go with the ballots so everyone will have something to write with.
OR instead of the ballots looking like menus, have them look like the guest checks that waitresses use. Then everyone can write in their first, second and third choices on chili and the same on names.
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Post by burningfeather on Feb 18, 2018 8:33:29 GMT
OR instead of the ballots looking like menus, have them look like the guest checks that waitresses use. Then everyone can write in their first, second and third choices on chili and the same on names. I thought of that too. In fact, I have several of those pads. I may end up doing that but my friends are lazy and some won't vote if they have to write it down - LOL. I remember way back when you came to the board asking how to lessen the heat of some chili you made where I think somehow a super hot pepper got put in it accidentally Okay, you officially win the prize for the best memory! I'm actually making that recipe for the party (and definitely no beans in it). That batch was made with some mutant scotch bonnets. I know they are super hot anyway, but that particular batch was something else. I think they had a bit of ghost pepper in them. I ruined that entire batch. There was no cooling it down. And I burned my hands on those so bad that I didn't sleep for night or two despite trying several "remedies." For the record, I ended up putting vegetable oil inside rubber gloves and soaking my hands for a couple of hours over the course of a couple of days. That finally did the trick. I know we "fondly" remember that batch of chili but I can't believe you do! |
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Post by jenjie on Feb 18, 2018 12:09:10 GMT
I don’t think I’ve ever had chili without beans. At home or anywhere else.
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Post by peasapie on Feb 18, 2018 12:46:57 GMT
1) I would order one cake, and buy cookies. Did you know Costco has more design choices than pictured? I've had a train, a green caterpillar, and even once put an edible image in the order box and they added it. You can ask if they can get creative! 2) I would post a post here at 2peas and ask everyone to come up with 30 funny chili names. Id send out one more email saying, "Pick your name before I assign it! You can also come up with your own if you email it by ______." Great idea. Let them know if they don’t name their chili, available choices are: 1-tastes like crap; I’m a lazy SOB; pond scum, etc. |
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I can totally see you two turning that into something pretty fun for everyone there.
Please tell me you told them no beans unless it's as a side dish!
