(no subject)

[rivka]

[Poll #1278956]

Comments

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

I CAN make pie crust from scratch, but I basically never bother for quiche.

[moobabe.livejournal.com]

Is shooting the non RSVPers an e-mail or phone call possible? Certain family members NEVER RSVP, and so the weekend before my daughter's birthday party always involves calling them to find out if they'll attend.

[elusis.livejournal.com]

I hate those people. I hate them so much. As a host, they drive me nuts. They make it impossible to plan, and they give me the "no one will show up for my party!" fear.

What with modern conveniences like eVite and Socializr, there is just no excuse. Ugh! Stabby!

(I have issues; let me show you them.)

[chargirlgenius.livejournal.com]

I’d make a little more than for the people who RSVP’d, if nothing else, then a few people can have seconds. Or you have lunch for a couple of days.

I’d go with the storebought piecrust. My *grandma* complimented me on my piecrust when I used it. I was floored. My mom, not so much, but if it’s not hers, she doesn’t like it, no matter how good it is. You’re also not going to use a top crust, so it won’t make as much of a difference. The unfold or unroll and bake ones from Pillsbury are quite decent.

I’ve given up on RSVPs for most things. Something always happens, so some can’t make it, and some can. I like to know about how many, and beyond that I’m gauche and ask people to bring something to share. That method seems to self-regulate the amount of food we have.

[chargirlgenius.livejournal.com]

BTW – I didn’t mean to make that sound like “you should have”, rather just a lament about the state of RSVP.

[tavella.livejournal.com]

The unfold or unroll and bake ones from Pillsbury are quite decent.

I was about to suggest this. I don't like the frozen ones in a pan, but the ones that are basically just disks of dough chilled and folded up are quite good.

[the0lady.livejournal.com]

Not that shop bought pie crust is much of a sin (I think even Limbo is a bit harsh), but just in case your conciense can't take it: you don't actually have to roll it out. If you keep it in the fridge until it's nice and cold, you can use a sharp knife to cut it into strips/rounds and press those into place in the baking tins with your fingers. Much less aerobic, and actually better for the "shortness" of the crust.

[the0lady.livejournal.com]

On the other hand not having at least twice as much food as you need for the number of people you originally invited, plus a buffer for unexpected drop-ins, is a one way ticket to hell for all eternity.

Just thought I'd give you fair warning.

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

I would plan my shopping list to include half of the lazy non-responders, but once I got to the store, I would panic and buy enough for everyone who might show up. Just in case.

[telerib.livejournal.com]

Ee-yup. Me, too - I attribute it to what Italian blood I have. Must feed whole world!

[kcobweb.livejournal.com]

Um..... Mom?

No, no, Mom isn't Italian.....

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Your second sey needs an option of "It's possible to buy piecrust in stores? How does that work? Do you mean packets of frozen pastry? Wouldn't you have to roll it out anyway?"

I always make half a ton too much food. The sensible answer is the second one. But if I was definitely feeding 21, I'd make enough for 42, just on general principles.

...hang on, you're making quiche for about thirty people?

Wow. That would be a lot of work.

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

There is the roll-out stuff -- but, around here, at least, you can go to the freezer case in the grocery store, and buy a tin-foil pie plate with a pie crust already in it.

Only works for one-crust pies, of course -- but then, quiche is.

And in my local grocery store, there's a brand which is not only acceptible in quality, but also kosher.

[kate_nepveu]

Wouldn't you have to roll it out anyway?

Nope. It's wonderful for the pastry-challenged.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

...hang on, you're making quiche for about thirty people?

Wow. That would be a lot of work.

It's possible that I haven't planned things out properly. Also, I let the guests of honor put together the guest list, so perhaps I wasn't as in touch with the numbers as I would've been if I'd come up with it myself.

I'm planning to make five quiches: two tomato and goat cheese, two mushroom, and one spinach and gruyere. Then I'm going to make zucchini bread, tossed green salad, and fruit salad or a fruit platter. There will be a decorated cake from a bakery. To drink, there will be coffee, tea, lemonade, and fizzy punch.

I think I can do that. If I use storebought crusts. I can make the zucchini bread tomorrow night, and the quiches on Friday night and Saturday morning - they reheat well. I'll buy prewashed salad greens. Fruit salad doesn't take that long to make, and Michael can help.

[moobabe.livejournal.com]

Yum. :)

[papersky.livejournal.com]

Your zucchini bread is awesome. I`d totally help with the quiches if I were close enough. They reheat really well.

I wonder if they sell pastry ready rolled out here as well...

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Check in the freezer cases of a supermarket, near things like frozen fruit. Ours has some whole frozen pies, and some premade piecrusts in heavy foil pans. I was even able to find crusts that weren't chock-full of chemical ingredients, so I'm feeling rather hopeful.

I'll let you know how they wind up tasting.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

It's Pillsbury (http://www.pillsbury.com/products/pie-crust/refrigerated/Pillsbury-Refrigerated-Pie-Crusts.htm) in the US that has dough ready to be unrolled in the refrigerator cases, usually near their cylinders of roll dough. I used to use those without qualms. They have pizza crusts like this now, too.

(Now all of a sudden, Pillsbury looks wrong.)

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

We have here the choice of refrigerated pie crust in a roll made by Pillsbury or by another brand, I think called "Food Club." Usually I am a supporter of local brands, as PIllsbury historically is, and not much for generics. But the non-Pillsbury choice has less of what I call "the periodic table of the elements" in the ingredients list, so I buy that.

As for homemade, didn't we just see Alex making it? Get her involved! What could go wrong?

K.

[mjlayman.livejournal.com]

The grocery I use, Giant, used to have their own version of almost everything, but then they were bought by Royal Ahold and then combined with a NE grocery called Stop and Shop, and there's almost no generics these days.

However, they and Safeway are still the only union shops here, and the Safeway here is icky, so I'll still be shopping at Giant.

pastry, ready to fill

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I am sure they do; they are quite popular in France, with several different choices available. No preservatives are the rule, and all butter for the shortening, though the labels must be read as with any prepared or convenience food.

K.

[eeyorerin]

I'm quite fond of the frozen pie crusts that come already in tins for making quiche, although the tins need to be put on a cookie sheet since they're terribly flimsy.

(But Alex could use them in her play kitchen afterwards, or I bet they'd be lovely for holding paint or craft things. They're just not very good pie tins, is all.)

[tammylc.livejournal.com]

One note on refrigerated pie-crust - the Pillsbury brand that comes rolled up is actually quite tasty. But it's got lard in it, so you have to be aware of that when feeding vegetarians and non-pork eaters.

[kate-schaefer.livejournal.com]

You got responses from 25 out of 36 invitees? That's a really impressive response rate.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Well, that includes the guests of honor and me and Michael, so I'm kind of cheating with the count.

Also, this is a shower for church people, and I chased down half the guest list at church on Sunday.

[hobbitbabe.livejournal.com]

I don't make pastry when I don't have extra time or a backup plan. Also, somehow making pastry seems to get flour and sticky bits all over the kitchen, so I have to allow time to clean it up.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

The last time I made a pie, the crust didn't turn out. So the lack of a backup plan really does make me nervous. (It was the first time I ever baked an empty crust, and it wound up simultaneously leathery and crumbly.)

[aendr.livejournal.com]

I ticked the second option - "Enough to feed everyone who said yes, plus about half the people who haven't responded. I like to hedge my bets." However my friends would tell you that I assume that everyone wants to taste everything and make way too much per person, so that even if everyone invited brought a friend there would be left overs.

[bigscary.livejournal.com]

There is no such thing as cooking too much food.

[redbird]

Some storebought piecrusts may be sweetened, but if you look at the ingredients list you should be able to avoid that, and you'll be fine.

[jenett]

Storebought crust = perfectly adequate and sane when doing this kind of cooking.

(Though, actually, I also have crustless quiche recipes, which avoids the whole problem.)

I'm in the "Feed everyone who said yes, plus whatever number brings it to whole quiches, plus some extra stuff that can be easily stored to fill in the gaps." Quiche actually fits nicely here, really.

[brooksmoses]

Personally, I tend to make three quiches at a time, and cut them into slices which I wrap in saran wrap and put in the freezer. Assuming that I remember to take a slice out and put it in the fridge the night before, it's a nice no-work quick breakfast. (It doesn't thaw out so well in the microwave, because it tends to get watery, but when slow-thawed in the fridge it comes out nearly as good as when it went into the freezer.)

So, yeah, I wouldn't consider leftover quiche a problem at all. :)

[erbie.livejournal.com]

I'd just call the people who were not polite enough to respond to your invitation and ask them whether they are coming.

Store-bought pie crust is perfectly acceptable. You're pregnant, you're entertaining hoards of people and you have a young child. They're lucky the quiche isn't coming from the freezer at Stop N Shop.

[erisian-fields.livejournal.com]

Are you worrying about providing something for the vegetarians? Refrigerated pie crust almost always has lard in it. There is an all-vegetable crust from Pet-Ritz. It's in the freezer section. The refrigerated ones from Pillsbury were not all vegetarian the last time I looked.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

Marie Callendar makes a all-natural-ingredients, all-vegetable-shortening frozen piecrust. Fortunately, because the guests of honor are vegetarians.

[erisian-fields.livejournal.com]

It's been a long time since I bought pre-made pie crust. I didn't even know Marie Callendar made them. That's good to know. One of my daughters is vegetarian.

[irismoonlight.livejournal.com]

You can also grease a pie pan and pour the quiche filling into it sans piecrust. I've been making crustless quiches for months now. (A square pan does make serving easier, as crustless quiche is tender and tears easily. Squares are easier to remove).

I prefer home made crust myself, but five? You've earned a place in whatever heaven you prefer just for making them at home and not buying the entire quiche frozen to begin with.

[elusis.livejournal.com]

FWIW, the Whole Foods brand frozen crusts came out very well indeed in a head-to-head tasting in Cook's Illustrated. I like the whole wheat version for savory things like tarts and quiches.

And I voted for option 3 on question 1, but in fact always actually wind up doing option 1.

[ailbhe]

I always use store-bought pastry for pies because it's not enough worse than home-made to make it worth the effort. I find pastry a massive effort now I can't use butter. I have Vague Plans to have a go with the mutton fat I've been keeping but they are fairly vague.

[rivka.livejournal.com]

My standard piecrust recipe doesn't call for butter at all. I use vegetable shortening. Flour, vegetable shortening, a pinch of salt, and some ice water.

[ailbhe]

I haven't found an organic-certified non-soya one yet. There are things I can do with frozen spreadable margarine but really, it's not worth the effort.

I keep meaning to find a recipe which uses oil, rather than solid fat, but haven't bothered.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

The flakeiness of common pie crust comes from solid fat melting during the cooking process. You can't make a flakey pie crust without it.

K. [PS to Rivka: blind bake your crusts so they are not soggy]

[windypoint.livejournal.com]

I would make enough quiche to give everyone who has replied an ample serve plus some left over for me to have for lunch the rest of the week. And I'd buy or make something that keeps in the freezer so I can magically make more food appear should so many people show up that the quiche servings are going to be on the skimpy side.

Enough

[hazelchaz]

Some of the RSVPs won't show up. So just do the number for the RSVPs and hope it balances out. Round up, mind you -- don't make 4.1 quiches...

You also should change the location, and call everyone who RSVPd "yes" to tell them where it is. :)

[zeldajean.livejournal.com]

Pilsbury makes a good frozen crust. Tasty, and darn close to my gramma's pie crust.