Let's Talk the 1st Birthday - Food

Deciding on the food was probably the next biggest task I had (still have?) to tackle after figuring out the theme and decorations. I had already talked to Robert and we decided to use one of my co-workers to cater the party. She runs a catering company while working at my office part-time. Now I know this is where some people are going to this I have lost it, catering a one-year-old birthday party, am I nuts? Well, yes and no. Yes, I am nuts, nuts to the point where I am super controlling about things being done a specific way and wont ask for help even if it mean staying up until 5am two nights in a row to get things done the right way, aka my way (hello, week of my wedding). I, at least, realize this and realize how much it stresses me out and how much a stressed out Meredith makes for an annoyed Robert. Because when I get stressed, I get mad and blame Robert for not helping, even if he has totally been helping. Plus, I don't have any family that lives in the area I cold pass along making side dishes or something to help relieve the pressure on me to do it all.

So, I had this grand plan in my head to have a slider bar at Sadie's party. How freaking adorable is that, right? Tons of toppers (hello, teriyaki pineapple!), condiments, a few salads as sides, fruit and chips. But the problem with this is sliders and all those toppings are freaking expensive when you talk about needing enough for close to 40 people! (oooohyeah, we are expecting close to 40 people at this first birthday party, how crazy is that?!? Maybe some of the people we think are for sure gonna comes will turn into not gonna comes and we can get this down to a more reasonable number!) At this point I considered just doing all the sliders myself, but here's my problem with that: making 70-80 little patties sounds like a pain in my ass, not to mention grilling those 70-80 little patties! I didn't want to ask Robert to stand in front of a grill all morning before the party grilling little burgers, plus you never know what the weather is going to be like in February, it could be 80 degrees like it's going to be this weekend or it could be snowing like it did last February! Sliders = out.

Back to the drawing board I went after we axed the sliders idea, but don't worry I am saving the slider bar for a later date, maybe when Sadie is older and has a sleepover party or something. I tried to think of foods that would be easy to make and make a lot of on the cheap. Fajitas were thrown out a few times, but that would still be expensive with all the sides and toppers. I decided I needed to do something super simple with only one or two sides and no toppers, I also decided I need to make something I am pretty confidant Sadie will eat. Well, it seems like Sadie loves tomatoy foods, like spaghetti and spinach lasagna. Lasagna + salad + bread = done!

After deciding on that I talked to my caterer co-worker and she said she could do the lasagnas for a reasonable prince and I would make the salad and pick up loafs of garlic bread from HEB. 

Here is my predicament now, I made a baked ziti earlier in the week and it was SO EASY and FAST. So, now I am thinking what if I just make 3 or 4 pans of ziti the night before and bake them off the morning before the party? Even though caterer co-worker was reasonable on the lasagnas I could probably save a lot of dough if I made them myself and I don't think it would stress me out to make these! 

So, that is the decision before me to make the ziti or buy it!

Sorry for the type heavy post! Hopefully my next birthday post will be full of fun bright pictures!

(While typing this up I got the idea of making 3 different zitis! A regular beef/Italian sausage one, a spinach one and a butternut squash one. You see how I kill myself and stress myself out? My mind is constantly spinning and coming up with a bigger and better idea, I can never be happy with what I have decided and just go with it!)