Introduction 1 Part I: So, You Need to Cook for a Crowd . 7 Chapter 1: A Crowd by Any Other Name 9 Chapter 2: Planning Your Menu 17 Chapter 3: Estimating Food Quantities, Serving Dishes, and More 39 Part II: Tried-and-True Recipes for Crowds 51 Chapter 4: Creating Tasty Appetizers 53 Chapter 5: Main Dishes Everyone Will Love 69 Chapter 6: Delicious Side Dishes 95 Chapter 7: Satisfying Slurps: Soups and Stews 109 Chapter 8: Stirring It Up: Punches and Drinks 125 Chapter 9: Decadent Desserts 137 Part III: Special Events and Holidays 163 Chapter 10: Special Dishes for Summer Get-Togethers 165 Chapter 11: Special Dishes for Holidays 183 Chapter 12: Special Dishes for Weddings 201 Part IV: Bringing It All Together 215 Chapter 13: Getting Ready for the Event 217 Chapter 14: Getting Ready on the Day of the Event 231 Part V: The Part of Tens 247 Chapter 15: Ten Ways to Avoid Common Food Preparation Problems 249 Chapter 16: More Than Ten Decorating Tips for Crowds 253 Chapter 17: Ten Ways to Keep from Pulling Out Your Hair 265 Chapter 18: More Than Ten Things You Need to Know about Food Safety 269 Appendix A: Metric Conversion Guide 277 Appendix B: Helpful Web Sites 281 Appendix C: Fun and Easy Garnishes 293 Appendix D: Special Cooking Tricks 309 Index 313.