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Keeping Your Restaurant On Its Toes

When you run a business like a restaurant, it can be easy to get complacent about the details. Your employees might be used to you checking in on them during certain times of the week, or you might get comfortable with your same old menu. Unfortunately, if your place stays exactly the same, customers can lose interest—which can be bad for business. I want you to know what you need to do to make your restaurant beautiful, functional, and relevant, which is why I made this site. Here, you will learn key strategies for perfecting your business, so that you don't end up with a mess on your hands.

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Keeping Your Restaurant On Its Toes

Two Delicious Pasta Recipes That Are Great for Catered Parties

by Julio Myers

Pasta is a popular choice for catered parties and banquet-style meals since it appeals to an array of tastes and is easy to keep warm in a chafing dish. But the traditional choices, like spaghetti and macaroni and cheese, can get a bit boring. Here are two delicious pasta recipes that make enough for a large group. These dishes are also easy to transport if you're catering off-site.

Baked Ziti Alfredo with Bacon and Green Onions

This twist on classic Alfredo is baked in the oven and topped with delicious chopped green onions. The bacon adds a layer of smokey flavor. This recipe makes about 30 servings.

Ingredients:

  • 3 pounds ziti pasta
  • 6 cups milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 pound fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 4 green onions, sliced thinly

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 6 minutes. The pasta will still be pretty firm, but it will soften later as it bakes.

In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Saute the garlic in the butter for 1 minute, and then add the flour. Stir to create a smooth roux, and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the milk and cream while whisking constantly. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted, and remove the sauce from the heat.

Stir the pasta and cooked bacon into the sauce. Pour the dish into a large baking pan, and top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Top with the green onions before serving.

Three-Veggie Pasta with Quick Marinara

A great vegan option, this pasta may look like a traditional red-sauce dish, but it has a lot more flavor and character thanks to the inclusion of fried zucchini, roasted red peppers, and sauteed onions. The recipe makes enough for 30.

Ingredients:

  • 1 large eggplant, sliced into strips
  • 2 whole roasted red peppers from a jar, chopped
  • 2 medium onions, sliced
  • 3 large cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 cans tomato sauce
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 3 pounds rotini pasta
  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini and cook for 9 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain the pasta and set it aside.

Pour the olive oil into a large skillet, and heat it over medium heat. Add the onions and eggplant and sauté until slightly browned. Remove these ingredients from the pan and set them aside.

Add the garlic to the skillet and sauté gently. Then pour in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Bring to a simmer, and then stir in the roasted red peppers, salt, sugar, and basil. Simmer for about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, stir together the pasta, prepared sauce, and sauteed veggies. Transfer the dish to a large serving dish for serving or transportation, and then serve.

For more ideas for what to serve a large group, check out what caterers such as The Great Wall Restaurant are doing. 

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