One of my favorite dishes to serve with Prime Rib (and would work well with Pork Loin too I imagine) is from the new New York Times cookbook. It's a spinach with a balsamic butter sauce. Basically, you reduce balsamic vinegar down to a syrupy sweet puddle then whisk in obscene amounts of butter. Spoon it over cooked, drained and chopped spinach (I'm trying to remember if cooked, drained and chopped was the way it was originally done or if that was how I decided to do it but can't remember and I don't have it in front of me). It's so good you'll just want to put it on everything - and I've gleefully used pieces of meat to sop up the remainder of the sauce. Yum!
Generally speaking, when I serve larger groups, I simplify and stick with dishes that I am comfortable with. Better to do a few things well than a bunch of things in a mediocre manner.
If you read any of the "post-large event" threads here (or any similar food site), the common refrain is always "simplify, simplify, simplify."
I'm thinking of staying with the Prime Rib. If I can't get one to feed 12, I will get 2 smaller ones to cook together. For sides: Mashed Potatoes with gravy, spinach gratin, corn pudding. Salad of mixed greens with a light dressing, and roasted brussel sprouts . Sound ok?
Sounds like a feast! But if you want to simplify a bit - with the potatoes, corn pudding and salad, I think you could do just one other green vegetable, either spinach or the sprouts, not necessarily both. Sort of related, if it appeals - popovers are always lovely with a roast dinner (though navigating oven real estate and timing sometimes make them a bother) - on my mind as my daughter just requested them with ours.
Part of the point of this is to find your comfort level.
I've made mashed potatoes and potato gratin many times before and I'm comfortable making either. Making mashed potatoes is easier, but potato gratin is "fancier."
Making potato gratin for four? No problem. Making potato gratin for eight? Yes, possibly, but I'd consider to whom I've serving it. Making potato gratin for 24? No, thanks. I don't have the equipment to handle that.
Much of your decision should be governed by the situation at hand. How many diners are you serving and who are they?
I've served 80+ people at some events (football tailgates) but I'm careful about what I do at those versus what I do at my own dinner table (seats four).
Much of this will be a judgment call on you based on what you are capable of handling and what the size/scope of the event is. No one here can address those topics based on what you have posted.
For veggies, I'd stick with seasonal ingredients, things like brussel sprouts, root vegetables, etc. I live in California and we have a lot of things available to us now at the local farmers markets that many elsewhere would consider "out of season."
For starches, serve whatever you prefer, they don't tend to be seasonal. An extravagent option would be to offer multiple starches (different potato dishes, rice, pasta, etc.). It really depends on how much effort you want to put into this.
A lot of this will be dependent on the size of your dinner party and the amount of time/effort you want to expend. I would opt to make a couple of really well made side dishes (like mashed potatoes and creamed spinach) rather than trying to make four starches and six veggie sides, but that's just me.
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Generally speaking, when I serve larger groups, I simplify and stick with dishes that I am comfortable with. Better to do a few things well than a bunch of things in a mediocre manner.
If you read any of the "post-large event" threads here (or any similar food site), the common refrain is always "simplify, simplify, simplify."
I've made mashed potatoes and potato gratin many times before and I'm comfortable making either. Making mashed potatoes is easier, but potato gratin is "fancier."
Making potato gratin for four? No problem. Making potato gratin for eight? Yes, possibly, but I'd consider to whom I've serving it. Making potato gratin for 24? No, thanks. I don't have the equipment to handle that.
Much of your decision should be governed by the situation at hand. How many diners are you serving and who are they?
I've served 80+ people at some events (football tailgates) but I'm careful about what I do at those versus what I do at my own dinner table (seats four).
Much of this will be a judgment call on you based on what you are capable of handling and what the size/scope of the event is. No one here can address those topics based on what you have posted.
For starches, serve whatever you prefer, they don't tend to be seasonal. An extravagent option would be to offer multiple starches (different potato dishes, rice, pasta, etc.). It really depends on how much effort you want to put into this.
A lot of this will be dependent on the size of your dinner party and the amount of time/effort you want to expend. I would opt to make a couple of really well made side dishes (like mashed potatoes and creamed spinach) rather than trying to make four starches and six veggie sides, but that's just me.
Good luck.