For a graduating Rice student, the last 10 years have been a constant juggle of time, stress, and projects. Students who are admitted to schools like Rice began sixth grade with a long road ahead, if they hoped to win a place in a highly competitive university environment. The students who set goals (or whose parents set goals) for admission to school like Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Rice will leave fifth grade to spend the next six academic years and summers focused on intense study, volunteerism and leadership development and training opportunities.
Sadly, admission into a highly competitive university is not the end of the stress, but the beginning of an entirely new level of academic challenge. For many students the immersion into an environment filled with hundreds of brilliant students, most from the top 2-5% of their class, is an eye opening experience. These students must determine their new role in every course. In one subject, they may still shine, but in others, they may need to accept a ranking in the middle or lower portion of the class because so many brilliant minds cannot all be the top student. The students who are determined to be the top student in each course at these highly selective universities may develop ulcers or eating disorders, or begin experimenting with drugs and alcohol, or relieve stress in other ways, like active participation in sports or volunteer or religious communities.
When my own Rice senior’s year began, our entire family agreed with her request to have a beach retreat instead of a typical graduation celebration. We encouraged our guests to “bring no presents except your presence” and planned the 7-hour come and go party at a favorite aunt and uncle’s retreat house on Trinity Bay. The idea of a stress-free party had to extend to the hosts as well, so the menu was planned to include make-ahead recipes, purchased entrees and sides, and also fresh foods that could be made on site by two students I hired to “run the kitchen.”
These selections will feed 60 adults, with plenty of leftovers to see you through the weekend nibbles for out-of-town guests who might decide to linger a night or two.
Dessert Station
- Brownies
- Strawberry Ice Box Pies (single serving size)
- Dewberry Cobbler
- Russian Cream with Raspberries (single serving size)
Mediterranean Station (from Fadi’s)
- Hummus
- Tabouli
- Grape Leaves stuffed with Rice (vegetarian)
- Vermicilli Rice
- Yellow Chicken
- Pita Bread
- Pita Chips
Tamale Station (all tamales from Tejano Salsa are gluten-free)
- Sun Dried Tomato Tamales (vegetarian) – 1/2 dozen
- Black Bean Tamales (vegetarian)- 1 dozen
- Spinach (vegetarian) -1 dozen
- Queso Fresco (vegetarian) – 1 dozen
- Chicken – 2 dozen
- Beef – 2 dozen
- Sweet (pineapple and banana combination) – 1 dozen
- 1 jar Wanna-Be Texan Salsa – mild
- 1 jar Verde (green) or Naturalized Texan (red) Salsa – medium
- 1 jar Native Texan Salsa – hot
- Queso (2 lbs Velveeta and 2 cans Rotel)
- Guacamole (12 avocados, 3 packages seasoning mix)
- 4 bags of tortilla chips
Salsa and Veggie Station
- 5 lbs Peel and Eat Shrimp
- 2 jars Cocktail Sauce
- 1 jar Horseradish
- 1 jar Tartar Sauce
- 1 bottle ketchup
- No Dairy Salad (Lemon Dressing Salad)
- Blueberry Pecan and Blue Cheese Salad
- Aunt Rita’s Broccoli Salad
- Veggie Tray (red bell pepper, zucchini, carrot, and jicama sticks; cherry tomatoes)
Drinks Station
- 48 Cokes
- 60 IBC Root Beer bottles
- 80 bottles water
- 1 case Shiner Ruby Redbird beer
- 1 case St. Arnold’s Lawn Mower beer
- 4 bottles wine (2 Riesling, 2 whatever Spec’s recommends)
- Charcuterie tray – meats from Costco, olives and cheeses from Spec’