mmaah

We will be staying in a condo Thanksgiving week, hosting our kids, 2 friends and random combinations of local relatives and kids' friends. The Thanksgiving meal is not the problem--it is the other evenings that will happen and I can't seem to think of anything but chili. I am hoping you all might share some simple meal ideas for inexpensively feeding a good size group of hungry young adults.

I am NOT an accomplished cook but follow recipes pretty well and have basic Girl Scout merit badge level cooking skills with some Rachel Ray thrown in. At least one of the house guests is vegetarian and i can figure out meat substitutes fine. I will comb through the archives on this--but thought some of you might have some simple holiday suppers for a crowd right at the tips of your typing fingers. I especially need help with calculating quantities to buy for larger groups.

Thanks!

UMDAD

Inexpensive dinner for a crowd = lasagna, salad and italian bread.

fauve

Coq au Vin- sounds elegant, but is very easy, chicken with vegetables and wine. serve with rice or noodles.

Enchilada casserole- layered tortillas with cheese, chicken and red or green chile sauce. You can buy the sauce jarred or canned for a shortcut.

archiemom

Try allrecipes.com. You can adjust any recipe to serve a larger (or smaller) group. I like this Smoked Sausage dish for a crowd because its super simple and you can put out an assortment of condiments so that everyone customizes their own dish.

Mom2M

I'd second the Lasagna or use baked ziti if you don't want to make the Lasagna. Just cook the pasta to slightly undercooked, toss with sauce (store bought will work in a pinch) and shredded cheese. Bake at 350 until heated through.

Maybe turkey soup for one meal--DH makes turkey soup after Thanksgiving, same as chicken soup with leftover turkey, and the bones from the day before, it's easy and tastes great. Or just turkey sandwiches, open face with gravy and mashed potatoes...you can get a tofu turkey for the vegitarian guest. Just buy a slightly bigger turkey than you need....instant mashed potatoes will work if necessary.

Baked fried chicken: really cold chicken pieces, dip in cold yougart, roll in bread crums. Place on baking sheet sprayed with pam, then spray the chicken pieces with pam (or use olive oil in a sprayer). Bake at 400 for about an hour, if you turn them over about every 20 minutes they will be more evenly browned (I generally don't). Good hot or chill and serve cold.

Hope this helps, it's what immediately came to mind....

abasket

Mexican Bar - tacos (chicken, beef), soft/hard shells, toppings. Or Nacho Bar - meat, chicken, refried beans or black beans, shredded cheese and other toppings. Fruit for a side.

worknprogress

I have a soup and salad buffet around Thanksgiving for about the same number of people. I have offered other heavier menus, but everyone seems to like the soup and salad after the big T-day meal.

I have butternut squash soup, mixed salad greens with pears, walnuts, celery, and feta cheese (on the side for vegan H)

Roasted small potatoes in their skin with rosemary or thyme (whatever spice looks best at time of purchase.

Various breads and cheese

Soup:

4 bunches of leeks - cleaned thoroughly, sliced white part only
2 celery ribs - chopped
8 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 butternut squash
4 cartons low sodium vegetable broth (I like Pacific brand)
thyme, sage, pepper to taste
non-fat sour cream, chives for garnish

Saute sliced leeks and celery until softened in small amount of oil. I use canola. Add remaining ingredients, cook until all vegetables are softened, about two hours. You can cook longer at low heat. Using immersion blender whir until blended thoroughly.

Freeze until ready to use, plop in crockpot day of event, put on low.

"just"aMom

Yes, I agree with Mom2M, the baked ziti is a snap, and all but cooks itself. You can parcook the noodles (about 1/2 cooked) then toss with tons of sauce (and I agree even a good tasting jar sauce will work), some sliced mushrooms (we also add garbanzo beans), and a bag or two (depending on how many) of pre-shredded mozzarella (I use a combo of parmesan, asiago, provalone & fontina, found at Trader Joes), place in a good sized baking dish (or dutch oven), sprinkle some more cheese on top, bake, and voila! I use my dutch oven to cook the pasta, and then I only have one pot to wash.

akck

Spaghetti is another easy option. You can also order out pizza or if more adventurous make them with pre-made crusts. The only problem with home made pizza is you can only cook 1 or 2 at a time, making the order out a better option.

musicamusica

ABASKET stole my idea!!......a Taco bar is always easy and people can adjust their tacos to suite their own taste.

Youdon'tsay

Tortilla soup! This recipe is super-easy -- dump a bunch of cans, let the chicken cook in the soup. You can put it all together early in the day and then come home and heat it. You can make or buy Spanish rice to put in the bottom of the bowls to bulk it up a bit.

Sopa de Sabores (Soup of Many Flavors) or Tortilla Soup

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in bite-size pieces
3 cans chicken broth (14.5 oz. cans)
1 can Del Monte Mexican recipe stewed tomatoes (14.5 oz. can)
1 can crushed tomatoes (14.5 oz. can)
1 can Hunts diced tomatoes and green chilies (10 oz. Can)
2 cups water
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
2 heaping tablespoons ground cumin
2 heaping tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ bundle cilantro leaves (trimmed, chopped, without stems)
juice from 1 small lime
½ cup picante sauce

In a large pot, mix all ingredients except chicken pieces and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat until boiling. Stir occasionally. Serve in bowls with condiments on the side so guests can add as much or as little as they like. Recipe says it makes 10-12 servings, but I think it makes more than that!

Condiments:
2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
4 limes, sliced
3 avocados, cubed
Corn tortillas or tortilla strips (I buy corn tortillas, cut them into strips and toast them in the oven until crunchy)

abasket

Sorry, musica!!!!!

dragonmom

How far from home is this condo? We spent 2 or 3 Thanksgiving weeks in a ski town when DS worked there. My biggest lesson: Don't spend your vacation in the kitchen!

How to feed the crowd: And I say this as someone who loves to cook for a crowd....go with whatever is easy. Frozen lasagne, french bread and bag salad. Take-and-bake pizzas and bag salad, take-out Chinese, Quarts of pre-made soups from the fancier grocery stores... Nothing you cook in an under-equiped kitchen with bad cookware and no stock of spices is going to be great.

But, if the place is close and you can cook ahead and haul it there, the tortilla soup sounds wonderful!

worknprogress

Okay, here is another chili/soup recipe that has been a big hit with non-vegetarians. It really looks beautiful and could be made in advance if you wanted.

2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium red peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T. chili powder
3 pounds of sweet potatoes, 1/2" chunks
2 14.5 oz cans chopped tomatoes
2 14.5 oz. cans black beans (drained and rinsed well)
3 cups water
1/2 tsp. (at least) chitpotle powder
2 mangoes chopped
fresh cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, peppers, garlic, and cook well until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and continue to cook. Add sweet potato, stir to coat with spices.

Transfer to crock pot. Add tomatoes, beans and water. Cover and cook on low 6 -8 hours.

When ready to serve stir in chitpotle spices and stir. Add mangoes and stir.

Serve, garnish with cilantro

masslou

Make it easy---Nothing wrong with frozen lasagna!

My BFF from Texas recommends a barbecued beef brisket for such occasions. It cooks all day in a slow oven, served on a bun with sides of your choice from the deli. Always a hit!

Recipe - Texas Oven Brisket