<p>My two current favs for large groups, not necessarily fitting the no gluten stipulation:</p>
<p>Taco salad- huge, serves a crowd. Can make with ground turkey instead of beef.
Delicious and very easy, just a bunch of chopping and combining.</p>
<p>Zucchini pie- a basic Bisquicky thing. Lots of sliced zucchini, cheeses. I add red pepper, garlic. Makes a bunch and slices up nicely for serving. The green zucchini and red pepper are quite festive for Christmas.</p>
<p>Cilantro tastes like soap to everybody. It’s just that some of us love the taste of cilantro. Possibly one has to get used to the taste-- I know I did. Or maybe there’s some other reason why people like cilantro, I don’t know.</p>
<p>If you don’t like cilantro, fine, there’s no reason to like it, but don’t claim some special taste buds for your dislike.</p>
<p>Funny. A friend is an actual sensory panelist in the food industry. He is an avid cook and loves most food.
Hates cilantro.</p>
<p>Well, there are supposedly “super-tasters” who hate things like asparagus, but my hubby loves most green veggies and can’t stand cilantro.</p>
<p>Missypie:</p>
<p>Keep it simple!</p>
<p>I like the tapas and sangria idea. Also like the hummus idea, and the nuts, olives and cheeses. I would make a large platter of antipasto selections…easy stuff that doesn’t need to be cooked or bother with a recipe. </p>
<p>Fresh mozzarella, Basil and tomatoes flavored with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and italian spices also makes a nice platter…</p>
<p>Just go to Costco and buy whatever looks easy to put together on platters. They have quiches that you could bake or warm up…</p>
<p>Remember to keep it simple and have fun! :)</p>
<p>While I love the tapas idea, is it really easy? I always think multiple appetizers would take a lot of work for one person.</p>
<p>I’ve had tapas parties, because I love tapas. But, tapas are not easy, at least the tapas I know about. Individual appetizers/snacks are labor-intensive.</p>
<p>My first choice would still be, “Bye, honey, have a nice time. I’ll be back around midnight.” Failing that, I’d go for cold cuts, bread and salad. A purchased dessert, and maybe purchased cut-up fruit.</p>
<p>Agree with the others: Costco to the rescue! And hubby does the dishes after the party. Costco has:</p>
<p>shrimp platters with sauce;
fabulous rotissierie chicken;
salad kits;
veggie trays;
cold cuts/cheese trays (or make your own from what they have);
potato chips;
chocolates and fruit for dessert;
lots of good wine.</p>
<p>Can I come? 
JK. Good luck with the party!</p>
<p>Another idea: oven-baked herbed salmon from Costco as your hot protein dish. Sprinkle a large salmon fillet with lemon pepper, lemon juice, oregano and dill and bake in a 425-degree oven until done. Serve with mashed potatoes and green salad. Delicious!</p>
<p>Youdon’tsay – I love Mexican food after Christmas and that soup recipe looks perfect. Thanks for sharing!</p>
<p>First, thank you so much for all the wonderful soup recipes! They’ll get me through the winter! Does anyone have a great mushroom soup receipe?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Second, Cardinal Fang, you already know I love you!</p>
<p>But H did invite very nice people. He is at the grocery store right now. </p>
<p>I decided on tapas and no, not really quick, but recipes I’ve been wanting to try and I didn’t really need to drive into work anyway today (can work from home.)</p>
<p>Third, does everyone on this thread belong to Costco?</p>
<p>I’m a Sam’s girl myself.</p>
<p>I do not belong to Costco. The only one near us is pretty far away from us so I figure I’d spend too much in gas getting there. I do have a very good mushroom soup recipe though.</p>
<p>12 oz fresh mushrooms sliced (****ake are best)
2 cups chopped onions
4 T butter
3 T flour
1 c milk
1 or 2 T dill weed
1 T Hungarian paprika
1 T Tamari
1 tsp salt
2 c stock or water
2 t fresh lemon juice
1/2 c chopped parsley
1/2 c sour cream
fresh ground pepper</p>
<p>Saute onion in 2 T butter, Salt lightly. A few minutes later, add mushrooms, 1 t dill, 1/2 c stock or water, Tamari and paprika. Cover and simmer 15 min. Melt remaining butter in large saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking, a few minutes. Add milk and cook, stirring frequently, over a low heat about 10 minutes, until thick. Stir in mushroom mixture and remaining stock. Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, Just before serving, add salt, pepper, lemon juice, sour cream and, if desired extra dill. Serve garnished with parsley.</p>
<p>I can’t believe my mushrooms got bleeped out, but you can guess what I mean. You could probably use nonfat Greek yogurt to lower the fat content. This is a great recipe. Everyone seems to love it.</p>
<p>Missypie, probably too late to chime in but I also love tapas. Try searching Jose Andres Made in Spain. It was a show and the recipes are very good. The cauliflower with olives is wonderful. Have had it at his restaurant and made at home. I go a little easier on the olive oil. Your dh could even make it.</p>
<p>Give your cilantro hating friends a break, they have excellent palates:</p>
<p>[Why</a> Cilantro Tastes Like Soap, for Some - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/dining/14curious.html]Why”>Why Cilantro Tastes Like Soap, for Some - The New York Times)</p>
<p>As a shopper who KNOWS the costs and unit costs of just about everything i purchase,Costco is not better then your local grocery store ( Shop Rite type,not Whole Foods) for savings…</p>
<p>Glad to hear your husband is out at the store…what is he buying (not that you should really care!). I was about to suggest you send him to Whole Foods…their prepared food section, bakery, and candy sections would be perfect places to get already prepared foods…for a price.</p>
<p>We are not Costco members either…but a good friend is. While perhaps not a “bargain” I do LOVE their selections…and wish a Costco was closer to where I live.</p>
<p>The last time I was in a similar situation, H called a local Italian restaurant and a delivery person showed up with lasagna, garlic bread, salad, drinks, paper plates, utensils, etc. I still had to clean up the house, though.</p>
<p>We are Costco members in Mexico. Believe it or not, when people talk about Costco here it is like Whole Food. We get our best wines and meat here. We also get crispy cream and the chocolate cake. Our membership card works both here and in the states.</p>
<p>I agree that Costco doesn’t save much money, if any at all…and buying in bulk is pretty silly with both kids away at school. So I don’t buy all that much. BUT - their meats are spectacular, and priced pretty competitively. We’ll go in and buy a package of NY Strips or Filets, freeze some…they really are so much better than what I’d get at my local grocery store. </p>
<p>I keep my membership because we also get D’s contact lenses there, and the savings pretty much covers the fee.</p>
<p>Tapas sound delicious! Let us know what you made!</p>