Cooking for large groups

JoeyEmma

Also- why are you paying for everybody to eat? Not sure if I missed something in your OP, but why is it costing you £10 a week to feed everybody? I would ask for a contribution- say £1- just leave a box in the kitchen so people can pop their money in and you don't have to feel awkward asking for money.

Mrs_Toxy

JoeyEmma wrote: »

Also- why are you paying for everybody to eat? Not sure if I missed something in your OP, but why is it costing you £10 a week to feed everybody? I would ask for a contribution- say £1- just leave a box in the kitchen so people can pop their money in and you don't have to feel awkward asking for money.

I think the idea is that they take it in turns to host the dinner and therefore pay for their turn to host. Is that right?

Sola

JoeyEmma wrote: »

Also- why are you paying for everybody to eat? Not sure if I missed something in your OP, but why is it costing you £10 a week to feed everybody? I would ask for a contribution- say £1- just leave a box in the kitchen so people can pop their money in and you don't have to feel awkward asking for money.

They take it in turns - it's not the same home each week.

lamplady

Something I find successful when dealing with lots of fussy eaters and different diets is to do wraps with a table full of fillings ...it looks impressive, is casual and can be as simple or as fancy as you like. I pile the wraps on the table (warmed in the microwave) and then have bowls for people to help themselves. Ideas for fillings:
cherry tomatoes,
cucumber sticks
hummus
chicken
tuna
lettuce
cheese
homemade yoghurt
baked beans

People can always fill their wraps and top them with cheese and pop them under the grill too.

As for people not eating, I really wouldn't worry about them, they should check in advance!

squeaky

skintchick wrote: »

Thanks everyone!
Squeaky - I meant in the SC and no coconut please cos I'm not keen on it.

3 oz (75g) pudding rice

2 oz (50g) sugar

1½ pints (750 mil) Liquids

1 oz (25g) butter

Pinch of nutmeg.

Use whatever combination of milk, cream, evaporated that you like to make up to the full amount of liquid.

Grease your dish (slow cooker) with the butter.

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Cook as per your own oven bake recipe or your slow cooker instructions.

My old recipe book say cook on low for 6-8 hours - but modern ones seem to be a bit fiercer and I found 4 to 4.5 hrs to be plenty. It might be a good idea to try one just for yourself to get the feel of timings in your own slow cooker.

This recipe makes enough for about four helpings - so you should probably quadruple the quantities. Don't be too free with "seconds's" either Cook 's prividge!

pigpen

I cook for 10 every night.. what'sup with you.. lol.. I am joking really.. I know how terrified I would be if I had to cook for 30 suddenly!!

I'd do a big tray of roasted potato wedges, little dishes of HM BBQ dip /mayo /grated cheese,

1 jacket spud per person with options of tuna mayo baked beans or cheese

Either with some cooked cocktail sausages, quiche or salad.

All dead simple and dirt cheap!!

Failing that a BIG pan of spaggy bol.. Half a 'normal' sized pack of spagetti and 75g mince
2 onions
1 tin toms
2 packets of spag bol mix (colmans one is 49p in tesco and is fine)
1/2lb mushrooms

That much feeds all 10 of us and leaves enough for 3 lunches for me

Garlic bread stretches it further.. 2-3 pizza bases spread with garlic butter

1/2 packet butter ( you can freeze the other half for next time!!) softened to room temp.. add 2-3 grated gloves of garlic or whizz in a blender spread on bases

in oven for a few minutes until heated through.. slap on plate.. slice!

I have been known to use slices of bread instead of pizza bases.. works for us!

Any spare spuds can be kept in the fridge in foil and you can reheat througout the week.. and any tuna/cheese/whatever can be cling filmed and kept in the fridge too for sarnies or whatever.

ravylesley

I'm sorry that someone didnt like the chilli but no matter what you cook you run the risk of that happening so chin up and look on the positive side that nearly all the people enjoyed the food!

If I was serving this many people then being a Lancashire Lass I would be going for the good old Lancastrian Potato Pie served with mushy peas and red cabbage.Its just stewing steak,potato,onion and carrot boiled together then turned into a casserole dish or in this case I'd use a Turkey Roasting Tin and top the filling with Shortcrust Pastry and cook.The filling and pastry can be made beforehand and just put together and baked at the last minute.As for the pudding it would have to be Trifle which again can be made beforehand

Lesleyxx

ceridwen

....thinking further on yr dilemma today.....and asking myself "why didnt I think further on the place to have meal" thing. See ...someone else has beaten me to it on that suggestion....so I'll second them. It does depend what type of church it is....any I have ever been to the venue could easily be where the "worship" is held....move the chairs and use the neighbouring kitchen....no problem. If, however, you go to one where there is fixed pews....well, I imagine there will be a next door church hall.....saves the bother of where the venue will be/whose house isnt that big for socialising purposes. The more I think about it...the more I think the bring food to share thing is defo the way to go. I have been remembering occasions where the meal was "food to share" basis....when it was the type of occasion where the participants tended to be single (eg a course)...there was always enough food ...maybe even to spare. Where it was mixed singles and couples (eg a social occasion) there were a few times where there wasnt enough food (because of the couples who had brought 1 dish between them)....so its where I reiterate "one dish per person" - not "one dish per household"....then everyone will get enough to eat. I havent forgotten the particular party I went to - where I had taken my largish bowl of whatever-it-was as my contribution (and there would have been plenty of food if everyone had taken as much as I had each)...but I had a measly half plateful of food because of the number of couples who had brought 1 dish between them..so there wasnt enough for us all.

There is no need even to cook if you cant manage it...just take a couple of loaves of French bread, packet of butter, packet of decent cheese and that could be your "dish". Apart from the corollary of it being the "one dish per person"....then there is never a problem in my experience...its been surprising how there has been just the right mixture of food, despite no prior arrangement as to what people will bring - it just seems to work out that salad is one persons "thing", a "main" is a couple of other peoples "thing" and someone else only ever makes "puddings".

curlylou1986

def think the soup idea is really good-cant beat a good bowl of thick soup and chunky crusty bread! had a really nice sweet potatoe and sweed (sP) i think it was a firedn made it-think it was a nigella recipie-but was yummy!
things like spaghetti bolognaise is good too-quorn is a good alternative-that could be the expensive part t buy-but value pasta sauce, tin tomatoes, chop bit veg up and loads cheap saghetti and you sorted! and like the jacket potatoe one too-obviosuyl depends on the room in your oven for 14 potatoes! there is a really kool thread for recipies for slow cookers too on here-should have a look at it see if more ideas on there.i know it not quite summer yet-but a warm salad is always good too-loads of lettuce, tomatoes sliced carrot, some dressing (hm to proper make it cheaper!) cook load of new potatoes too then get some value chicked strips/sausages or to go with...or even couple cans of tuna and that makes a nice filling dinner too! ) hope get some ideas before next time xxx

joey-lou

One of my favs is boil a big pan of potaoes with a couple of onions,drain,mash together & mix in herbs/seasoning of choice a good handfull of grated cheese.put in dish and top with grated cheese & sliced tomatoes bake in oven till cheese melted & tomato cooked through.serve with salad & crusty bread.(it really is delicious)