I'm responsible for cooking for a large group next month, approximately 12-14 adults and 6 kids. I've got BBQ, lasagna, fajitas, steaks, and burgers/hot dogs already covered. What other dinner ideas for a party that size do you guys have?

Stacked enchiladas, charro beans

fav13andac1)c said:

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amanda04 said:

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I'm responsible for cooking for a large group next month, approximately 12-14 adults and 6 kids. I've got BBQ, lasagna, fajitas, steaks, and burgers/hot dogs already covered. What other dinner ideas for a party that size do you guys have?

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With that much food already available (I mean dadgum), I would perhaps focus on appetizers or drinks?

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I could be wrong, but I think he's saying he already knows how to make those but is looking for other ideas.

This won't all be served at once. It's for an extended family gathering, so I'm looking for ideas for two more nights of dinners.

I feel like all the broad categories are covered and am just looking for something different and that will hold well while I make lots of them. I feel like individually fried things like chicken fried steak would be out, unless someone knows of a great way to make a lot of them at once.

Chili, make your own sandwich, I've done primarily Italian with tons of different quality sliced meats, cheeses, veggies, etc

A seafood boil but there's a lot of garbage to get rid of, the prep and cleanup for that many people might not be worth it.

Key lime bars. Super easy and This recipe makes a whole half sheet tray.

I am loving the key lime bars idea. I do have sides planned for all of the above but figured I spare everyone the details but am happy to post the options I'm presenting family. Lunches are on your own for the group, so I'm responsible for breakfast and dinner with dessert. (If you see multiple items in the lines, they are all OPTIONS, I'm not making everything listed. )

Dinners

• Hamburgers and Hot Dogs
• All the toppings
• Side options:
  
  • Baked beans, potato salad, cole slaw or chips
• Seafood Night
• Shrimp (Options: Fried Shrimp, Shrimp in Butter and Garlic, Coconut Shrimp, Cold Cocktail Shrimp)
• Fish (Options: Baked "Fried" Fish, Blackened Fish, Fried Fish) Serve with tartar sauce, or cream sauce to serve over fried or baked fish
• Hushpuppies or bread
• Side options
• Cole Slaw, French Fries, Cold Baked Potato Salad, Roasted Potatoes, Corn & Tomato Salad, or Roasted Veggies (Butternut Squash, Onions, Brussel Sprouts, Okra)
• Fajitas
• Protein options
• Beef, chicken or pork fajitas, Ground beef for kids
• Queso & chips with salsa and green sauce
• Toppings bar: Pico, sour cream, guacamole, etc.
• Sides options
• Charro beans, Spanish rice, cilantro cabbage slaw, roasted street corn
• Steak
• Steaks
• To be served with flavored butter or sauces (horseradish, chimichurri, bearnaise)
• Spinach salad (Eggs, bacon, onions, croutons)
• Side options:
• Bacon-wrapped green beans, creamed spinach, potatoes (can be baked, twice baked, mashed with garlic, roasted) or sweet potatoes (all same options)
• Bread or rolls
• Lasagna made with a butternut squash sauce and Italian sausage
• Caesar or caprese salad
• Italian Green beans
• Mediterranean Night
• Baked chicken with lemon and olives or pastichio
• Spinach pie
• Hummus with pita and veggies

Dessert Options

• Angel food cake with strawberries and homemade whipped cream
• Salted caramel dark chocolate pie
• Triple chocolate cake
• Chocolate cobbler
• Frozen lime pie or key lime bars
• Cobbler (Peach, pecan, berry) with ice cream or whipped cream
• Bread pudding (regular, peach & white chocolate, tres leches)
• Tres leches cake
• Cheesecake
• Freshly made brownies/cookie bars and ice cream

Breakfast Options

• Black Bean, Sausage, Egg Bake
• French Toast Casserole with scrambled eggs and bacon
• Eggs Benedict Casserole
• Pancakes, eggs, bacon or sausage
• Everything Bagel Casserole
• Quiche or Puff Pastry Bake
• Quick breakfast items: Carrot raisin muffins, whole wheat pecan muffins with cream cheese spread

Indeed! And I've run out of ideas...

Clearly you need a fish fry.

On steak night instead of bacon-wrapped green beans you might want to consider asparagus wrapped with prosciutto. No cooking other than blanching the asparagus.

I'd suggest brining and grilling chicken. Multi purpose, any leftovers can be turned into chicken salad/tacos/nacho stuff/enchiladas.

I'd suggest extra steak on steak night for steak and egg breakfast tacos the next morning.

I live these kinds of deals. I really enjoy the holidays. I try to find big supper meals that can be transformed into meals later in the week to take "some" of the pressure off. In the right circumstances the gumbo pot Christmas Eve can be LEGENDARY!

Another thing that I love to make and repurpose all week is pulled pork. It could be made before leaving, and we love using it for quesadillas, tacos/nachos, chilaquiles, sandwiches, green chili pulled pork stew.

Carnitas would be a good first night meal. Cook the meat the night before and then crisp up the day of.

Gumbo is also something easy to make a ton of at one time, and keeps and reheats well. I do this at big events often.

For breakfast, you can pre-make breakfast tacos, individually wrap in foil, and then put in the fridge. You can get individual foil sheets from amazon, or sometimes Sams or Costco.

I often make 100 - 150 the night before swim meets.

You can warm the tacos up in the oven at 200 for 3 hours. Try to spread them out in the oven the best you can.

Put them out on the counter with some salsa, and you are good to go.

We do smoked chicken thighs a lot because they are cheap and easy.

Fishes and loaves.

Sam's Club take and bake pizzas.

Chicken spaghetti (I don't care for it, but always seems popular with large gatherings)

King ranch chicken

Agasaurus Tex said:

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On steak night instead of bacon-wrapped green beans you might want to consider asparagus wrapped with prosciutto. No cooking other than blanching the asparagus.

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That sounds like a great idea but this is for my aunt's birthday week at the beach. I was specifically told that bacon wrapped green beans are her love language.

I love all the ideas! I'm all about making a large pot if gumbo/chili/pulled pork and making it last a while! I thought about pizzas but I think there's just one oven and I don't know how to keep them warm bc I assume I will need a lot. Any suggestions I might not be thinking of?

I assume you aren't doing the dishes also. That's a lot of cooking

I'm curious the set up of this? Are all these people staying at your House a week? Did y'all rent a vacation house/houses and you volunteered for all the cooking?

Sounds like you're spoiling them!!

htxag09 said:

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I'm curious the set up of this? Are all these people staying at your House a week? Did y'all rent a vacation house/houses and you volunteered for all the cooking?

Sounds like you're spoiling them!!

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My aunt is turning 70 and so they've rented two houses next to each other in Surfside to accommodate her and my uncle, their kids and their grandkids. She has been the perpetual entertainer and host of all parties for our extended family so there are definitely high expectations to live up to!

Sounds like a recipe for COVID stew.

I'd add three possibilities:

Pizza night, where you have a make your own pizza bar, and everyone can choose their toppings. If y'all have a grill and a pizza stone, even more fun. Just make the pizza dough before hand (figure one cup of flour per person for each personal pan pizza, so two pizzas per person, so 10 lbs of flour needed to make all of the dough). Slice up veggies and pepperoni and sausage, make a quick tomato sauce, leave out different shredded cheeses, and let people top their pizza and go.

Conserve any leftover sauce, add more tomatoes if needed, and let simmer the next day. Get the kids and adults together, boil up a bunch of potatoes, and make gnocchi. Measure weight of potatoes and use equal weight in flour. Everyone will have fun rolling it out and making the gnocchi. Put in boiling water, they're done when they float, and top with sauce. Maybe serve a spiral honey baked ham as a protein option after, and then a Caprese insalata as a salad course.

Take any leftover sauce from gnocchi night, saute some sweet Italian sausage with some peppers and onions in a skillet. Add the sauce in last, serve sausage and peppers as a dish. Offer a loaf of Italian bread if people want to make sandwiches. Quick and easy, and uses up all of your leftovers.

Pulled pork in the crock pot. Can be used for sandwiches or nachos or both.

lunchbox said:

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Pulled pork in the crock pot. Can be used for sandwiches or nachos or both.

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Yep. Super easy and cheap.

lunchbox said:

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Pulled pork in the crock pot. Can be used for sandwiches or nachos or both.

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This ^ Plus tater salad and beans or coleslaw