Looking for recipes to feed a crowd of 30 on the regular
April 9, 2019 6:23 PM   Subscribe

Every other week, my husband and/or I make a Eucharist dinner for about 30 people at the local church. The point of this dinner is to get parishioners and people in the community who might need dinner together at the same table. I’m kind of burned out on recipes and am looking for new ideas. Specifics below the fold.

1) we do all the prep work and cooking at home, in our regular sized kitchen, and store it in our regular sized fridge in foil pans. On Wednesday afternoons we drive it over to the church where they reheat and serve. We have most of the cooking stuff you might imagine and are both proficient cooks.

2) less fussy recipes are best. We did a stir fry once that took about forever.

3) no dietary restrictions. We usually get the protein and any other ingredients we can from the church food pantry. I volunteer there too so I see what’s what and go from there.

4) from what I’ve heard, these folks aren’t super adventurous. We made fajitas - assemble yourself - and many people went without the wrap.

5) The church always provides a salad and drinks. There’s a kitchen and long tables so they can either serve family style or from the counter. I’m not a parishioner and am not there at dinner time but I have seen the setup.

Some of the stuff we’ve made:
Chili, sausage/peppers & onions, ham and a baked potato bar (the potatoes were a big hit), smoked chicken fajitas (see above), enchiladas, beef and veggie soup, quiche, cold cut sandwiches, jambalaya, ziti. You get the picture.

I have pulled pork in the freezer so I’m going to make Brunswick stew but after that....I got nothing.
posted by lyssabee to Food & Drink (26 answers total) 14 users marked this as a favorite
 
What about cottage/shepherd's pie, chicken pot pie (well, chicken and veggies in sauce/gravy and biscuits on the side), other various casseroles?
posted by miratime at 6:35 PM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]


chicken alfredo casserole (can add any cooked vegetable for better nutritional profile if you want... mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini)
posted by fingersandtoes at 6:39 PM on April 9, 2019


Lasagna
Spaghetti & meatballs (Marcella Hazan’s red sauce recipe is very simple and good)
Rice pilaf or couscous (maybe for a week when you don’t have meat?)
Steak salad
posted by sallybrown at 6:45 PM on April 9, 2019 [2 favorites]


Beef stew and garlic Texas toast?
Chicken rice and peas casserole?
Scrambled eggs topped with cheddar cheese and Sausage Stuffing on the side?
posted by forthright at 6:55 PM on April 9, 2019


The topic Cooking for 50 senior citizens on eGullet might have some good ideas for you. It includes lots of ideas for cooking in quantity on a limited budget for unadventurous eaters.
posted by Daily Alice at 6:57 PM on April 9, 2019 [6 favorites]


Do you have access to a grill? As summer gets started, you could do a lot of marinated, grilled chicken options. Once you get a grill hot, you could work though 30-40 pieces of chicken pretty quickly.
posted by mercredi at 6:59 PM on April 9, 2019


BTW it is a very long thread but worth reading because she talks a lot about what works well and what doesn't, not so much specific recipes but broad strategies.
posted by Daily Alice at 6:59 PM on April 9, 2019


Lentil soup with sausage
Split pea soup with ham
Hot dog or sausage bar
Sheet pan pizzas

Also, if something worked well, I’d feel free to repeat it. The potato bar idea seems like something you could do twice a month and people would be happy. You could vary it or have like one varied element.
posted by vunder at 6:59 PM on April 9, 2019 [8 favorites]


Something simple that scales easily would be my Sloppy Joe recipe. 1 pound of ground beef, 1 can of Tomato soup, and one can of Chicken Gumbo. Brown the beef, drain, then add soups and heat till bubbly. Stores very well in the fridge and then throw it in a crock pot when ready. Makes enough for an 8-pack of your standard grocery store hamburger buns, well loaded. Scale up as needed.

Offer with chips, coleslaw, or my favorite, well done OreIda Crispers fries.
posted by SquidLips at 7:22 PM on April 9, 2019


It’s a bit late now but for next year think about grabbing markdown corned beef after St Patrick’s day and serving with potatoes and cabbage.

Hams will be on sale soon, once Easter passes, and that’s a classic feed a crowd dish. Serve with potato salad.

American style hard shell taco bar is an easy one, the shells are often on sale and you can stock up enough over time, as long as they’re sealed they won’t go stale for a long time. A lightly seasoned ground beef mixture is easy to make in quantity and can be spiced to taste with bottled hot sauce.
posted by padraigin at 8:02 PM on April 9, 2019


Spaghetti and meatballs, chicken pieces (hot or cold) and salad, fried rice, stir fry noodles (with beef or chicken etc) build your own burgers/sandwiches.
posted by Jubey at 8:09 PM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]


Chicken and rice casserole.
Hearty stews.
Cassoulet, find a cheater recipe.
Breakfast for dinner.
Roasted meat with a savory bread pudding
Soup and salad .bar.
Tuna casserole.
Macaroni and cheese with toppings
posted by jennstra at 8:39 PM on April 9, 2019 [3 favorites]


Beef Stew - this is the foolproof recipe that we use every year for feeding a large crowd. Like you, people cook at home and then bring it and reheat. It also freezes well if you need to cook ahead.

OVEN-BAKED STEW

4 lbs. stew beef
1 - 28 oz. cans stewed tomatoes
1 28 oz can marinara sauce
1 - 16 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups carrots, sliced
4 chopped onions
6 potatoes, sliced

ADD:
2 t. cinnamon
2 t. each dried thyme & dried basil
2 tsp each coarsely ground black pepper and salt
2 tbsp chopped garlic (from a jar is easiest)
2 bay leaves (optional)

Mix and place all ingredients in one or more large covered casseroles or cover with
aluminum foil. Bake about 3-4 hours at 350. Serves 10-12. When cooled, transfer to plastic sacks or to plastic containers. (I reuse my large yogurt containers for this) Freezes well

Place all ingredients in aluminum foil disposable casserole; cover with aluminum foil. Bake about 3-4 hours at 350. Serves 10-12. Freezes well
posted by metahawk at 10:37 PM on April 9, 2019


It's good work you are doing! I have some experience in making meals for over two dozen people, and all the recipes above are good. You can always rely on a basic big casserole with fish, poultry, or meat, starch, and veggies, along with some spices and savory sauce. Vary the ingredients to use what is on hand. One dish that's quick to make and pleases a crowd is what we called "pasta dish". Ingredients:
Any kind of cooked pasta, hamburger, 1/3 c mayonnaise for each pound of meat, 1 16 oz can of any variety of tomato pasta sauce for each two pounds of hamburger. Mix together, top liberally with Parmesan cheese, and heat up. Serve with garlic bread.
posted by ragtimepiano at 10:57 PM on April 9, 2019


Nth the recommendations for Shepherd's Pie, Macaroni and Cheese, and Beef Stew.

Chicken cacciatore. Baked Ziti. Lasagna (either "red" or "white"). Bean with bacon soup. Chicken soup. Baked ham. Pizzas.

Thanks for doing this! Your church is lucky to have you.
posted by dancing_angel at 11:02 PM on April 9, 2019 [1 favorite]


Also, this is presumably weekly? Not sure you need endless recipe options. Find 6-8 that work and prepare them in rotation, within the constraints of the available ingredients.
posted by koahiatamadl at 2:32 AM on April 10, 2019 [10 favorites]


Scalloped potatoes with ham. Salad or other vegetables on the side.
posted by mareli at 3:10 AM on April 10, 2019 [1 favorite]


A pan of this chicken tetrazzini will easily feed at least 8 people heartily. Stores and reheats like a dream.
posted by little mouth at 5:46 AM on April 10, 2019 [2 favorites]


my former church used to do a "joy meal" every wednesday and while we rotated our meals so that the willing participants took turns bringing the different elements of the meal, it sounds like a pretty similar set up. The lady who set up the menu did them in 3 month cycles, and it always included sloppy joes and hot dogs, chicken soup, meat loaf, baked potatoes (which, we'd set out taco shells and the more adventurous would do that ;) ) We augmented the usual rotation with some purchased entrees - sub sandwiches by the foot, fried chicken, pizza - so that kind of balanced out pleasing the younger folks too. Repetition never seemed to bother the older folks, and my attempts at making things that were a little out of their usual wheelhouse quickly got me relegated to bringing breads and desserts. AH well.

We did a fifth sunday potluck too, on every month that had a fifth sunday, and the things that went over best were usally the simplest. Aldi's had chicken drumsticks on sale ridiculously cheap so I got a big flat of them, and I spritzed them with olive oil and shook salt and pepper and a very little bit of italian seasoning, and baked them - EVERYONE was asking for the recipe. I do think you only need like a 3 month rotation of meals, and you could always set out a box and some pens and index cards to ask for suggestions.
posted by lemniskate at 5:58 AM on April 10, 2019


I'm from a big family (eight kids), so my mom cooked a lot of hot dishes, as they scale up and down easily, and stretch the budget, and reheat well. Here's a few family favorites that you might want to try.

Hamburger Hot Dish

2 lb. ground beef
2 large onions, chopped
salt
pepper
1 lb rotini pasta, cooked al dente
2 qts tomato sauce
2 packages frozen corns
2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
bacon strips, for topping
Optional: 8 oz shredded cheese

Cook ground beef. Add onions, saute until translucent.
Mix with pasta, tomato sauce, corn, and kidney beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you wish, you can mix in shredded cheese as well.
Place in large casserole pan, top with bacon strips. Bake at 325 F. for about 45 minutes. Serves 15.

Pork Chops and Potatoes
Six servings

6 pork chops
4-5 large potatoes, sliced
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 can milk
salt and pepper
Optional: 1/3 cup sliced mushrooms
Optional: 1/3 cup sour cream

Brown pork chops. Add onions to pan and saute till translucent. If using fresh mushrooms, saute briefly till softened.
Mix potatoes with cream of mushroom soup, milk, onions, salt and pepper to taste. (Optional: add mushrooms and sour cream.) Spread into 9x13 baking pan; top with pork chops. Cover with foil; bake at 375 F. for 1 1/2 hours.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
10-12 servings

1 rotisserie chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 cups chicken stock OR milk
1 qt. chicken stock (packaged or made from chicken carcass)
1 regular-size bag stuffing (cubed stuffing has a better texture than crumbs)
3/4 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced celery
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp chicken bouillon or stock concentrate
1/2 cup butter
Optional: 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Cut up the meat from the chicken in approximate 1-inch pieces.
Make stock from the carcass if you aren't using packaged stock.
Mix chicken meat with cream of chicken soup and 1 1/4 cups chicken broth OR milk. Spread in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.

Place stuffing in a large mixing bowl.
Melt butter in skillet; add celery, saute for five minutes, stirring regularly. Add onion, cook till translucent. Stir in poultry seasoning and chicken bouillon. If using cranberries, add now.
Add vegetable mixture to stuffing, toss to mix thoroughly. Moisten well with chicken stock.

Spread stuffing over chicken mixture in baking dish.

Cover with foil and bake 1 hours at 350 F.; remove foil for the last 15 minutes.

Beef Stew Oven Baked
8 servings

2-4 Tablespoon oil
2 lbs beef, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
3/4 lb baby peeled carrots
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 lb frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen green beans
1 qt beef stock
1 pkg Lipton Beefy Onion dry soup mix
1 tsp. pepper

(for thickening stew)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cold water

Heat oven to 350 F.

Saute beef with onion in braiser or casserole dish.
Toss and coat beef with dried beefy onion soup mix and pepper.
Pour beef stock into pan, stir and scrape to deglaze pan.
Add carrots and potatoes to pan.

Cover pan, put in oven for 1 hour.

After the hour, stir together the flour and cold water, stir into stew to thicken it.
Add frozen vegetables.
Return to oven for 15 minutes.

Chicken And Noodle Casserole
8-10 servings

2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup canned French Fried Onions
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
4 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
4 cups curly egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp pepper

Directions
Mix all ingredients together; add to a 9x13 baking dish. Cover with foil.
Bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes or until heated through.
posted by Lunaloon at 6:23 AM on April 10, 2019 [3 favorites]


Wow, there are some great recipes here! this site has lots of recipes to check out. No doubt your library also has books with meals-for a-crowd style recipes,
posted by Enid Lareg at 7:32 AM on April 10, 2019


The grilling reference reminded me of a very popular dish on the menu of our local family-run Italian restaurant. They call it Italian Hot Dish, and the secret is basically that the vegetables and Italian sausage are grilled before being added to the casserole.

It's rotini pasta, with lots of grilled vegetables (whatever you have on hand, but always some onion and bell pepper in the medley) cut into about 1/2 inch dice, and grilled Italian sausage links sliced into pennies. Toss with a very zesty, flavorful spaghetti sauce, turn into a baking dish, top with a mixture of shredded cheeses, and bake until heated through and the cheese topping has browned.
posted by Lunaloon at 8:51 AM on April 10, 2019


You might try Pastitsio. Here is an example of a recipe.
posted by gudrun at 11:49 AM on April 10, 2019


Turkey is affordable, a nice change from chicken, and can be used in any chicken recipe. Make roast turkey and serve with mashed potatoes and a veg. I've seen asparagus for 1.99 lately, big treat. Use the bones and skin to make broth and you have the basis for stuffing - add tons of sauteed onion and celery and sage with cubed stale bread. Bake with roasted squash and sausage. Or turkey pot pie with plenty of veg and a biscuit crust

Pot roast; you can use stew beef or a roast, do it in the oven with carrots, potatoes, onions. I add red wine, but you could use a small amount of V8 or beef broth to get a bit more gravy.

I like to plan the vegetables 1st, that helps come up with ideas. The More With Less cookbook is a great resource. Read the flyers from local groceries; if pork chops are on sale, that's a good menu inspiration and you can look up recipes.
posted by theora55 at 11:56 AM on April 10, 2019


Response by poster: Fantastic! Other than the great recipes which I will certainly be trying, thank you for reminding me that I don't need to keep coming up with new meals. I'm working my way through the eGullet thread on feeding seniors. And I'm going to give in and make mashed potatoes.

I've printed this thread and it will live on my fridge. You're re-inspired me.
posted by lyssabee at 4:32 PM on April 22, 2019


I was listening to a podcast recently about a cookbook specifically aimed at big-batch cooking, Feed Your People. They say they're feeding 10-20 people.
posted by knile at 10:45 AM on October 30, 2019


« Older Can You Help Me Fix a Habit   |   Does my soul-backpack exist? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.