Meal ideas, please, What is something simple and easy to cook for a crowd?

I like chili -- the standard kind with meat and beans. To be different, make a chicken chili with white beans and mild green chilies. I like to present it with cornbread or cornsticks and with various toppings such as cheese, olives, sour cream, jalapeño peppers, and corn chips. Serve with a chopped salad. The little kids will be fine with this mild flavored chili and enjoy dipping in the corn chips, and the adults can spice it up all they want!

When I have a lot of people over to my house (usually for a football party or something) I like to do a Taco Bar. It's a crowd pleaser and very easy.

If you have a crock pot you can cook all your meat before they even get there and keep it warm in the crock pot. Then set out dishes of cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, olives, and anything else you can think of to go on a taco. Put out both hard and soft shells. Also put out fiesta chips so someone can have the option of a taco salad. Some refried beans and/or Mexican rice are good and easy sides.

This works well because people serve themselves and can go back for more - not to mention they won't have to eat anything they don't like because they are creating their own meal.

Also, besides cutting up the veggies, it's practically no work for you at all. Even better - it's easy to eat tacos off of paper plates, so use disposables. No dish clean-up!

Okay.. I've got your answer if you have a Costco near. They have this Carnita's that is packaged, that is better then if you bought it fresh. All you have to do is pop it in the micro wave for 4 minutes. They have raw flour tortillas, that are out of this world.. with salsa and guacamole. Then pick up some rice and beans from your local Mexican restaurant and it's done. My husband is a coach and I had a team dinner and feed the whole football team, this is after work! It worked out perfectly.

Hi Kris,

I understand your problem...you have a few suggestions already and I agree with them. Almost any 'casserole type' dish will require less preparation than some of those you have served already and the variety is (more or less) endless. Any kind of chilli dish, and any kind of 'stew' dish including such things as Lamb Navarine (one of my favourites) some of these can be topped with a pastry crust (to make a kind of pie) others with a layer of sliced potatoes (as in Lancashire hot pot) and again others with mashed potatoes and cheese. (such as Cumberland pie, Shepherd's pie, Cottage pie and so on...)

It sounds like I'd love to be your dining friend, as you are thinking of your guests and not just of yourself, though I appreciate the desire to cook less time-consuming dishes.

All of the chilli/stew/pie dishes above can be prepared in advance and either kept warm until needed or reheated without loss of quality, flavour or texture. Many people feel they are actually improved by being cooked over more than one day.

As an addition, and fitting all the above criteria, perhaps curried dishes should be included.

Good luck with your dining...I'm sure your guests will love it, whatever you decide.

Depends on whether you have a slow cooker - but if you do - this works brilliantly. It also depends on whether your guests like slightly 'spicy' meals.

Ingredients:

Diced Pork

Onion (Sliced)

2 oz Butter (DO NOT use oil or margarine)

3Tbls Soy Sauce

2 Pts good stock

Long grain Rice

Ground Curry Powder

Ground Garam Masala

Ground Cumin

Frozen Mixed veg (thawed).

Method: Melt butter in large frying pan/wok. add onions and pork and flash fry for for a few minutes. Remove with slotted spoon saving as much melted butter in pan as possible and place in slow cooker. Add Rice to pan and stir until rice has absorbed all the butter. Add stock, spices and Soy sauce and bring to boil. When boiling, remove from heat and add to onions and pork in slow cooker. Stir. Turn slow cooker to 'high' for approx 30 minutes - then down to 'low'. When rice has absorbed all liquid add frozen veg and cook for further 30 mins. Serve immediately.

Voila - spicy Pork Pilaff.

Bon Appetite!!!

Sausage casserole with roastiz.

After babies been put to bed make beef stew 2 days before.

Cottage pie with peas - it's always popular.

kabobs are great for a large group.

you can prepare them in advance and then all you have to do is throw them on the grill.

Its easy to please everyone using different meats( chicken, shrimp, beef, smoked sausage, even hot dogs) and veggies(mushrooms, grape tomato, green pepper, olives, onion, pineapple). Brush with teryaki, bbq , italian dressing or whatever you like.

Make a big batch of flavored rice to go with and you are set.

Pan-Seared Rosemary Pork Chops:

servings: 4 start to finish: 18 minutes

1 1/2 lbs pork chops

Salt

Ground black pepper

1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs, Progresso

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tbsps evoo (extra virgin olive oil)

1) Season pork chops with salt and pepper; set aside

2) In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and rosemary. Spread mixture on plate. Press both sides of pork chops into bread crumb mixture to coat; set aside.

3) In a large skillet, heat evoo over medium-high heat. Add chops to hot oil; cook for 4-6 minutes per side or until cooked through.

For a side dish to that

Sweet Potato and Apple Saute

servings: 4 Start to finish: 20 minutes

2 tbsps unsalted butter

2 medium golden delicious apples, diced (do not peel)

1 medium onion

2 cas (15 oz) sweet potatoes, drained and diced.

1/2 cup apple juice

1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp cider vinegar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1) In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add apples and onions to butter; cook and stir about 5 min. or until tender

2) Stir in diced sweet potatoes, apple juice, pumpkin pie spice, vinegar and salt. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 10 min. or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Serve hot.

Italian Style Macaroni

servings:4 Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes baking time: 10 minutes

1 package ( 71/4 oz) macaroni and cheese mix

2 tbsp butter

1 cup italian style bread crumbs

1) Preheat oven to 350

2) Make macaroni and cheese according to package directions. Transfer to medium-size baking dish or casserole dish.

3) Melt butter in medium bolw on low (25% power) in the microwave. Add bread crumbs and toss to coat with butter. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over top of macaroni and cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until browned on top.

Alter recipes for # of people. These have been taste tested by a 3 year old and he loves them.

hamburgers, hot dogs, chili, pizza, spaghetti, sloppy joes.

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lasagna, BBQ pork (in a crockpot) or hot beef sandwiches, sub sandwiches (everyone builds they own), soup and sandwich bar.