Got a lot of extra mouths to feed with holiday guests? We do! Here are some of our best recipes for serving a house full of hungry visitors. What are your go-to favorites for a crowd? Share your recipes in the comments below so we can try them out!
From Barry:
“I made this Spinach and Cheese Lasagna the other night for house guests. I added pine nuts and grilled eggplant (which I grilled at home but you could also use roasted veggies from Prepared Foods). It was really easy to prepare - just simple assembly. I would suggest turning up the heat for the last 10 minutes to let the top get brown and crispy. It was really good and great as leftovers too.”
From Susannah:
“Enchiladas can be made ahead in a 9x13 casserole and put in the fridge or freezer. I make a style that uses chicken sautéed with mushrooms and peppers, rolled in salsa-dipped flour tortillas. You roll them, pack tightly and then pour cream and salsa over top and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with a layer of parchment, then foil. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until bubbly and starting to brown. This is a rich dish, so this pan can easily serves six people. (Or try these Tomatillo Turkey Enchiladas.)”
From Winnie:
“I get a CSA box once a week and as of late have been taking the "lazy" route - making giant pots of soups and stews on Monday that I eat throughout the week. This is not only useful for packing my daily lunches for work, but also ensures that I have large quantities of delicious, nutritious, ready to eat food in my fridge - perfect for surprise guests or feeding visitors inexpensively for a few meals. And why not get your guests in on the fun and show them the joys of eating locally? Kids can help wash veggies while adults make quick work of chopping up the goods. Soups are easy and do not rely on exact recipes to be tasty.”
Dinner Ideas from our website:
Roll-Your-Own Burritos opens in a new tab-you set out all the ingredients, guests make their own burritos
Crowd-pleaser dessert: Spiced Apple and Pear Crisp opens in a new tab (easy to double)
From Nona:
“Pancakes are perfect for breakfast. I have the recipe from my great grandfather's restaurant and they are simple and delicious. Provide an array of toppings and let the crowd dress up their own. My mom always makes these pancakes for us when we visit and it earned her the loving name - Grandma Pancake. 1 cup flour 1 1/2 tsp baking soda 2 tablespoons sugar Pinch of salt 3 large eggs 2 cups buttermilk Whisk the dry ingredients together. Separate the egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until fluffy (soft peaks). Whisk the egg yolks into the buttermilk. Add to the dry mixture stirring just until combined. Fold in the egg whites and cook on a medium hot griddle. My family's secret...flip them twice. I'm not sure why...but they just taste better that way.”
Breakfast/Brunch ideas from our web team:
Set up an oatmeal bar: Make a big pot of old-fashioned oatmeal (simply follow directions on package). Set out fresh fruit, dried fruit, toasted nuts, and an assortment of milks and let guests dress up their own oatmeal.
Set up a breakfast taco bar: Scramble lots of eggs. Set out warm tortillas and a few different salsas and let guests serve themselves.
That's what we'll be serving. What's on the stove at your place?
