cooking for a crowd

[Desert-rat]

I need to plan a meal for approx. 200 people. Our lodge is preparing a day's outing including a meal for veterans from the local Veterans Hospital. And as there will be no income from them the menu must be inexpensive. I am looking for ideas for the menu. In the past I have prepared pork loins, sirloin roasts, and baked chicken.

[CM]

Hi Desert-rat and welcome!

Here's a quick list of possible dishes and ideas with economy in mind - others will no doubt be able to add to the list. You can choose one or many dishes, allowing guests to have a choice.

Buy steamer pans at a restaurant supply store for preparing large dishes.

Lasagne
Spaghetti with Meat Balls
Broiled, roasted or BBQ'd chickens halves
Macaroni and Cheese
Sloppy Joes
American Chop Suey (elbow macaroni and ground beef, onions, peppers and cheese)
Pepper steak subs
Ribs (pork or beef) on the BBQ or slow smoked
Hamburgers (dress them up with spicy toppings and upscale buns)
Chili with large chunks of meat (slow cooked so an economy cut will do)
Beef Stew
Baked Beans
Chicken with Dumplings
An Ice Cream Bar with various toppings
3 Bean Salad
Pasta Salad
Harvard Beets
Potato Salad
Frozen Fruit Salad
Jell-O Fruit Salad
Ambrosia
Peaches and Ice Cream
Ice Cream and Apple Pie
Sheet cakes
Apple Pie Bars (made with store-bought flaky pastry sandwiching apple pie filling)
Lemon Bars (same as above but with lemon filliing)

Many of these ingredients can be bought in large can sizes at restaurant supply stores (barbecue sauce, canned peaches, fruit salad, chili beans, etc). So it all really depends on how much you can cook yourself (or how much help you have).

Good luck with your day! Let us know how it goes.

[KarenB]

How about approaching the local restaurants and grocery stores for a contribution? Many will do so for the community and when family and friends visit they may recommend the restaurant to those staying for a day or two? Have the local newspaper cover the event and mention the contributors. Call the majors office and get the council involved. Local culinary program either high school or college. Marketing can be free. How about challenging each restaurant chef to a most popular dish contest? You have a big project, good luck. We can't do enough for our veterans.

[brigid]

Bread pudding is a very old-fashioned dessert that will delight a lot of people, plus it is the most comforting dish on earth. Hmmmm.... it makes me want to go into the kitchen right now and start baking some, but it's past midnight! Oh, well... maybe tomorrow!

[KarenB]

Good Idea brigid. Low cost, crowd pleaser. I made my first one about 2 months ago. The name has always thrown me off. So I started with butterscotch bread pudding. Excellent.

[brigid]

Good Idea brigid. Low cost, crowd pleaser. I made my first one about 2 months ago. The name has always thrown me off. So I started with butterscotch bread pudding. Excellent.

I have heard of that recipe, but never tried it. What do you do?

[KarenB]

Butterscotch Bread Pudding

4 cups 1/2-inch cubes bread
1 quart half-and-half cream
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
6 large eggs Vanilla ice cream as an accompaniment

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish and spread bread cubes evenly in dish.
2. In a small saucepan heat half-and-half, butter, salt, and vanilla over medium heat until hot.
3. In a bowl whisk together sugar, eggs. Slowly add half-and-half mixture while whisking.
4. Pour mixture over bread cubes and pudding in middle of oven until puffed and golden, about 30 minutes.
5. Serve pudding warm with ice cream.

Makes 8 servings.

I use 3% milk instead. Some recipes add butterscotch chips.

I saw one made on the food network made with croissants. Now that's rich and full of calories.

[brigid]

Butterscotch Bread Pudding

This is a beautiful recipe! I'm going to try it! Now, you are right about the croissants.... they will certainly ruin a day of dieting! Hahahaha!

[Cassie-Jane]

I Love Bread Pudding but I have never heard of this variation!
I have a Cranberry Bread Pudding Recipe on that is good too! If you want I can get it for you both!

[Cassie-Jane]

I have a Cranberry Bread Pudding Recipe that is good too!

Cranberry Bread Pudding !
5 T. butter, softened

8 slices of raisin cinnamon swirl bread

1/2 C. dried cranberries

2 C. heavy cream

2 C. whole milk

1 C. granulated sugar

1 t. grated orange zest

8 large eggs

1 t. vanilla

With one tablespoon of butter grease a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. With remaining butter spread one side of each bread slice. In prepared dish arrange bread slices buttered side up overlapping in two rows. Scatter cranberries on top.

In medium saucepan, heat cream, milk, sugar and zest to just under a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Do not let boil. In large bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla. Add cream mixture, whisking. Pour over bread, let stand 30 minutes, occasionally pressing down bread with spatula to absorb liquid. Heat oven to 350 degrees, set baking dish in large roasting pan or cake pan and place in oven.

To roasting pan add boiling water to come up halfway of sides of dish. Cover dish with foil. Bake 45 minutes, uncover, bake 15 minutes until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer pan to rack to cool. Serve warm with whipped cream!