The More the Merrier!

This is an interesting subject, and subject only to ones own opinion. This post will be my personal opinion on the subject of cooking for groups. I love having lots of people over! The more people, the better. I try to keep things as low key as possible so that I can enjoy my multitude and not stress over not having enough dishes or food. Thanks to couponing and Sam's, I try to keep my storage closet stocked with paper plates, bowels, napkins, and plastic cutlery. This way I don't have to spend a million years cleaning up afterward. Just hang a garbage bag or two from a drawer in the kitchen, and the guest just naturally clean up after themselves.

Now as far as food goes, there are many different ideas for group entertaining. You might be one who likes to go all out and serve a fancy feast. Or then again you might feel more comfortable with a frozen lasagna and bag salad. I have tried many different meal ideas in the past, and have learned which ones I am better at and more comfortable with.

Some of my favorite ideas if I'm cooking for twenty or less, are; Chicken Spaghetti (makes a HUGE pot and is very filling!), Chili (just keep on adding more beans and tomatoes), Sour Cream Enchiladas, Lasagna (I have a marvelous recipe from a dear friend of my mom's). With all of these recipes, all you have to do is add a bread and salad, and be sure to have someone help you with dessert.

Now if your having a really large group, in my opinion, it is never rude to ask for help! Don' t even try to tackle this on your own. You will be exhausted and grumpy, not to mention broke!
My personal favorite is a potluck. I do this alot for Sunday lunches. Just tell everyone to bring enough food for their family and to share. Then it's a wonderful surprise and usually ends up coming together perfectly.
Or try telling your guests that you will provide the main course, and make sure everyone has a job. Bread, veggie, fruit, green salad, dessert, even drinks. It makes your guests feel much more comfortable if they know that they were able to help.

As far as serving and seating people, get creative! Try and remember that is best to walk through the line with your children. This keeps them from getting more than they can eat, and encourages them to try new things that they may not recognize. In the summer time, I always send the kids out to eat in the back yard, either on a picnic table or even on quilts on the ground. Like a picnic!
Some people are very particular about keeping couples together for the meal. I am not one of these. I love my husband dearly, but I see him everyday. I love it when the guys take their plates to one table and discuss politics, sports, and whatever other foreign things guys talk about. While the girls are chatting about the way each person made her dish, funny things the kids did, who has been decorating their house lately, and other normal things like that.

Find whatever tricks you can to enjoying having people over to your house. My kids love having guests as do Jonny and myself, and the easier we make it on ourselves, the more often we can do it.

I will close with the "recipe" for Chicken Spaghetti, Lasagna, and Sour Cream Enchiladas.



Lasagna

Sixteen ounce box lasagna noodles, cooked
Add oil to the water to keep the noodles from sticking
Brown one and a half pounds of hamburger and one and
a half pounds italian sausage. Drain.
Season meat with :
Two cloves of garlic
One tsp salt
One tsp italian seasoning
One Tabsp parsley
Add:
Two 15 once cans diced tomato
One 14 ounce can tomato paste
Two 15 ounce can tomato sauce
In separate bowl combine:
16 ounces cottage cheese
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Layer sauce, noddles, cheese mixture then
sprinkle mozzarella, and parmesan
Repeat twice
Top with plenty of both cheeses
Cover with foil and bake at 350 for forty minutes
Remove foil and bake another twenty minutes



Sour Cream Enchiladas

One can cream of chicken soup
One pint sour cream
One can chopped green chilies
One Tbsp minced onion
One cup grated cheese
Three or four boiled chicken breasts shredded
Combine ing. and spoon into flour tortillas
Cover with remaining sauce and top with cheese
Bake at 350 until cheese is melted and bubbly



Chicken Spaghetti

I have no measurements whatsoever for this one. You will have to try it a few times and get it to where your family likes it. In my opinion the only way you can go wrong, is if you don't use enough water to boil your noodles in. Here goes...
Boil three to four pounds of chicken breasts in large pot of water, with a stick or two of butter.
Remove cooked chicken and set aside to cool. Add enough spaghetti to make plenty but not to use up all your water. When spaghetti is slightly less done than you like it, add a box of Velveeta, and about two large cans of Cream of Mushroom soup. Be sure your heat is about medium so you don't scorch it. Stir frequently until you have a nice thick consistency. ( If it's too thin, add more Velveeta or Soup. If it's too thick, add some canned chicken broth. Remember, this is hard to mess up) Then add a jar of sliced salad olives, drained. Dump in the chicken and stir. This is sooo easy to make loads of. Just use more water in the beginning. If you have problems you can ask me, but learn to make this the way you enjoy eating it. My Nonny puts hers in a casserole and covers it with cheese and bakes it. You do it however you want.

As far as the enchiladas and lasagna, these recipes both make a normal casserole dish which would serve about six to eight for the enchiladas, and about eight to ten for the lasagna. You might want to be prepared to double either one for bigger groups.

That is all, I am done:-)