Food for Fifty

Cheater Coleslaw

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So it’s a party.  Old friends.  No one cares about the food – it will be good.  They are there for the company.  Quick, easy, foolproof and amazingly good.  Don’t tell your grandmother with her 17 ingredient cole slaw recipe/10 ingredient dressing recipe.

Ingredients: 

1 bag of shredded cabbage

1 jar prepared coleslaw dressing

1 can crushed pineapple – drained.  If you insist!

Direction: 

Mix cabbage (and pineapple)

Add enough dressing to make it justt way YOU like it – dry or sloppy -just right.

Serves:  25 – 50  What else are you serving?

Source:  Lazy me

 

Impossible Broccoli Quiche – Large Quanity

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Good old Bisquick!  Feel free to vary this (leave out the broccoli)- add spinach, bacon, ham, taco meat, diced chils, mushrooms, different cheese, whatever.  It all works!  Bonus – it can be made the night before and refrigerated.  Just cook a little longer.  See Impossible Ham and Swiss Cheese Quiche for smaller quantities. 

Ingredients:

  • 9 c Bisquick (1 box = 8 c)
  • 3 qt milk
  • 2 ct Easy Eggs (1 carton = 18 eggs)
  • 5# cheddar cheese – grated
  • 90 oz broccoli, chopped – frozen
  • 4 c diced onion – frozen
  • 1 t salt
  • ½ t pepper

Directions:

  1. Heat oven 400°.
  2. Really Pam 6 small foil pans. (1/2 steam table size, approx 9×11.  The center does not cook enough in larger pans.)
  3. Thaw and drain broccoli – squeeze dry.
  4. Mix eggs, milk, Bisquick, salt, pepper
  5. Add broccoli, onion and 3# cheese
  6. Pour into pans.
  7. Bake 35 to 45 minutes (maybe longer) until knife comes out clean.
  8. Top with remaining cheese.
  9. Bake until cheese melts.
  10. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves:  48 (cut 2×4) or 70 (cut 3×4)

Source:   Bisquick, Girl Scout Camp Scherman

Halibut Ceviche

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Great do-ahead dish for a party.  Serve it with tortilla chips or, even better, fritos.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs halibut, cubed
  • 2 c lemon juice
  • 2 c chopped onion
  • 2 firm tomatoes, seeded, chopped
  • 1 Tab canned green chiles, chopped (mild)
  • 16 green olives with pimento, sliced
  • 2 Tabs cilantro (or parsley) chopped
  • 1 c tomato sauce
  • 1 Tab Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp green tabasco

Directions:

  1. Marinate cubes of fish in lemon juice for 6 hours in the refrigerator
  2. Combine remaining ingredients.
  3. Pour off 1 cup lemon juice from the fish.
  4. Add mixture.
  5. Adjust tartness with juice if needed.
  6. Mix.
  7. Refrigerate overnight.

Serves:  A lot!  About 4 cups.

Source:  Joan and Chuck Jackson, Vi Residents

 

Bisquick Quiche – Large Quanity

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This is the ever-so-basic make-it-the-night-before (or not) Quiche.  I have not found anything leftover that was not good in it! (maybe Lima beans)

Ingredients:
Shredded Cheese – about 1 gallon per pan (enough to cover one inch in depth in each pan) Any kind works!
Filling about 1 gallon per pan.  Could be any combnatio of bacon, chopped ham, diced green chilies (Quesidilla Quiche), diced onion, broccoli or spinach (well-drained), diced tomato or taco flavored meat (Taco Pie).  Use the  “fried chicken” diced, ham, and swiss cheese for a “Chicken Cordon Bleu” Quiche.
                        1 pan                2 pans             3 pans                     4 pans
eggs                  20                     40                   60                             80
gal milk          3/4 gal            1 1/2 gal        2 1/4 gal                    3 3/4 cal
Bisquick          6 cups             3/4 gal           1 1/2 gal                     1 gal
Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 °.
2. Grease 18x26x2 pan.  (full sheet)  If using steam table pans divide into 2 pans.
3. Sprinkle cheese, then fillings, onions, etc. in pan,  making sure to get it all the way to the edges and corners.
4. Beat eggs, milk, Bisqick until smooth and pour into pan.  This can be done the night before and stored in the walk-in.  Remove in the morning and bring to room temperature.
5. Bake 40 minutes or until brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  (probably longer at altitude)
6. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves: 60 if cut 6×10 or 72 if cut 6×12

Source: Bisquick

Notes:  I sometimes add a dash of mustard to the eggs for a little zip.
The classic Quiche Loraine is just cheese and saluted onions – not to be snubbed! Delicious!

Garden Chili

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A tasty, not meat, chili.  You can vary the chili powder to your taste

  • 3/4 c oil
  • 3 lb 12 oz onion
  • 1 1/2 Tab garlic
  • 4 lb 4 oz celery
  • 1 lb carrots
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 2 Tab cumin
  • 2 Tab chili powder
  • 1 1/2 Tab salt
  • 1 Tab pepper
  • 1 lb geen pepper
  • 2 lb zuccini
  • 1 1/2 lb mushrooms – canned
  • 5 lb 6 oz diced tomatoes
  • 1 qt water
  • 5# 6 oz beans (canned) = 1 1/2 lb dried
  • 1/3 c lemon juice

Directions:

  1. Saute onion and garlic until transparent.
  2. Add celery, carots, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
  3. Cook until tender.

Serves:  Makes 3 gal

Source:  MLK

Caviar Canapé

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Pretty fancy for not much work!

Ingredients:

  • 12 oz cream cheese
  • 1 Tab onion, grated
  • 1 Tab milk
  • 1/2 loaf of white bread, cut into 2 inch rounds
  • caviar

Directions:

  1. Mix cream cheese with onion and milk.  (Add more milk if needed to make a good spreading/piping consistency.)
  2. Spread cream cheese mixture on bread round.
  3. Using a star tip, pipe a ring of cream cheese around the top of the bread round.
  4. Dot the center with small spoonful of caviar.

Serves:  50

Source:  50 years of Christmas parties.

Note:  If you can find a bakery that can slice the bread parallel to the bottom of the loaf, you have less waste.
Freeze the bread before cutting.

Chili for 50

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It doesn’t matter whether you’re tailgating or preparing meals days in advance, because when the temperature drops outside, a hot bowl of chili is one of the most comforting dishes you can eat. Serve this with warm bread or corn bread, a crisp salad, and something cool to drink.   Chili is definitely better made the day before. 

Ingredients:

  • 10 lb ground beef (8 lbs ground turkey) drained
  • 8 oz onion (1/2 c dried with 3/4 c water)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 qt diced tomatoes (1 #10 can=12 c or 3 qt)
  • 1 qt tomato puree
  • 1 qt water
  • 3 oz chili powder (or more if you know your audience)
  • 1 1/2 Tab cumin
  • 1 1/2 Tab salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 oz sugar (2 Tab)
  • 9 1/2 lb beans (canned) or 3# dried (See notes)

Directions:

  1. Brown the beef/turkey.
  2. Add garlic.
  3. Cook for 2 minutes.
  4. Add remaining ingredients.
  5. Simmer for at least an hour – longer is better.

Serves:  Makes 3 gal = 50 cups

Source:  MLK

Notes:  

  • Soak It Up
    If you plan to use dried beans for your chili, there are two ways to rehydrate them. The easiest is to soak the beans in room-temperature water overnight or for approximately eight hours. Be sure that the beans are completely covered by at least three to four inches of water. For the quick-soak method, boil the dried beans in a pot of water (again, three to four inches of water on top of the beans) for a few minutes and then let them soak for about two hours off the flame.
  • Sweeten It Up
    If your chili tastes bitter, add a little dark brown sugar to the mix.
  • Top It Off
    When serving, set out bowls of toppings such as sour cream, shredded Cheddar or Jack cheese, diced avocado, lime wedges, chopped red or green onion, chopped cilantro, and oyster crackers.
  • Cool Off
    If the chili’s heat is too much to take, counter the chile pepper’s capsaicin with casein, a protein found in dairy products like milk and yogurt. Another option is to eat bread or rice to help quell the fiery sensation.

Marinated Mushrooms and Vegetables Salad

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This is a salad no one else will bring to a pot luck!  And notice – nothing seasonal, the only fresh ingredients are mushrooms and celery.

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 c vinegar
  • 2/3 c salad oil
  • 1/4 c onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 lb mushrooms, halved or quartered
  • 1 can artichoke hearts (14 oz) drained and halved
  • 1 can baby corn (14) oz drained
  • 1 c ripe olives, pitted
  • 1 c celery, sliced
  • 1 jar pimiento (2 oz) drained and sliced

Directions:

  1. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, oil, onion, garlic, sugar, basil, oregano, and salt ant pepper to taste.
  2. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  3. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl.
  4. Pour marinade over vegetables.
  5. Stir to coat.
  6. Cover and chill for several hours or overnight, stirring occasionally.
  7. Drain.
  8. Serve in lettuce lined bowl.

Serves:  Makes 7 cups

Source:  Donna Barasch

 

 

Cappuccino Mix

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Delicious as is and better with a splash of brandy.

Ingredients:

  • 2 c hot cocoa mix
  • 2 c powdered coffee creamer
  • 1 c freeze dried instant coffee
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 c sugar

Directions:

  1. Mix ingredients well.
  2. Store in tight container.
  3. To serve use 3-4 tsp per mug of mix and add hot water.

Serves:  about 150 cups

Source:  Favorite Recipes, Assistance League of Fullerton

Spiced Vegetables

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This is really good added to an antipasto tray.  The beets are just plain good by themselves.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 c wine vinegar
  • 1/4 c water
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp celery seed
  • 1 can beets (whole or sliced), or carrots, or green beans

Directions:

  1. Mix sugar, salt, celery seed.
  2. Add water, vinegar, cinnamon stick.
  3. Boil together  4 minutes.
  4. Pour over drained vegetable.
  5. Refrigerate.

Serves:  Depends on what else you have.

Source: Lucia Henderson