What is your favorite company meal?

[Claire]

What are your "go to" meals to fix when you find yourself needing to fix a meal for a half dozen or more? Something you can almost do in your sleep, or something that you can make in advance and just reheat the day of the dinner (brunch, lunch, whatever!). Not necessarily looking for recipes, just curious as to what others fix when they find themselves needing to feed a group a real meal.

 

[Claire]

I have several in my bag of tricks. Chili works well, and I have my New Mexican Cousin's green chili and Cincinatti Chili that I can make way in advance and re-heat. For smaller groups I like to toss some herbs and a lemon or two in the cavity of a chicken and roast it with vegetables. Couscous can be a great side dish, just pour chicken broth over it et, Voila! Spaghetti with red sauce was my mother's favorite for those last minute meals for dozens.

 

[Lefty7887]

Chili has been my go to dish for at least 25 years. Spaghetti with sause and garlic bread. I can do red beans and rice in my sleep, add chops or chicken breast and you have a great meal. Meatloaf with mashed taters and veggie is another standard. I will add some more as they come to me.

 

[JoeV]

For me, Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti and salad is easy and filling, and it looks colorful on the table. I just made it Sunday for 9 people.

 

[simplicity]

For me it's shrimp-based. It is plentiful. I've only met one person who doesn't eat it. Shrimp salads in summer, something scampi-like in colder weather. Always serve with special bread. We have 3 nearby bakeries. I only need a couple of sides. roasted corn, cole slaw, rice, etc. It's simple with a glass of wine or some cold beer.

 

[quicksilver]

Italian. Always italian.
shrimp scampi w/pasta
eggplant parm rollotini
chicken parm w/pasta
baked stuffed jumbo shells
chicken in lemon garlic sauce w/pasta
chiopino
linguini w/white or red clam sauce

Just depends if it's a week night or weekend and how hot it is outside. When it's hot, no one wants to eat heavy.

 

[bethzaring]

bean and cheese enchiladas....i kinda made up the recipe using homemade enchilada sauce, lots of onions and sharp cheddar cheese, tis a vegetarian dish.

 

[toni1948]

For four or five people, Roast Chicken with sausage/cornbread stuffing has bailed me out on more than one occasion. Over five, then it's Chili, Rice and Cornbread.

Or barbecued Chicken Wings with Potato Salad is a good one that doesn't require a lot of preparation.

I also make Curry Chicken and Rice.

 

[Fearless Kitchen]

We find ourselves in this position fairly frequently.... A lot of the time we'll just cook some kind of bird (chicken, turkey breast, whole turkey) on our Big Green Egg. That will get served with a few side dishes, depending on how much notice I have! Pasta or chickpeas are always handy when I get surprise guests.

 

[Fisher's Mom]

Since I usually have guests that include children, too, I generally make a couple of pot roasts with potatoes and carrots in my 2 slow-cookers. That way I can start them early in the day and then make bread and a salad - maybe some rice, too - and serve ice cream for dessert. It's easy, the house smells great, and most everybody loves it.

 

[Phil]

That's easy....

Spam sandwiches, hands down. And, if it's really special, I cut the crust off the bread. I dunno, just a crazy moment. Actually, it has to be lasagna, tossed salad with garlic bread. That sounds so good I wish I had time to make it tonight.

 

[babetoo]

except for holidays, i hardly ever have more that three or four. usually know when they are coming. i try to make something i know they like, ie. shrimp scampi for dil bday. and she is a lemon lover like me so lemon cake. for more people i make chili, or french onion soup. or a large hunk of meat,, turkey, ham

 

[vyapti]

It happens so infrequently, that I usually don't do the same thing. The recent meals I've done are Black Beans & Rice with Cilantro Pesto, Lasagna, Manicotti, Indian or Thai, Pumpkins with Wild Mushroom Stuffing. . . I like to demonstrate that vegan cooking doesn't have to be boring or weird.

 

[RobsanX]

I like to grill for a crowd. Steaks, burgers, chicken, pork, brats, dogs, kebabs, you name it, and I'll grill it!

 

[ChefJune]

I have more than one. Roast Chicken with mashed potatoes of some kind or a potato gratin (not "au gratin" potatoes); baked chicken and dressing; linguine with white clam sauce; Red Beans and Rice and Fried Pork Chops; Scallops Tommy (p. 86); Falafel Crusted Salmon on a bed of Swiss Chard; Chicken in Red Wine Vinegar Sauce. Seafood Risotto; Rabbit Sinatra, Boeuf Bourguignon. I think that about wraps it up.

 

[pdswife]

Winter time... soup! Clam chowder is always a big hit or a nice beef/bear stew

Summer or warmer times of the year... chicken of some sort with salads and bread and veggies....

 

[Uncle Bob]

Summer Outdoors --- Shrimp or Crawfish Boil - Fish Fry - BBQ
Summer Indoors --- Southern Down Home - Coq Au Vin - Country Captain
Winter Outdoors --- Bourbon
Winter Indoors --- Soup/Chili/Corn Bread -- Gumbo -- Sauce Piquante -- Beef/Venison Stew

Pecan Pie for D-Zert

 

[Toots]

Some of my standard company dinners:

Caesar salad, prime rib roast, twice baked potatoes, asparagus and chocolate mousse.

Lasanga, tossed salad, bread, cheesecake

Chicken and black bean enchiladas, guacamole, chips, margaritas and strawberry cake for dessert

BBQ brisket, mac & cheese, slaw and cupcakes.

ok, now I'm officially hungry.

 

[Glorie]

Italian. Always italian.

Just depends if it's a week night or weekend and how hot it is outside. When it's hot, no one wants to eat heavy.

I'm with quicksilver, Italian never fails. I usually make a lasagne or pasta fajole (sp? lol), salad, bread and chianti

 

[kadesma]

Here is varies birthdays homemade ravioli and gravy, artichokes with parsley,garlic and evoo, stuffed onions, rice torta and foccacia
my fried chicken finished off in the oven with garlic, butter, white wine and lots of garlic..garlic mashed potatoes, green and fruit salads
big thick pork chops coated with black cracked pepper, and then grilled using beer to spritz on as it cooks, twice baked potatoes with butter, cheese, sour cream and sliced green onions bread of any kind and it has to be warm, green salads a must.
Oven shrimp with white wine lots of cracked black pepper and a pinch of cayenne, and lots of butter warm french bread to soak up the shrimp juices and of course a salad..
lots more her as we family party every Sunday
kadesma