Cooking for a group...(homeless shelter)

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

I was foolish enough to volunteer to help shop for the homeless shelter where I volunteer (and even cook on occasion, gulp.)

Recipe ideas for low cost meals that will feed up to 11 families. The budget is whatever is donated plus about $200-300 2x month. They have plenty of ground turkey (I suggested turkey joes), turkey drumsticks, some ground beef (taco salads, meatloaf...), and they eat a LOT of chicken (so alternative ideas for chicken as well.)

[alleinesein]

If you get a lot of pasta and cream of whatever soup, make chicken noodle casserole with the chicken. You can probably find a recipe to make a large batch but we use the old school (1984 edition) Better Homes and Gardens tuna noodle recipe and swap out the tuna for chicken.

[aprilsails]

Another cream of mushroom soup idea is pork striploins in mushroom soup over rice. We cooked this once per week on the ship. We cut the striploins ourselves from roasts and cooked them in sheet pans in the oven. Dumped the mushroom soup on top and away you go.

Other favourites were frozen pierogi with bacon or kielbasa, spaghetti with oven roasted meatballs, turkey a la king over bread or egg noodles (could switch it up with shredded roast beef in gravy with peas and corn and carrots over bread).

Granted, most of my options are pretty bland since we were generally serving to a half seasick crowd.

I would search for cafeteria recipes. I would think there would be a lot of options out there. I would then make a list of what you and other cooks are comfortable making, and then cross reference it against weekly sales.

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Thanks so much aprilsails Those are some great ideas. I may also check with the school cafeteria and see what ideas they might have for masses of students. lol.

We have a metric shitton of hot dogs so pigs-in-a-blanket for the kids might be a treat and the grownups can have plain old hot dogs.

[CrazyLucky]

When we made dinner for the Ronald McDonald House, they said they get a lot of pasta and tacos, and asked us to avoid them. We made pulled pork and chicken. How about beef stew?

[Beeps (WOT?*)]

Mmm, I make a decent pulled pork, too. And a not-bad beef stew, judging by last week's entry. lol.

[orval]

For chicken
Pioneer Woman Chicken spaghetti thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/chicken_spaghet/

Turkey/Beef
damndelicious.net/2016/11/12/mini-italian-meatball-subs/

Chicken
damndelicious.net/2016/09/30/sheet-pan-asian-stir-fry/
damndelicious.net/2016/03/27/one-pan-lemon-chicken-with-butternut-squash-and-brussels-sprouts/

[lindyanne]

Chicken pot pie … chicken with frozen mixed vegetables and then cream of chicken soup and cream with some herbs and pepper. I used puff pastry when I made it for RMH but pie crust would probably be more economical.

[magdala]

I have upscaled both of these for gatherings of 25

Turkey ideas:
www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/turkey-hash/ I serve this over mashed potatoes and add corn bread

Chicken ideas
www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chicken-provencal/. I serve this by itself and add fresh bread

www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chicken-provencal/ I serve this with biscuits or corn bread

[fordi]

The Queen's Gambit for 2020. Any recommendations for 2021?