Suggest some easy meal ideas for a crowd.

[Deleted]

I'm in the process of planning Hs family vacation/minireunion weekend.

We're doing a "home to the farm" theme which we're totally excited about, but it means since we're staying here I a) don't want to haul to a restaurant for all 3 meals like we would if we were going somewhere b) cook a ton either.

This is what I have so far:

Dinner Friday Night (low key, simple. The party doesn't start until 7ish and most at least get a snack on the way!).

*Hotdogs, smores, chips, veggie tray standard drinks.
We're having a hayride/bonfire so it fits the theme.

Breakfast Saturday:

Rolls/Muffins/Bagels and various cream cheeses, fruit, juice, coffee bar

Lunch Saturday: (The adults will be at a golf tournament, the kids home with a sitter and the kids will want to eat early..therefore the difference..it's the family norm as it's fun for the kids.)

Kids: Make your own pizzas
Adults: Make your own sub tray that I'll pickup on the way back from a local deli.

Dinner Saturday Night:
*Catered buffet at the golf course (Super Nice!)

I need Sunday Breakfast and lunch ideas. I'm open to a lot..just low key and easy.

Other than no taco bar, there are no food restrictions (Hs dad hates tacos and they're the ones footing the bill). Hs family will pretty much eat anything else so I don't need a ton of options to cater to every food taste, kwim? I'm thinking anything fun you have that a grocery store can make, a chain restraunt with a fun takeout option or party room (I live in the sticks. Chain restaurants are all there is just to clear that up) or a make your own sort of dinner you've done at a party that was fun.

[boiler717]

For breakfast you could do waffles and pancakes with a topping bar. Whipped cream, syrup, nuts, fruit, etc.

If you want another make your own option I'd do a burger bar with bacon, sautéed onions and mushrooms, jalapeños, typical burger fixings, guacamole, BBQ sauce, etc. Or you could do a baked potato bar.

[rugbywife]

Do you have a slow-cookers? I have chicken tortilla soup recipe that is easy as pie and is delish

[315bride]

For breakfast, an egg strata can be made in advance the night before and baked in the morning. I bet this recipe could be easily doubled, tripled, etc.

Spinach and Cheese Strata

[mrsacornblue]

We did a leadership retreat in college and one of the biggest hits was a ham and cheese breakfast casserole. You essentially make ham and cheese sandwiches and pour an egg mixture over it and bake it. I can get you the exact recipe if you want. A french toast casserole would also be good...you can put a meat on the side if you want and some fresh fruit to round it out.

For lunch, meatballs in the crockpot, pulled pork sandwiches, a tray of lunch meat and cheese, a sliders bar, a salad bar, baked potato bar...

[peach]

For breakfast I'd either do something like a breakfast buffet, with bowls of fresh sliced oranges, bananas, strawberries. Some breakfast casseroles, sausage, cinnamon buns, yogurt, etc. A big spread of various foods.

Or I'd just make a massive batch of waffles (Could you borrow MIL's waffle maker so you'd have two going at once?) and then have tons of topping options.

For lunch -do you want quick and easy, or more of an event? Cause if you want quick and easy I'd just set out things for wraps/subs and some potato and pasta salad.

And please tell me you're scheduling a pig calling contest, haha!

[reils]

May 20, 2012 20:56:38 GMT -5 mrsacornblue said:

We did a leadership retreat in college and one of the biggest hits was a ham and cheese breakfast casserole. You essentially make ham and cheese sandwiches and pour an egg mixture over it and bake it. I can get you the exact recipe if you want. A french toast casserole would also be good...you can put a meat on the side if you want and some fresh fruit to round it out.

For lunch, meatballs in the crockpot, pulled pork sandwiches, a tray of lunch meat and cheese, a sliders bar, a salad bar, baked potato bar...

I was going to suggest this for breakfast too. It's my favourite thing to eat. We always have it at family holidays.

[aweilba]

Our go-to crowd lunch is pulled BBQ chicken. You just throw however many breasts you want into a crock pot with some sliced up onions and enough BBQ sauce to cover the breasts well. Then let it simmer on low for 6-8 hours; I usually do it overnight. Then you shred it before serving. We like it on wheat buns with provolone cheese slices. It's super easy and cheap!

[MixedBerryJam]

Pulled pork: toss a thawed Boston butt in a crockpot, pour a bottle of liquid smoke over, and cook on low 12 - 18 hours. Remove from the crock, separate the waste (of which there will be A LOT) and shred the meat. Return to crock pot, add a bottle or more, as needed, of bbq sauce and leave on low til heated through. Serve on rolls, mashed potatoes, or rice.

Pulled chicken: toss a package of frozen (yes, frozen solid) boneless breasts in the crock pot. Pour a bottle of bbq sauce and a bottle of italian dressing ove. Simmer on low 10 - 12 hours, shread, return to sauce and heat through. (Disclaimer: the chicken recipe is not mine; I think I actually got it here, but don't recall the original source.)

These leftovers also freeze really well.

[ssmjlm]

I agree with pps, easiest lunches for us when we do our family beach trip is bbq in the crockpot, either with pork or chicken.

[hobs209]

For breakfast I'd do monkey bread with a meat side and bowl of fruit. Or french toast casserole, that sounds amazing.

For lunch I'd do pulled pork sandwiches. So easy and delicious.

[amblor]

I would definitely do a breakfast casserole. www.recipe4living.com/recipes/bacon_and_egg_casserole.htm

This is kind of different:
annies-eats.com/2011/09/12/baked-oatmeal-with-fruit/

For lunch, I would do chicken in the crock-pot or even on the grill. You could have rolls/buns and the makings for chicken sandwiches.

[FoxInFiji]

We host Easter brunch every year for my family and these recipes are a big hit. I do a breakfast casserole made the night before (eggs, hashbrowns, sausage, onions, cheese, and bisquick). Along with that I make mini monkey bread loaves in muffin pans (using pre-made biscuit dough) some with pecan pieces some without. Both go in the oven at the same temperature. Then we cook up some bacon and drink OJ. Pretty simple considering the amount of food being made.

For lunch I would do anything that can be made in a crockpot.

[sjh722]

I would make breakfast casseroles on Friday before people get there, serve them on Saturday morning, and move your bagels/muffins to Sunday.

How about grilled pork chops or burgers for lunch on Sunday? It's easy to make sides for that many people (I'm guessing 20+?), and grilling will keep the heat out of the kitchen if you have a ton of people there.

[Deleted]

Thanks girls! All good advice!
I think I'm going to add hamburgers to the Friday night list.
Sunday H and I decided we're heading to a local entertainment center (think bowling, laser tag, roller skating, minigolf etc.etc) as an activity..so we'll do a private catered lunch there (3 kinds of chicken lemon caper, BBQ and honey apple) with sides. It's their house speciality and so good. Heading there is easier than some alternative plans as I didn't have to wait to book nor do I need a rain plan.
As for breakfast I think we're doing to do a make your own eggs sort of thing on Sunday. With a stove and 2 griddles we should be good. It's also a come as you are, come when you want sort of Sunday breakfast so 25 people between 7-10 should be totally doable. I can do bacon and fruit as sides. Either that or French Toast and toppings...equally easy.
SJH: I'd love to have the egg bake on Saturday but we need to get out the door and golfing by 10. Hs family is slow as molasses at the out the door part...so they can just grab a muffin and be gone. We have all morning for breakfast Sunday..lol..so I can do something slow! I also have a ton of work and errands to do on that Friday..so my time is limited...whereas Sat. night after dinner or early Sunday morning (Thanks Rubes who gets up at 5am no matter the day!) I have a good amount of time to prep stuff.