Cooking for a Crowd

One of my very favorite things to do is to entertain. My husband and I both love having a house full of people to visit and interact with. In the 18 years that we have been married we have moved to new cities/states multiple times and we have always made a point to make new friends and entertain them in our home. No matter what our living arrangements have been and the space we had available we utilized it the best we could for entertaining. We are known as the party planners amongst our friends as we are often looking for any excuse to have people over. Now don’t go and get a picture in your head of a perfectly clean and decorated house with food and beverage stations all over. Picture more of a relaxed and homey atmosphere, one with kids often running everywhere and my laundry may still be sitting out and my floors may or may not be clean. Which, let’s be honest it doesn’t really matter if the floors are clean since they’ll be dirty once everyone arrives anyway. I might look a little ragged and I’m most likely covered in food. That’s just who we are. We are a little bit chaotic (ok a lot) and we aren’t perfectly put together but we are ok with that. Our desire is always to create an
environment where you feel welcome and comfortable. We want our guests to be able to relax and be themselves with no expectations or judgements. We like you (most of you) just the way you are and we are just happy to have you in our home.

The part that I enjoy most about entertaining is feeding everyone. This is how I have
learned to communicate my heart. If I feed you I most likely like you and want you to know that. I’m giving you a part of who I am. Or you’ve paid me to feed you and I don’t necessarily like you. Even then I will always strive to give you the best food you have ever tasted because it’s a reflection of me. Don’t worry though, I probably do like you, there aren’t too many people I don’t like.

Over the years of entertaining I have learned a lot about how to successfully feed a crowd. Some of this knowledge has been self-taught through trial and error and some has been taught through schooling and my professional experience working in a kitchen and catering. I would say the two most important keys for feeding a crowd is number one, preparation and number two, being able to think on your feet and roll with problems and changes. I was thinking about our Christmas time with my family and entertaining 14 people in my home and what made feeding them all successful. Of course, sometimes entertaining is last minute and is totally chaotic and unorganized and that’s ok too! That’s when rolling with it comes in handy. There are times though when I feel pretty organized when it comes to cooking for a crowd and I have summarized 4 things that make that easier. These are all things that make it easier for me with how my brain works. Yours may work differently and these aren’t that helpful to you but the most important thing is to have a system that works for you and makes entertaining and feeding a crowd easier. Figure out what that is for you and try following it. Here is mine, I hope you can take a point or two and use it.

1. Meal plan-2 weeks in advance if possible. Regardless if you will be entertaining for one meal, a birthday party, or multiple meals in a row, create a meal plan. Plan out your main course, side dishes and dessert if you will be serving it. I will often go through my fridge, freezer and pantry and find what I already have that I can utilize. A lot of times my menu is created for me depending on what I already have. Economy meals, such as Enchiladas and casseroles are great for feeding crowds. When I am entertaining for multiple days I will often do a roast of some sort or a ham for the first meal. I can use any leftovers from those for future meals, such as breakfast casseroles or breakfast sandwiches etc. Don’t forget to take in account how many people you will be feeding. It’s always best to calculate high so you don’t run out and you can use leftovers for future meals.
2. Prepare grocery list – 2 weeks in advance if possible. I say two weeks in advance because for me it works to break down my list and make multiple shopping trips. My time is most likely limited and I often have kids with me that don’t have the patience for a long drawn out shopping trip. Plus, there are certain items that you can buy 1 week in advance and there are things you want to wait until the day before to purchase. I also like to give myself two weeks so I can make changes as needed and not feel stressed about it. Of course, sometimes my shopping is last minute and I forget things or the store doesn’t have something and again, that’s when you roll with it. This is when creativity comes into play and sometimes the best dishes are created.
3. Shop.
   • One week in advance – Non-perishables. This is going to be your grains, some starches, some add ins. Anything that can sit on your counter or in your pantry for a long period of time. This would also be any condiments that will be refrigerated and have a long shelf life. Frozen items that you will keep frozen could also be purchased at this time.
   • 5 days in advance. This is when you can purchase your dairy items, cheeses, butter, eggs etc. as they have a little bit longer of a shelf life than your fresh products. You would also want to purchase any frozen large cuts of meat at this time, ie roasts, ham, turkey etc. to ensure they have enough time to defrost. Be sure to check expiration dates and plan accordingly.
   • 1-3 days in advance – fresh produce and fresh meats. This is when I purchase my fresh vegetables, produce, herbs and meats…. Along with anything else that has been forgotten or added. Don’t forget to check the sell by date on your meats as sometimes they have been reduced for quick sale and they are only good through that day.
4.  Now that you have all of the ingredients to prepare your menu create a to do list broken down by meals. I know this may seem overkill but I love having things to cross off. Writing it out helps me to not miss something and reminds me that there are steps that may need to be done way in advance. I tend to get a little overwhelmed in the details and having steps written out for myself and things to cross off helps me to stay focused and on task. You may not need this step and can keep it all organized in your head –good for you! My brain is too scattered for that.
5. Food prep. This is definitely for the over achievers! If you want to save time per meal and actually have the time, start food prepping 1-2 days in advance. You will appreciate the time you save when it comes to cooking time. I love to chop my onions, mince my herbs, marinate my meat, prep dry ingredients for baking etc. and store them in the fridge or pantry. I love to be able to just grab onions I’ve already chopped out of the fridge and toss them in a dish rather than taking the time to dice them right then. The time I save adds up and ensures that I have extra time to visit with my guests. Having food prepped in advance also gives me a sense of calmness and helps me feel in control.

I know this is a lengthy post but I hope that you were able to gain a few helpful tips. One of my go to meals for feeding a crowd has always been Chicken Enchiladas. This is one I can often clean out my fridge and have enough ingredients on hand to throw together. Which is exactly what I did this past Christmas and I am sharing my recipe with you. I am calling these Christmas Enchiladas! 

 

 

Christmas Enchiladas: 

The following recipe was created to feed 14 people so take note of that and adjust
as needed. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 2 Whole Rotisserie Chickens
• 2 Sweet yellow onions
• 2 T Vegetable oil
• 3 C Shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese, divided
• 16 Tortillas
• 2 Avocados
• 1 16 oz container sour cream
• 2-4 Jalapenos, stem and seeds removed, diced
• 1 Bunch of Cilantro, stems removed
• ½ C Chicken broth
• 1 t Cumin
• 1 T Chili Powder
• 1 t Salt
• ¼ C Red wine vinegar
• 1 15 oz can enchilada sauce

Baking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9x13 baking dishes with non-stick cooking spray. Remove chicken from chicken carcass and shred. Set aside. Place medium size frying pan on burner and set to medium heat. Coat with oil. Peel and slice onions and place in pan to caramelize. Stir occasionally until onions are browned. Set aside. While onions are caramelizing place peeled and diced Avocados, Sour Cream, Chicken Broth, Cilantro, Jalapenos, Cumin, Chili powder, Salt and red wine vinegar in blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Set two cups of blended Avocado sauce aside. Set 1 ½ cups of Cheddar Jack cheese aside. With remaining blended Avocado sauce, cheese, onions and chicken build your enchiladas. Place 1-2 Tablespoons of sauce on one tortilla. Top with a pinch of caramelized onions. Top onions with about ¼ cup chicken and finish with 2-3 T cheese. Roll up and place in prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Mix the two cups of remaining Avocado sauce with 15 oz can of Enchilada sauce. Add salt to taste. Top each pan of enchiladas with half of the Avocado and Enchilada sauce mixture. Top with remaining cheese. Place in preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until heated through.