Help! I need ideas on a home cooked meal for a group of 40 people.?

Question

I really don't know how to cook but I am hosting a dinner at my place in two weeks, and I still don't have a clue of what to cook for them. It is about 30 adults and 10 kids all hispanic. Do you have any ideas of what I could make? Please include recipes or where I would be able to find the recipe. Thanks for all the help.

Eeyore: Yes I would like for you to e-mail that to me. My e-mail address is [e-mail] thanks! I really appreciate your help and everyone else's advice also.

Answer 1

I have a program that has recipes for cooking for 50 I can email you a couple of ideas if you'd like?

Answer 2

First, of course make it buffet style, much easier. Make a pot of chili, sloppy joes and hot dogs for the kids. Pasta salads are always a bit hit with any age group. Or you could do the taco/nacho buffet route with a lot of meat and different toppings. Once you calm down and think about it in general the ideas will come pouring to you. Good luck and remember to have fun!

Answer 3

Wow, you are ambitious and daring for a new cook:)
Go w/homemade lasagna and garlic bread or something pasta only cuz it is easy and filling. When I get stumped I go to
www.allrecipes.com. OR being so close to Thanksgiving you could roast or fry a turkey (easy and cheap) but do cold salads for sides, deviled eggs and such:) Good luck to you...not sure what type of cusine you are looking for. Do something you know how to do and you are comfortable with....less stressful for you:)

Answer 4

I hope these help you...

"Passover Meatballs" - 6 dozen

2 eggs; lightly beaten
1 cup water; divided
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion; divided
1/2 cup matzo meal
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 lbs. ground beef
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice

In large bowl, combine the eggs, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup onion, matzo meal, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1" balls.
In Dutch oven or large pot, combine the tomato sauce, sugar, lemon juice, remaining water and onion. Add meatballs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Serve with slotted spoon.
(Note: Matzo meal can be found in the kosher or ethnic section of your grocery store.)


"Creamy Italian Spiral Salad" - 30 (3/4 cup) servings

2 (16 oz.) pkgs. multicolored spiral pasta
1 medium bunch broccoli; cut into florets
1 medium head cauliflower; cut into florets
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas and carrots; thawed
2 cups cherry tomatoes; quartered
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
6 green onions (scallions); chopped
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 (2 1/4 oz.) can sliced ripe olives; drained
2 (16 oz.) bottles creamy Italian salad dressing

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In large bow, combine pasta, broccoli, cauliflower, peas and carrots, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, onions, green pepper and olives. Add the dressing; mix well. Cover and refrigerate 2-3 hours or until chilled.

Answer 5

You can't go wrong with spaghetti and meatsauce. Just one pot of sauce and one pot of spaghetti. You can also make a large salad and bake some garlic bread. The salad and garlic bread are pretty simple. A specific and easy spaghetti recipe can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com.

Answer 6

You can buy two huge frozen lasagnes at Sam's club and then just make salads and antipastos with a dessert.

Everyone likes lasagne and it is my favorite group feed.

Answer 7

My Eastern Star group makes a lot of money catering groups of about 40. We go to a wholesale distributor, and buy big hams and make raisin sauce to go on it. Or we get pulled chicken and make chicken with gravy to pour over biscuits. They also enjoy chicken legs marinated in italian salad dressing. For dessert, pies or big pans of apple crisp, or big pans of brownies with ice cream on top. If you want to go ethnic, how about big pots of chili or picadillo, which is a yummy cuban dish made with ground beef or gound turkey, raisins and olives, served over rice or mashed potatoes. It's one of my favorites.

Answer 8

Here are a few fantastic websites for you to choose from.

**JUST TYPE IN "COOKING FOR A CROWD RECIPES" on Yahoo Search and there they are.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geuq.n1DxF1TEBAMFXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE1bG00a3QxBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDOQRzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANERlgyXzk-/SIG=122ofvvdm/EXP=1161700903/**http%3a//www.recipegoldmine.com/crowd/crowd.html

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geusQK1TxF0XwBYQJXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2bTl1NGU2BGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMTcEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDREZYMl85/SIG=11vef49av/EXP=1161701002/**http%3a//www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/quantity

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geurGb1TxFBaYA0wpXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2MXZjbHNsBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDMjAEc2VjA3NyBHZ0aWQDREZYMl85/SIG=12cq7jlji/EXP=1161701147/**http%3a//www.joycesfinecooking.com/cooking_for_a_crowd.htm

Answer 9

yahoo recipe group

Answer 10

wendy's
burger king
long john slivers
captain d's
mc donals
arbys
sheetz
kfc
dennys
ihop
taco bell
just get it catered