help me with cooking!!!!!!!!!!?

Question

I cooked a traditional xmas dinner last year and it went down a storm. problem is this year i have more people as it was so good last year.

ok the physics is i am cooking for 24 with one oven. I managed a full roast turkey with roast potatoes, parsnips and veg plus all the trimmings and stuffing... for 14 people last time

HOW am i gonna add ten people to this??? I cant ask people to cook stuff elsewhere as they all come over for champagne reception and it would go cold.......

Help please nice people, i'm a decnt cook but the logistics are hurting my brain....

B

Answer 1

I've never cooked a roast dinner before, but my mother-in-law is a dab hand... Instead of one big turkey, cook 2 smaller turkeys and serve them cold, or gently warmed, with gravy. Do this cooking the day before. This will free up your oven for roast tatties and all the other veggies. Anything else which can be cooked the day before and then just warmed through - do this, as it will take the pressure off the stove and oven on Xmas Day. Can you make it 25? I'm on my way!!! Good thing is - I'm veggie, so just the trimmings for me, thanks! Good luck!

Answer 2

In food service, the menu determines everything. Before you panic too much (you're already panicked, sounds like), sit yourself down and write out your 'ideal' menu. Now write out each and every step for each and every menu item in the order it must be done. Merge your lists of steps. If there is too much that must be done at the last minute or that won't fit in the oven - change your menu! It's that simple. MUST the veg be roasted, really? Alternate cooking techniques can really help you out here just as much as changing a menu item or two.

I was cooking for hundreds of people every day (except every other monday and every wednesday) in an industrial kitchen that wasn't nearly large enough. I found I was less stressed (and a better cook) if I made lists the night before and taped them to the appropriate work station when I walked in the next morning. I also put a master list with ALL the steps on the cook's table. I then used my Sharpie marker to cross things off as I went. This also allowed me to prioritize, so if I was running out of time, I didn't HAVE to put that little olive for garnish on each of several hundred salads...

Just remember to do the hardest stuff first. Run through your recipes so you know what's going to take longest and then plan accordingly. Do all your prep in the days leading up to the big day and it will go much smoother for you. Most importantly - RELAX. The more stressed you become, the bigger the chance of making a very unfortunate error or losing your mind. (And don't bother burrowing behind the sofa. It's not hiding there and your guests will notice you've lost your mind.)

My job is stressful, but when my medical leave is done, I AM going back. It's so much fun when it's over and you can look around and say to yourself (and your team, if you've thought to arrange one) "Wow. We ARE good!"

~Morg~

Answer 3

I've cooked Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for 30+ people, so you have my complete sympathy and understanding. Here's the system I use to keep my sanity:

Put the turkey in first: when it's done and you take it out, put in the potatoes and parsnips. It's easier to carve the turkey if it's allowed to set for an hour, which is about what it takes to cook roast potatoes, etc. Half an hour before the potatoes are done, put in the stuffing and any dishes like green bean casserole and let them heat through. (Have all casseroles assembled in advance.)

While the veggies are cooking, ask others to set the table, pour any beverages, and set the cold items out -- butter, cranberries, relish trays, etc. that you prepared the day before. Make a list of everything you plan to serve so nothing gets left out by mistake.

Turn the oven down to low while you're carving the turkey so that the stuff inside stays warm. Heat things like hot rolls with the residual heat. Do a quick run-through with your list of side dishes to make sure that everything has been put out.

Put all the hot items out on the table, sit down, and pat yourself on the back. . .you survived feeding the multitudes!

Answer 4

First, if you can afford it, buy a Food Saver machine. The machine uses special bags you can boil or nuke. They run about $100.00 at Sam's or Costco. If you can't afford this, don't worry; there's another alternative. You'll also want to buy one of those really cheap, large styrofoam coolers.

Make mashed potatoes a few days before your dinner. If you don't use the FoodSaver, just let the potatoes cool and throw them into tightly sealed Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers. Before doing this, make sure your containers won't let water in! You can also put them in Ziplock baggies, but you'll have to be careful not to overfill them. Freeze.

Defrost the stuff the night before your dinner party in the fridge. To heat, just pop them in the micro wave. If you have a Foodsaver, bags may be boiled in water on the stove top. You can boil baggies, too, but you have to heat them longer at a lower temperature because they melt. Experiment before the dinner!!!!! While the food is heating, pour boiling water into the styrofoam cooler.

After the food is heated, just pop it into the cooler of boiling water. Put the lid on the cooler and the food will stay warm for hours. You can do this with the gravy, too!

Here's a recipe that's really easy to reheat, if you want some pretty veggies:

5 Summer (yellow) squash
5 Zucchini
2 large onions
4 roma tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 stick butter

Slice the squashes into 1 inch slices. No need to peel them. Slice onion and tomato 1/2 inch thick. Mince or press the garlic. You may want to add more. Dump the butter and oil into a pan, put on medium heat. Throw everything else into the pan. Cover, stir occasionally and cook until barely tender. Do the same thing with this as you did with the potatoes. This will free up some stovetop space! This recipe will feed about twenty-four people. You can also add mushrooms

The main thing to remember is timing is everything. The cooler will help take some of the pressure off by keeping everything warm. Just be sure to put the cooler in a safe place so nobody gets hurt!

Answer 5

The Best thing I can tell you , first of all everything you cooked last year double up on , if you used 10 potatoes use 20 this time and so forth, Then get everything you can ready the day before , most things you can cool the day before without a hitch , things like turkey and potaoes are better cooked the day of so they will be nice a warm, however alot of other dishes are better when they sit a night , ( i call it making love all the ingrediants have time to make love hehe) Then after you figure out how to double what you did last year, Come up with a few more dishes that would compliment what you already have, Maybe a fruit salad? ( loves to be made the night before ;o) i havea recipe for this too hit me up on email if youd like) , and a regular salad with some nice homemade dressing which too can be made the night before. Also think of finger foods... people love to fill their plates with many different tastes and theres nothing wrong with adding to the mix a few things like some homeade dips or some bite size orderves( i also have recipes for these if youd like) One thing i find helps alot is to go to the store and buy those big aluminum pans when i cook for loads of people. It helps in terms of clean up AND it helps in terms of having a big enough bowl to set the food in to feed an army. Just be creative in your ideas and recipes and remember dont be afraid to cook atleast half your meal the night before! hope this helps you *smile*

Answer 6

You need to cook most everything ahead of the day, Saturday or Sunday.

Invest in some larger or medium take-away style foil pans from Asda and A LOT of large, heavy duty foil.

Roast the turkey Sunday, if your roaster is large enough, try and roast parsnips, carrots, shallots etc in the same pan as the turkey - they will each compliment one another and net you some really good drippings for your gravy.

Once the turkey is cooled, carve the turkey; leave the breasts whole, but feel free to carve the dark meat to make for a quicker service on the day. Make as many of these packets as you need to store the meat, i.e. each breast in their own packaging, the dark meat in one or two packets as follows: Layer two sheets of foil and place the meat in it. Wrap carefully to make the packet as water proof as you possibly can, store them all in the fridge over night.

Christmas morning, onto one large sheet of foil, place all the individual packets; lower into a roasting pan - here's the tricky part, add boiling water to the pan UNDER the single sheet of foil that holds all the packets so the water doesn't actually touch the packets, but surrounds them in a warm bath. This will help preserve the moisture in the meat.

Place this and all of the following in a medium oven to warm everything through for service later.

Prepare each of the other veggies as you want to serve them, and put them into their own individual foil take-away style pans, covered in foil and warmed in the oven. If you run out of rack space, you can use the bottom of the oven or balance a cake cooling rack over tops of the pans to create another layer of space. To stack on top of.

The carrots (with or without the shallots) can be finished/heated on the top of the stove; dump sliced roasted carrots into some nicely foaming butter, add a pinch of salt, pinch of cinnamon or mace and a healthy spoonful of dark brown sugar. Keep the pan moving until the carrots take on a lovely glazed look, cover and turn off the burner. Serve when you need to, simply re warm if they get too cool.

Important organisation tip; Make an inventory of what you will need on the day; to include ALL the serving bowls you will need, etc. If necessary, make small notes on slips of paper and leave them in the cleaned serving units so others can help you get the food out while it's all hot when it's time.

Another way to keep things warm if you can't do it all in the oven; Two kitchen towels, (one under and one over top) of a heating pad, (like you will use on your aching back when they've all left you to wash up!) on a side table is a great way to keep dishes hot longer while other things are coming.

Last thoughts; Nothing makes a dish go cold faster than a COLD serving bowl. Have a sink of hot water to hand so your helpers can immerse the serving pieces to warm them, dry them quickly just before you're ready to dish into them. Even a little warmth in the metal or crockery will help keep things warmer longer.

Good luck & Happy holidays!

Answer 7

OK. I have to do the same but for 40 people in one oven. First try and get hold of a heated hostess trolley,have it on heating for at least 2hrs,you need hot plates,hot serving dishes,tin foil. Do as you did last yr but catering for your extras.Try and do your roasties in a deep fat fryer,that frees oven space for the extra parsnips and bigger stuffing dish. Your roasts once cooked will hold well in trolley only partially covered (to stop them sweating and going soggy)You'll need to cook them in batches so allow plenty of time,and par boil spuds night before to save work on the day,but do parsnips on the day so they go into the oven hot. you can steam puds over water then add vegs nearer the time,or mirowave them for a few mins,you can't taste difference esp with a good rum sauce! If you are doing turnip that can be cooked first too as it also holds it heat well in a trolley.
And try not to panic! sounds simple but it'll all just happen and remember it's your day too so try to enjoy. Good luck.

Answer 8

I understand how you feel:) I kept adding people for my Thanksgiving dinner without first thinking of the room and food:)

Why don't you try getting an even bigger bird? 25 pounds or so should do... Or maybe add a ham that's served cold. As for the rest, try making some of the stuff ahead of time. Pies, cranberry sauce, corn bread, all that stuff can either be frozen or refrigerated in advance.

Just keep calm....and innovate! Good luck

Answer 9

Get a roaster oven to cook your turkey in. Got mine at wal-mart for $30 and I love it. Then your oven will be free for you to cook the rest of your menu. I couldn't live without it. I really like it because I use it in the summer (to keep from heating the house so much with the oven on) for baked chicken, ham, brisket, etc.

Answer 10

unfortunately i dont think there is anyway you can work this out, you need more oven space. You could ask to borrow a neighbours maybe. this is what I'm doing, my flatmate and i cooking Christmas dinner for about the same number of people, but the guts in the flat next door but one are coming so we have commandeered their kitchen lol