What is a good recipe to feed 20 or so people?

Question

I need to come up with something good to feed at least 20 people, Ill be cooking this myself so I am looking for something simple, but I want to get that WOW factor if possible.

Answer 1

I've always loved spaghetti. It's very east to make a huge portion of it. Texas Toast would be an awesome compliment to it, maybe with some wine on the side.

Answer 2

If you make about 4 of these then the crown will go wild! I Love these this recipe is from my worst enemy but its sooo good!!!! Its his award winning recipe!An oven pancake that puffs up and falls. It is served with a squeeze of lemon juice and powdered sugar. We also enjoy filling the indent with fresh strawberries and whipped cream."

INGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, salt, flour and milk. Use a blender if desired. Melt the butter in a 9x13 inch baking pan. Pour the contents of the mixing bowl into the pan.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the mixture rises. Serve at once. Sprinkle lemon juice and powdered sugar on top at the table. Add fruit or whipped cream if desired.

Answer 3

cook chicken halves (oven baked)

cut 1 chicken per 3 ppl-- cut right down the middle so each section has a wing, breast, leg and thigh, lay rib side down in pan which has been oiled lightly. season with garlic, onion, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. cover with foil and bake an hour and a half.

i would make baked potatoes with it and set up a salad bar with 2 or 3 kinds of lettuce (or buy the already prepared stuff and mix 3 or 4 kinds- 1 bag of each) be sure to also order a veggie platter from your local deli and maybe a cracker and cheese platter would also be in order. have 3 or 4 different kinds of salad dressing on hand with crutons and sunflower seeds

for desert, buy premade frozen pies and bake in your oven (mrs smiths has an awesome dutch apple pie) and top with vanilla bean ice cream

for drinks- make a punch out of hawaiian punch, pineapple juice and sprite (1 gal punch, 1 large can juice and 2 literrs of sprite)
spike it with vodka if you like

this is an easy meal to serve for 20 ppl... and will take little time to make

susan

Answer 4

Depends how much time you want to spend in the kitchen...
I have a few favourites which tend to be "winners". They are...

Honey Soy Wings
- Chicken wings (about 2 per person)
- Honey
- Soy Sauce
- Sesame Seeds
For 20 wings - Mix about 1/2 cup honey with 1/4 cup soy sauce. Pour over the wings in a big bowl. Sit in the fridge for about 2 hours covered in plastic wrap. Either grill in the grill, fry in a hot pan or bbq. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds.

Mini Salmon Bites (look amazing and really gourmet - but take a few seconds to make!!) (serves 20)
- purchase mini pikelets (pancakes/hotcakes) available in the bread section of the supermarket - or buy crackers if you can't get the little pikelets.
- 1/2 tub cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon horseradish
- chopped 1 tablespoon fresh dill (herb)
- Fresh smoked salmon
Mix the cheese, horseradish and dill. Spread a bit on each mini pikelet. add a tiny sprig of dill. Roll little slices of the salmon and put on top of each one. They look amazing.

Lasagne
Bit more fiddly but really delicious. (serves 20)
There are 3 parts to making this.
1. The Meat sauce
In 2 tablespoons olive oil brown 2 pounds ground beef and 2 chopped onions.
Stir in 1 teaspoon dried basil. 1 teaspoon sugar. 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic. 1 tin chopped tomato. 2 tablespoons tomato paste.
2. The cheese sauce.
Melt 1/2 stick butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Stir in 1/4 cup flour and stir until it makes a kind of soft dough.
Add 2 cups milk.
Stir, don't stop, until it thickens and starts bubbling (if you stop stirring it will burn). Take it off the heat.
Add 1 teaspoon nutmeg and a good pinch black pepper
Add 1 cup grated cheese. Stir it in.
3. The construction.
In a big baking dish spread out the half of the meat mixture. Spoon half of the cheese sauce over it and layer with the pre-cooked (instant) lasagne sheets. Make another layer of meat and of sauce and lasagne sheets. Pour whipping cream over the top and spread out over the hard lasagne sheets. Sprinkle all over with parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven at 180oC for about 40 minutes. The pasta will soften and the top bubble and brown. It is SO delicious and so easy. Serve with a big basket of crispy little bread rolls, real curls of butter and a big fresh salad. You will be a STAR!!!

Answer 5

Swedish meatballs are a good/easy option, esp. if you use the frozen meatballs from the supermarket. Simmer them in beef gravy and then add some sour cream. Serve over egg noodles. You can also do the meatballs as an appetizer in a crockpot w/toothpicks.

P.S. I always add minced onions or, at least, onion powder.

Answer 6

I will agree with Allison's answer. Spaghetti. You can feed alot of people with a big pot of it, and I don't know of anybody that doesn't like it. Get some Frecnh bread and garlic spread, pop it in the oven for few mins.....BINGO...everybody eats, and it's good.

Answer 7

You can make a pasta with alfredo sauce or pesto sauce.
Chicken parmessan, a salad with almonds or walnuts with bluecheese and maybe a raspberry vinaigrette. For dessert... ice cream topped with shredded semi-sweet and white chocolate and/or cocoa powder with whipped cream.

Answer 8

I would go with the famous old spaghetti.

Answer 9

This is a great site for quantity cooking

http://www.razzledazzlerecipes.com/quantity/