Feeding a Crowd

Football play offs...  I love college football, not a fan of the NFL...  This is the time of the year when I feel like football season is never going to end!  My husband is a Colts fan...  And once that is over, we still have basketball going on...  

With football comes friends and family...  I can't let them go hungry!  I love entertaining our friends and family!!!!

If you need some sides that work great for a crowd.  Here are two!!!

Cheesy Corn~     Crowd Favorite!

1 can sweet corn

1 can cream corn

1 cup Velveeta cheese

1 cup macaroni (I use small shells, but you can use whatever you have)

1 stick of butter

Mix together ingredients.  Cook for 45 minutes-1 hour at 350.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Recipe from Sippity Sup

5 lbs russet potatoes

10 slices bacon (can omit if you prefer), divided

8 oz cream cheese

1 cup sour cream

1/4 c chives, minced

2 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, grated, divided

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Peel potatoes and cut into 1 inch chunks.  Place in a large sauce pan and add enough cold water to cover by about 2 inches.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until tender and easily pierced with a paring knife, about 20 minutes.  Transfer to a colander to drain, return to pan, cover, and set aside.

2.  Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add bacon and cook until crisp and browned.  Transfer to paper towels to drain, let cool and crumble into pieces.

3.  Using a fork, mash the potatoes in pan until light and fluffy.  Add the cream cheese, butter, and sour cream and stir until combined and smooth.  Add the chives, 2 cups cheddar cheese, half the bacon, salt and pepper.  Stir until well combined. 

4.  Transfer to a buttered 3 qt dish.  Top with remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese.  Bake until top is slightly golden and potatoes are heated through, about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and garnish with remaining bacon.  Serve immediately.  

Asian Salad

Asian Salad, also known as Crack Salad in our family, is a favorite among friends and family!  I don't know how many times I have been requested to bring this to potlucks and for a copy of the recipe.  Here it is!!!!  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!!!!

Asian Salad

2 pkg Ramen noodles, crushed (throw out the season packets, you will not need them)

1 cup blanched slivered almonds

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

½ cup butter, melted

1 head Napa cabbage, shredded (I use a bag of pre-shredded cabbage)

1 bunch green onions, chopped

¾ cup vegetable oil

¼ cup distilled white vinegar

½ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low sodium)

1. In a medium skillet over low heat, brown Ramen noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds with melted butter.  Once browned, take off heat and cool.

2. In a small saucepan bring vegetable oil, sugar, vinegar to boil for 1 minute.  Cool. Add soy sauce.

3. In a large bowl, combine shredded cabbage and chopped green onions.  Add the noodle and soy sauce mixture.  Toss to coat.  Serve.

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

From: cooks.com

8-10 potatoes, peeled, cooked, and mashed (no milk)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

8 oz sour cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tbsp butter

1c cedar cheese, shredded

1 tbsp. chives, dried

Beat cream cheese, sour cream into mashed potatoes.  Add salt and pepper, stir in chives.  Fold in ½ of butter, spread mixture in buttered 9x13 inch glass casserole dish.  Spread remaining butter on top.  Baked uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake additional 10 minutes.

Note: Do not add cheese if you plan to use with gravy.  Can be covered and refrigerated for baking later, but allow extra time if potatoes begin baking from cold. 

***I cut this recipe in half when it is just for our family.

Sides to go with it...

This has become a very busy week around here...  Thank goodness for school fundraisers at restaurants, it not only helped the school but it also helped me last night! 

When planning meals, I just plan the main meal and then I have a bunch of things I can use to go with it.  Here are a list of some things I like to keep on hand:

• Rice
• Frozen Veggies
• Broccoli
• Corn
• Corn on the Cob
• Cauliflower
• Fresh Veggies
• Zucchini
• Asparagus
• String Beans
• Potatoes (new and Idaho)
• Corn On Cob (During the summer)
• Celery
• Red Onion
• or whaterever else looks good
• Canned Veggies
• Corn
• Green Beans
• Roasted Red Peppers
• Tator Tots
• Pasta
• Fresh Fruit
• Canned Fruit
• Crescent Rolls
• Breads
• Garlic
• French
• Rye
• Instant Mash Potatoes
• Lettuce/Salad Mix
• Olive Oil
• Italian Dressing

With this list I can usually pull something together to go with our meal.  A lot of the time, I let the kids choose what we have as a side, mostly in hopes they will eat better...

Also, you might notice, many of the things on this list can last for awhile, so I try to use up the fresh produce then move to the frozen or non-perishable items.  Also I end up buying certain veggies or things for meals and we eat the rest for sides through out the month.

I have an extra refrigerator in our garage which I use to store extra stuff for the month or beyond.  I also have space set aside in our hall closet for the overflow of non-perishables.  When things go on sale, I stock up!

Oven Fried Potaotes

Oven Fried Potatoes   From Taste of Home

12-14 Servings        Prep: 10 minutes     Bake: 40 minutes

12 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup vegetable oil      (I use olive oil)

Place potatoes in two large resealable plastic bags.  Combine the Parmesan cheese and seasonings; add to potatoes.  Seal bag and shake to coat.

Pour oil into two 15in x 10in x1 in baking pans.  Pour potatoes into pans.  Bake uncovered at 375 for 40-50 minutes or until tender. 

Tonight we settled on hamburgers and brauts.  We had these potatoes as a side along with some sliced apples from the apple orchard.  This might be the last beautiful day for awhile, so we took advantage of the wonderful day by grilling.  My husband does all of the clean up after dinner every night and when we grill there is less to clean up!  We took advantage of the nice weather and headed out for a walk to the park! 

Little Helpers:  My five year old helped me cut the potatoes!  Last winter when I was making a lot of soups, I taught her how to cut veggies with my Cutco knives....  She loves it and so far no accidents!  I let both of them add the seasonings and shake the bags...