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If you’re planning a party and have to feed a crowd, the easiest way to do it is with a potluck. The trick is making sure everyone brings something that will complement the rest of the food. For example, if you’re having tacos, make sure there’s plenty of guacamole and salsa to go with them.
Recipes for a crowd
If you need some help coming up with ideas for what to bring, here are some recipes for different types of parties:
Buffets: These are especially good if you’re having a party that’s going to last all day or night long. You can make one big dish and set out bowls of toppings so people can customize their own plates. Try this recipe for baked potatoes loaded with cheese, bacon and sour cream.
Barbecues: If your party includes hot dogs or hamburgers on the grill, make sure there’s plenty of condiments like ketchup and mustard as well as buns and relish trays. Also include plenty of fruit salad or watermelon slices for those who want something refreshing between bites of meaty goodness.
The holidays are all about gathering with friends and family. But it can be tricky to feed a crowd of people with different tastes, dietary restrictions and food allergies. Not to mention the logistics of getting everyone seated around the table at once.
Fortunately, there are plenty of recipes for holiday meals that are easy to prepare but impressive enough for company.
Here are some ideas for planning and preparing a memorable Thanksgiving meal:
Plan ahead. Start by deciding what kind of menu you’re going to serve — traditional turkey with all the fixings or something more exotic like ham? Then decide how many people will be joining you for dinner and what kind of budget you have for groceries. Consider your guests’ preferences when choosing dishes, too — some might prefer meatless options at Thanksgiving while others might think that’s blasphemy.
Choose recipes that can be made ahead of time. If you’re hosting a large group, consider making dishes that can be assembled ahead of time rather than cooking everything from scratch on Thanksgiving day itself. Preparing food ahead of time also allows you to spend more time enjoying your guests’ company instead of slaving away in the kitchen all afternoon!
Make room on your counter top or table so that everyone can enjoy an appetizer while they
When you’re hosting a party, it’s easy to get caught up in the details, like where to put all those extra chairs and how many drinks to make. But while you’re busy with all that, don’t forget about the food!
Here are some recipes for a crowd that will be sure to impress your guests.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
The name says it all: This dip is full of spicy buffalo chicken flavor and creamy ranch dressing flavor. It’s perfect for a game day spread or a party with friends. The recipe calls for cooked chicken breasts, but feel free to use leftovers from another meal instead if you prefer.
Baked Potato Bar
This one’s for the vegetarians out there! This baked potato bar features five different toppings that are perfect for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. You could even try adding some bacon bits or crumbled cooked bacon on top if you want more meaty flavor.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork Sandwiches
These sandwiches are super easy — just throw everything in a slow cooker before your guests arrive and let them do their thing while you entertain everyone else. If you’ve got an Instant Pot, feel free to use that instead! These pulled pork sandwiches are great because they are tasty.
If you’re planning a big party this holiday season, you’ll want to make it easy for your guests. Here are some recipes that can be doubled or tripled easily, without much extra work.
These dishes taste great at room temperature, so they’re ideal for potlucks and other gatherings. They also freeze well and don’t need to be reheated before serving.
Double-Decker Taco Bar
Tacos are always a crowd-pleaser, but when you present them as a taco bar with all the toppings laid out on the table, everyone can make their own creation. And if you want to go all out, add some beans and rice to the mix.
Hummus and Veggies Plate
Pita chips are perfect for scooping up hummus dip—and they’re also easy to double or triple if you’re having a lot of people over. This appetizer is inexpensive, healthy and satisfying; it’s sure to please any crowd.
When it comes to entertaining, I’m an absolute beginner. I’ve never hosted a party before and the thought of doing so makes me nervous and excited in equal measure. So when I was asked to host a dinner party for 12 people, I was both honored and terrified.
The first thing that came to mind was that I needed help. Enter my friend Emily, who is an expert at hosting parties and has been doing it since she was in high school. She offered up some of her best tips on how to make sure everyone has a great time — from the food to the drinks and everything in between.
Here are some of her best tips for hosting a successful party:
Make sure there’s something for everyone. Make sure there are at least two options for each course (one vegetarian or vegan option is good too). If you’re serving multiple courses, don’t serve them all at once — give guests 20 minutes between each course so they can digest their meal before moving onto the next one. And keep in mind that not everyone eats meat or dairy products (or even likes them). Food allergies can be an issue as well; while you should always ask if anyone has dietary restrictions or allergies when you invite them over, it’s also a good idea
For a crowd, you don’t want to spend all your time in the kitchen. Nor do you want to serve up a bunch of dishes that are merely ok. Instead, think about what everyone loves and create a menu around that.
Consider these recipes for a crowd:
Chicken wings: This party classic is always a hit no matter the occasion. Whether it’s for the Super Bowl or just because it’s Friday night, chicken wings are always delicious.
Nachos: Another go-to party food, nachos can be made with any number of ingredients depending on what you have on hand — or what you feel like eating!
Burgers: Burgers are another favorite among people who love meat and cheese. They also require minimal preparation time which is great if you have a lot going on in your kitchen already.
Spaghetti: Spaghetti is another classic dish that can be easily adapted to feed a crowd (or just yourself). Just add more noodles and sauce and voila! You’ve got more food than there are people at your house right now!
Whether you’re feeding a crowd or just want to make a big batch of something, these recipes will help you get the job done.
If you’re looking to make enough food for a crowd, but don’t have the time or inclination to spend hours in the kitchen, try one of these delicious recipes.
• Roasted Turkey Breast with Cranberry-Orange Sauce: This roast turkey breast recipe will have your guests coming back for seconds. It’s easy to prepare and cooks up quickly.
• Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff: This hearty beef stroganoff is loaded with tender beef, mushrooms and noodles in a rich mushroom sauce that gets better as it sits. It’s perfect for those times when you need to feed a lot of people at once — or want leftovers for days.
• Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers: These stuffed peppers are loaded with ground beef, rice and cheese then topped with tomato sauce before baking until tender and bubbly. They’re perfect for serving alongside other dishes as a main course or as part of a buffet spread on Thanksgiving Day or any day that needs some extra oomph!
The holidays are a great time to get together with friends and family. But when you’re hosting, it can be hard to figure out what to cook. You don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen, but you also don’t want to serve a bland meal that will leave your guests hungry.
We’ve collected some of our favorite recipes that are easy enough for the novice cook, but impressive enough for guests. The best part? They’re all designed for making large quantities, perfect for feeding a crowd of hungry diners at your next holiday party.
- Roasted Turkey Breast With Sherry-Mushroom Gravy (from Martha Stewart)
This turkey breast recipe is simple yet elegant — the perfect centerpiece for a special occasion dinner party. To make it easier on yourself, buy a whole turkey breast instead of splitting one yourself. The dish can also be served cold or reheated as leftovers!
- Glazed Ham With Brown Sugar and Mustard Glaze (from Epicurious)
Ham is easy to make at home — just remember not to overcook it! This recipe has plenty of flavor with just three ingredients: ham, brown sugar and mustard glaze (which makes its own sweet glaze). You can use any kind of
This menu is perfect for a casual, backyard barbecue. The chicken is slow-roasted in the oven until it’s juicy and tender, then slathered with a sweet-and-spicy sauce. The potato salad gets its flavor from bacon, and the coleslaw is tossed with a creamy dressing.
Chicken marinates overnight in a mixture of olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. You can grill or roast it on the stovetop or in a smoker (use indirect heat).
Potato salad is made with red potatoes, diced celery and chopped scallions for crunch. The dressing is simple mayonnaise seasoned with mustard, vinegar and garlic powder. To make ahead, keep the potatoes separate from the dressing until serving time because they will absorb moisture from the dressing if left together too long.
Coleslaw gets an extra kick from apple cider vinegar mixed into mayonnaise along with sugar and salt for balance. A few chopped green onions give it color.
It’s hard to believe that the holidays have come and gone. But with so many family gatherings and parties, it’s easy to rack up a lot of leftovers. (It’s also easy to eat them all yourself!) Here are some recipes that will help you transform your leftovers into new meals. And if there are any leftovers after all that, they make great lunches for the work week.
If you’ve got leftover turkey, try this recipe for turkey hash or this recipe for turkey meatloaf sandwiches. If you’ve got leftover ham, why not turn it into a cheesy ham and cheese casserole? Or make these ham and cheese pinwheels for a more portable option.
You can also use your leftover veggies from Thanksgiving to make this creamy vegetable soup or this cheesy broccoli casserole.
If you’ve got leftover mashed potatoes, try making these brown butter mashed potato cakes or these sweet potato latkes with apple curry dipping sauce.
If you’ve got leftover gravy on hand, use it in place of butter in these skillet potatoes or add some herbs and spices for these loaded twice baked potatoes.