[mumofstig]

make a couple of lasagnes (one meat 1 veggie perhaps)  the day before, leave overnight in fridge then heat through and brown on the day. Serve with garlic bread and salads 

[Elcie]

Wow thanks everybody!  I am spoilt for choice now!  I like the idea of the slow cooker, but not sure I have a recipe for that, although could search one out I am sure.  I also like the shepherds pie or lasagne idea.  Shepherds pie would be slightly better for me diet wise, but lasagne has a wider variety of choices of things to go with it!

Oh, decisions decisions!

[madcat]

Chopped courgette is a good 'extender' in shepherds pie or lasagna too.....  takes up the flavour of the mince and makes it all go that bit further.  Convinces the kids to eat their veggies and uses up the last of the seasons courgettes  ....

[Debsie]

If I'm cooking for a crowd I often make a couple of pies, a steak and ale one and a chicken and leek one, serve with mash and a green veg. I find with the pastry people don't want loads of mash so easy to prepare. Also can make pie filling the day before and top with pastry on the day.

[catllar]

Was at a party on Sunday for 50 people. Had slowcooked chicken in red wine with mushrooms and bacon bits. Served with  rice. Boned chicken bits - no faffing.

[Elcie]

Shopping is done.  The slow cooker comment reminded me of a post on here a while back about cooking gammon in coca-cola which I tried back then and it was delicious so am going to do that.  Although a search around suggested that using cherry coke is even more delicious so I bought some of that rather than the regular coke.  I will let you know how it goes!

Thanks for all the help everyone.  And thank god it is only 10 and not 50!

[TheSpartacat]

Cherry coke instead of regular coke? Wow, I'm gonna have to try that!!

How did the dinner go? Hope it was fun and relaxing.
I always veer towards one pot cooking when cooking for a large group if I can... much less stressful, and something like chilli or curry can be made the day before, and allowed to cook for ages to let the spices sweeten up and mellow out, and just put with potato wedges or rice, or a baked spud.

I grew up in a house with 8 kids so am used to juggling 6 saucepans, multiple roasting trays and a steamer, and when I go home for Christmas I usually end up doing the Christmas dinner... with brothers and sisters in laws, plus nieces and nephews and the occasional unexpected guest, its a milliary operation I can tell you!!! The most we've had for Christmas dinner was 27 one year!!!! Had to do it in two sittings! It was NUTS! Not enough seats, and the dishes afterwards- well that traditionally gets left to the boys to deal with! (By the time dinner is out of the way, its officially "not my problem!!!")

Particularly nuts since our family Christmas dinner traditionally has every veg under the sun on the go, and if one of them isn't there you can be sure someone will point out "You didn't do any traditional peas this year?!!! Whyyyy? Those are my favourites!!!"
But we have:
3 types of potatoes: Roast, mash and creamy cheesey ones done in the oven.
Traditional peas, Cauliflower, Broccoli, carrots n parsnips mashed or done honey glazed in the oven, sprouts, cabbage, 2 types of stuffing- a sausagemeat one and a nutty apricotty one, leeks and swede!!
Not to mention the turkey and gammon- I do that the night before, and have it ready in portions- gammon on bottom, stuffing in middle, and turkey on top- ready to go back in the oven to reheat when i'm doing the roasties.

And then there's the starter to deal with as well- usually soup to make it ahem "easy" on me!!!

LOL

So yeah, i recommend one pot cooking if you can get away with it- stews, bean stews are great in winter, casseroles, chilli, mince n tatties,  stroganof, steak, mushroom and ale stew with mash...
Oh dear me I'm hungry....  

[madcat]

Wow!     Would anyone notice if I sneaked in and joined you for dinner? 

[TheSpartacat]

Wow!     Would anyone notice if I sneaked in and joined you for dinner? 

LOL there's a small chance that everyone would just presume you were a friend of someones and not question it... and if you're good at spinning a yarn and telling a joke, you'd probably survive the lunacy that is my family!! lol