Would this work- cooking for 20

[Chilledout11]

One gluten free (my sister) and traditional eaters so no spicy foods etc.

We will be out at a show for 2.5 hours. I have a warmer (buffer server) that will keep warm baby and mashed potatoes.

Chicken breasts (on the bone from local butcher). Will brown these and put on low in two slow cookers. Make Jamie Oliver get ahead gravy and heat this and steam veg / microwave stuffing.

I have a bit of help serving up. Could get some Yorkshire puds to put in the oven to pad out the dinner.

Apple crumble for after with ice cream with tea and coffee.

This is as hassle free I think as I can do ? Anything missing

Couldn't you take the baby with you? Seems a bit harsh to shove her/him in with the mashed potatoes.

(Sorry...)

For the rest, yes, sounds good, but wouldn't a chicken casserole be easier? Could be in slow cooker keeping warm.

Poor baby

Personally I hate the taste of ‘warmed’ potatoes and chicken breast is a recipe for dryness.

I’d do a casserole or similar as well. Something that really lends itself to low slow cooking. Crumble sounds awesome though.

How are you planning to deal with the gluten free aspect?

You've potentially gluten in the gravy, stuffing, crumble and yorkshire puds, so you're faced with doing GF versions for everyone (not recommended as GF stuff is expensive and a bit shit) or making special versions of all these for DSis and then ensuring no cross contamination.

Maybe the casserole idea with veg and potatoes would be easier, ensure GF and do mash to go with.

GF pudding prepared ahead like eton mess?

Or stick with the apple crumble idea and do a separate GF one for DSis.

Is there room for everyone to sit at a table? As that is all food that needs to be eaten sat down with cutlery.

I would make it all GF to make your life easier personally

There's an apple flapjack crumble recipe on the BBC Good Food website - replace the flour with ground almonds and there's no need to make a separate gf pudding. It's delicious btw. Make ahead and warm through when you're eating the main course. Serve with creme fraiche, natural yoghurt or cream instead of custard - theoretically custard powder should be okay for gf as it contains cornflour but it might be a bit much if it's a hot day.

Chicken thighs are more moist and tasty, especially when casseroled/cooked in the slow cooker. Also cheaper.

I think that sounds really difficult and impractical to be honest.

Not great foods to be sitting around keeping warm.

I would suggest a menu that doesn't require keeping warm, it won't taste good, casserole is better than have already mashed potatoes you can microwave and quickly cook some green veg

A chicken casserole made with thighs would be nice. You could do jacket potatoes wrapped in foil...they would stay nice and warm.

Definitely not chicken breasts for slow cooking - always thighs (quickly pre-seared, buy them de-boned to save faff and space in the slow cookers). Onions, carrots, celery as the base of the sauce. Fresh thyme, fresh flat-leaf parsley, maybe some bacon lardons for salty goodness. Mushrooms, pre-browned with salt. Chicken stock and white wine for the liquor. Garlic. You can bulk up with some cannellini beans.

Hang on, that's basically a coq au vin.

Jacket potatoes for my money, not starchy mash.

Crumble, oh yes.

Make a beef casserole the night before, then set your oven time to come on an hour before you’re due back. Put 20 baking potatoes and casserole in the oven and it will we ready when you walk in.

Things kept in a warmer are about as rank as slow cooked chicken breasts.

Does your slow cooker really fit enough chicken for 10 in?

I'd be more inclined to go with a giant gammon you've already cooked and sliced. Serve that cold with jacket spuds (they can be on low while you are out) and great heaps of salad and coleslaw.

Stick it on the table and people can help themselves.

Do the apple crumble but make a fruit salad with cream for your GF sister.

Does your slow cooker really fit enough chicken for 10 in?

The op said she has two.

But she’s feeding 20, so 2 slow cookers containing 10 portions each isn’t it?

Yeah i'd go stew too. Big beef and guinness stew and Jacket spuds

I assume the crumble could be made with GF flour in the topping. And cornflour to thicken stew.

much easier IMO

But she’s feeding 20, so 2 slow cookers containing 10 portions each isn’t it?

Duh, of course you're right! Still my slow cooker is huge...I could probably squeeze ten chicken breasts in it. I can't imagine ten chicken breasts in a slow cooker will be a culinary delight to be honest.

I would do a joint of meat in the slow cooker.
Pork shoulder or loin would be my go to. Ask your butcher to slice a large one in half so you can put one in each slow cooker. (Altho you'd be able to do a large joint on low in your oven whilst at the show. And that way you'd get crackling)

Sit it on Apple's and have some 'gravy' in the bottom ( do you get gf Oxo cubes? As that's all you need with some garlic)

Gluten free stuffing.
Apple sauce
Big bags of frozen veg medlays to cook in a pan.
Yorkshire puds and separate ones for your sister.

Dessert, Cheese board!!!

Just wanted to jump on the suggestion saying to set your oven for an hour before so all the jacket potatoes will be ready for your return.

That many potatoes take longer to cook, we often do them for family get togethers and have an oven-full.

We have a slowcooker of curry and a slow cooker of some kind of casserole or chilli con carne, then offer baked beans and cheese. Fuss free and generally well received.

How about the Nigella ham in coke? Do two medium sized ones and then serve hot or cold

I'm with the jacket potatoes in the oven, 2 joints in the slow cookers (or cooked the day before and served cold). Salad or prepared veg that just need cooking brigade.
Gluten free crumble in the oven as soon as the potatoes come out.

I'd do a choice of cold puddings, pavlova is perfect at this time of year and you can do the meringue the day before so you just have to construct it. Naturally gluten free. And a GF cake, Spanish orange almond cake is lovely. HFW has a GF chocolate cake recipe made with kidney beans here, I serve it with cream and slightly stewed cherries. All GF and all can be prepared the day before.

Agree about doing a casserole, maybe an enormous chilli served with the jacket potatoes. And some picky food like dips, nuts, crisps etc for before. 20 people is a lot to feed, I was feeding half that number every day over Christmas and it was exhausting.