Recipe for about 25 adults and 15 kids

[Nottigermum]

I need some ideas for food for DH's birthday party. Last year we made Indian dishes, which were very nice, but would like to do something different this year. It's on December 23rd so I can't exactly do a turkey! and we also have lots of kids and they watch a movie.

Any ideas on what I could serve for everyone? Maybe a whole salmon, with salads and dips? Pizza for the kids? Any ideas welcome (but not tooooo complicated) Thanks!

Your idea sounds great imo but if you're looking for other ideas maybe a mexican theme? Nachos, loads of dips, some fajita wraps with different meats/veg, ssome refried beans etc?

mexican? Chilli, faijitas, refried beans, salsa, mixture of rice and tortilla and chips

It would mean that the chilli could be cooked in advance and frozen.

Great minds think alike! [hwink]

I could make the chili con carne in the slow cooker, that would work! I could also make a veggy one with mixed beans or quorn. OK I think mexican it is. Much more exciting than salmon.

Oooh fire, we made the winning idea.

Yes to chilli. Don't use quorn for the veggie one, just los of chopped vege plus beans and lentils. You could do a big bowl of rice, some jacket potatoes, a green salad, grated cheese, guacamole, soured cream, tortilla chips so everybody can mix and match.

Oh and my mango salsa is great with chilli:

red onion diced
fresh mango diced
red pepper diced
lime juice
chopped red chilli
chopped coriander
salt and pepper :)

Chilli is my 'go to' whenever I'm cooking for hordes (usually bonfire night). The accompaniments vary each year. Sometimes jacket potatoes, sometimes homemade wedges, sometimes rice. I usually also do a salad, and some bread, and someone usually brings tortilla chips and dips People come back year after year, so must be ok.

You can stick load of veg in too. Iceland do a great frozen mixed Mediterranean veg pack which made an awesome veggie chilli (and bulked out the meat chilli). If you use fresh veg, and have a food processor, use it for the chopping to save masses of prep time.

If you are doing a veggie chilli, check if your guests eat quorn - I know lots of veggies who really don't like the texture.

Actually I did a sausage casserole last year which went down well, but chilli is on the menu this year (and one of the veggie guests has offered to bring the veggie version - happy days).

Good luck