Tips for feeding a crowd

[FeedingFrenzy5]

Our new kitchen extension is almost finished, and when it's done we will be the natural 'gathering point' for my extended family, meaning that we will regularly need to feed approx 15 people (mix of adults & kids), often at short notice (eg we all meet at the park together and then decide to come back to ours for lunch). So wise mumsnetters, what tips can you give me - meals/cookbooks/things to keep in the house etc - so that I can cater for these kinds of numbers regularly? Cheap, fast and gluten free ideas especially appreciated!!! Thanks.

I can't imagine cooking pasta for 15 - how big a pan would that need?

remus I'm imagining a stock pot, basically

Five loaves and two fish?

I think the excitement of this will wear off very quickly

Otherwise the Cook! frozen ready meals tbh

I'd definitely consider doing a bout of batch cooking one weekend and freezing. I hate cooking lasagna so usually do a huge batch cook and freeze it in different sized tinfoil trays - so a few individual, a couple of bigger etc. Similarly, get into the habit of doubling any bolognaise or similar type meals and freezing as you go - you'll quickly build up a stock.

Par-baked bread can also be frozen. Soup can be whipped up quite easily with whatever is in the house (and certain veg keep particularly well for this purpose eg butternut), lentil, or some sort of curried version using curry paste and coconut milk. If doing a curried version, those packets of rice noodles are great as they can be simply added to the soup for carbs.

Sausages. We always have sausages in the freezer because they can easily be whipped out, defrosted in the microwave and cooked on the bBQ or in the oven. send someone round the shop to get hot dog rolls and salad, and your'e done. Or do a quick vat of mashed potatoes with some cooked frozen peas on the side.

I am the master of a cheese sauce so could easily do a batch of macaroni and cheese and/or cauliflower cheese (again, I'd send someone round to our local tesco to pick up an extra cauliflower if necessary).

I discovered a few years ago that a roast joint like beef or lamb freeze surprisingly well whole, and can then be defrosted and sliced for sandwiches etc very nicely. So you could pre cook a joint or two and have handy (only thing is you probably wouldn't want to defrost in microwave so would need at least some notice for this one). A friend does the same with gammon -cooks a big one and freezes it in chunks for sandwiches/easy suppers.

I was also going to suggest some of the above. Make large trays of cottage pie/lasagne or curries. Divide into portions for say 6, then you just need to oven bake or heat on the day.

Bolognese sauce freezes well. You can buy packs of totellini/ravioli which can be stored in a cupboard, so don't take up freezer space. Not sure if there are gluten free versions though.

Raw chicken drumsticks or thighs, marinate in a sauce then freeze. Again, can be cooked in the oven on the day.

Make large, gluten free chicken/beef/veggie pies you can freeze. Or open tarts like pumpkin/rosemary/pinenuts and feta.

Gluten free sausage rolls- either shop bought or home-made. Serve with other finger food/salad

Home-made or shop bought quiche

You can buy precooked jacket potatoes that just need a few minutes in the microwave. Not as nice as oven baked but they are very handy in an emergency.

I think it may be a better idea for people to grab something from the shop en route to yours, and all cobble something together with that!

Dhal in the freezer, rice in the rice cooker, chutneys pickles etc kept in the cupboard.

Tomato sauce for pasta, this one: food52.com/recipes/13722-marcella-hazan-s-tomato-sauce-with-onion-butter and grated cheese on top

Shakshuka base in the freezer - defrost and heat in the microwave then put on the stove when you crack the eggs in. Feta to sprinkle, keeps well until it’s opened (and you won’t have the problem of a half pack then going off as soon as it’s opened, if there’s 15)

Huge pan of scrambled eggs, with toast from the freezer.

But ideally, just one or two of these options and you do it on repeat, I would say actively avoid providing variety!

I’d also say never provide either pudding (someone can run out for a tub of ice cream) or options / special requests. Eg if it needs to be veggie and gluten free, everyone’s eating that.

If its impromptu family dinners, I'd go really basic and keep basics like pasta, peas, pesto, tinned tomatoes etc. Do you really want to be freezing bulk dinners that might not get eaten, or fresh things that might go off!

So many great ideas here. Would you all like to come to mine for dinner??

One other thing - assuming you now have a lovely large kitchen, I'd also make sure you've got a decent-sized microwave with a good defrost function if it isn't already on your appliance list. Things like chicken pieces, sausages etc that are all relatively easy to cook in bulk are so much more convenient if you can quickly defrost in the microwave first. We also keep bacon in the freezer as I use it for whatever pasta sauce I'm making as it seems to turn it from a "boring tomato sauce" (words of DS) to "delicious".

So many great ideas here. Would you all like to come to mine for dinner??

I thought you’d never ask

Pulled pork frozen in the sauce.

Who hosts the impromptu gatherings at the moment OP? Can you steal their ideas? Depending on how much you want to spend you could get a few things from Cook to keep in the freezer?

@Jasmine11 the most frequent solution is somebody runs down the shop to get bbq food, or we get a takeaway. Both decent options but good to have others too, eg if it's raining.

Those cook meals are a good shout compared to the price of a takeaway, thanks.

@FeedingFrenzy5

Those cook meals are a good shout compared to the price of a takeaway, thanks.

The chicken Thai curry with cashews in it is amazing

1. Sausages, frozen mash, frozen green beans. 2) Chickpeas & tahini to make houmous, ask people to bring some veg for crudités, bake frozen falafel, defrost pittas/kebab bread and maybe griddle halloumi (lasts forever) and jars of olives. 3) Yes to frozen lasagne or frozen soup. 4) I batch cook tomato sauce (soffritto base, lots of tinned tomatoes) and that is great with meatballs (bought fresh but I store frozen) and pasta. 5) use tomato sauce and layer with jarred jalapeños, tinned refried beans, cheese and tortilla chips, 6) Frozen curry and just cook the rice? Pick up poppadums (possibly walkers) and naan from corner shop on way home? Also choc ices or nice shortbread a good standby pudding to hand around. What a lovely problem to have. I love to host but our kitchen doesn’t allow for that easily atm.

If you can make those yogurt flat breads then theyd be good.

Big family here that often caters for many more: I always have brioche burger buns and burgers in the freezer. Then add salads/sides/garnishes for people to build their own (cheese slices, gherkins, sliced tomato, shredded lettuce etc). If needed serve with oven wedges. Keep a couple of boxes of mini Magnums (or Aldi equivalent!) in the freezer for dessert. Also I often make a vat of veggie chilli (cooks faster than meat, I blitz the veg in the food processor except for red peppers which I slice) and serve with rice and grated cheese. A good pudding for a crowd is Delia's rice pudding, recipe doubled - sweet, filling, fills a big roasting tin, cooks in oven unattended. Good cold for breakfast if any left! With jam on top. Also pasta pesto with cheese as others have said, jazzed up for adults with olives, anchovies, jarred roasted peppers, salami... Jacket potatoes with fillings is another good one - if you microwave the potatoes for 10-12 mins first, they only need 20 mins at a high temp in the oven to crisp the skins. Cheese, tuna mayo, baked beans, salad. Something else I often do if there is time is posh chicken sandwiches - roast a couple of chickens, par-baked ciabatta bread, mayo, salad. I often make a cake at the weekend that either gets eaten by people coming, or does lunchboxes for the week.