Recipes

[FastDogWalker2]

For larger groups, I have had success with chili parties with all of the "fixings".  I have bread and salad with it.  If you want a nonalcoholic beverage, I would stick with water and fruit slices.  If you want alcoholic, Margaritas or beer ago well with chili. Sounds fun - good luck!

[Patz822]

Thanks everyone! Great ideas. Much appreciated!

[ECBG]

I would di a chicken dish, beef dish and meatless wirh hot roals and a salad/vegie bar with a lot of choices.

This is a delicous dish and can be made the day before and popped in the oven the day before.  When you serve, you spoon to the bottom of the dish.

 Noodle Bake

1 ½ lbs. high quality ground beef

1 ½ tsp garlic

2 cans tomato sauce

1 pkg medium egg noodles

1 Tbsp butter, plus 2 Tbsp.

1 16 oz sour cream

1 lg softened cream cheese

Optional: 2 Tbsp. chives

In large skillet, brown and well drain ground beef.

Add tomato sauce, and garlic and simmer about 20 minutes .

Butter 3 qt casserole and place a side.

In bowl, mix sour cream and softened cream cheese.

(I use my hand mixer).

Hand stir chives in.

Cook egg noodles aldente with oil in the water to prevent clumping.

Drain and toss lightly with 2 tbsp butter.

In buttered 3 qt casserole layer:

1/2 of the noodles

1/2 of the cheese mixture

1/2 of the meat mixture.

Repeat layers in same order.

Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 min.  Cheese may be covered to prevent browning.

May be made a day ahead, refrigerated and cooked for 1 hour covered before adding cheese.

[janeec]

Several years ago I had about 30 people for dinner in my house.  I made baked ziti, 5 large pans, several days ahead.  All I had to do was pop them in the oven to heat them up, and when they were warm, covered them and kept them warm in the oven until it was time to eat.

I did do it buffet style.  I had a salad bar and different breads as well. On the tables were the silverware, seasonings, butter, olive oil and herbs for bread dipping if so desired, and several salad dressing choices.  

I think it was one of the easiest large dinners I have had.  All the prep work and dishes were done days in advance.  Everyone ate well and enjoyed it. I wish you good luck.

[aggravated]

I have always thought that soup in buffet is difficult unless there is somewhere to sit for everybody.  We have an office manager who insists on parties in a room with a table, food and a bar but has all the chairs removed.  People are supposed to mingle.  As a result, no one is comfortable and everyone ends up putting food on their plate and leaving to eat the food - it's impossible with drinks and food and nowhere to put anything. 

[Scorpio1971]

A baked pasta dish comes to mind...baked ziti?  And a frittata...even possibly 2 different ones, one with just veggies and one with meat & veggies...i.e. cooked & drained sausage meat or ham with veggies.  Both are easy to just leave out for a buffet.  Crusty rolls and a large salad with a couple different dressings and just oil & vinegar options too.

And a bowl of fruit would be a nice light addition for one type of a dessert along with a traditional sweet one like a cake or pastries.

[spot555]

When I was younger, my mom had parties at the house with up to 50 people. We ALWAYS had a buffet- everyone loved it, & ate A LOT of food.

Soup can be very messy, & is so easy to spill when it comes to a buffet & your carpet & furniture. As much as I love chili, I'd avoid it because some people are really "gassy", lol.

You know your guests & their style of eating, so go with that. Do they appreciate comfort food, like pasta, mac-n-cheese, french bread, green salad with plenty topping choices, etc?

We always had tons of salad greens, several dressing choices, & LOTS of topping choices.  The salad was consistently a huge hit, & was pretty much wiped out. Put out some types of pickles & olives, too. 

There are so many choices- have fun & don't make it too hard on yourself!  

[novamc1]

@Patz822

If you're hosting this party around dinner time, this combination went over very well with the 20 guests at our holiday party last year.  It was easy to cook and keep warm the meatballs and mashed potatoes throughout the party.

http://www.publix.com/aprons-recipes/barbecue-meatballs-over-mashed-potatoes

It's the type of food that particularly appeals to men.

So easy to do when you buy frozen meatballs and refrigerated pre-made mashed potatoes, and use a crockpot to keep the potatoes warm, while keeping the meatballs warm in their sauce in a cast iron braiser pan or another crockpot.

Also, I went to a holiday party years ago where the hostess served mashed potatoes in martini glasses as an appetizer. 

This was a  party fad back then and it probably still works if you put out the "fixings" for the mashed potatoes---chopped chives, shredded cheese, crisp chopped bacon,  sour cream, etc.