Recipes

[Desertdi]

40 people would suffocate in my house...........but, I'd order pizza to be delivered at intervals.............

[qualitygal]

Simplify, simplify, simplify. Make it a big finger food get together. Make everything disposable at the end. I love veggie trays, how about some crockpot meatballs? I know Taste of Home had a whole book on crowds, or look up church pot lucks, they have some good ideas with recipes. JMHO

[novamc1]

@Allegheny

Here's what I thought was a great idea for keeping food  at a safe temperature for long parties and buffets where people come and go at various times, or when entertaining outdoors when it's hot.

From a garden store or elsewhere, buy a long rectangular potting container, line it with plastic (trash bags, maybe), fill it with bags of ice, and place 2-4 bowls of food on the ice.. 

Seems to me a big family gathering could include bowls of chicken salad,  pasta salad, tuna salad, fruit salad,  ham salad,  potato salad, cole slaw,  egg salad, boiled shrimp, etc, --  and have nearby some of those little "slider" sandwich rolls that are available in the bread aisle at your local grocery so folks can make their own sandwiches.

[sfnative]

@Allegheny

Hi Allegheny,

I'm going to take a chance and post this recipe.  It's one that I asked for time and time again from a friend who owned a catering business in Marin County, CA.  She refused to give it to me.  However, we both belonged to the same non-profit organization and one evening we had a pot luck and she brought this salad.  Here was my opportunity.  I placed a serving on a plate and sat down with it and a fork, then slowly picked apart the various components.  Well, my catering fried came over and asked what I was doing, so I told her that since she wouldn't share her recipe, I was going to figure it out this way.  What will you dress it with, she asked me most hautily.  Why, with Randy's dressing, of course.  Anyway, here's the recipe.  **I now add matchstick pieces of hard salame to the salad.

Marin County’s Best Garden Vegetable Salad

1 pkg feta cheese, crumbled

3 carrots, diced

3 zucchini, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 pint of cherry or your favorite small tomatoes, cut in half

1 can pitted kalamata olives, sliced

1 bunch scallions, slice both white and green

1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley

2 stalks of celery, diced

Cork screw pasta (1 box or pkg)

Randy’s vinaigrette dressing (see below)

Chop all vegetables. Cook and drain pasta, then cool to room temp. Mix all together in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss, 30 minutes before serving.

Randy’s Vinaigrette Dressing

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup canola, corn oil, or safflower oil

4 Tbs vinegar (wine, tarragon, dark balsamic, light balsamic)

1 tsp table salt

¼ tsp finely ground pepper

½ tsp dry mustard

2 cloves garlic, chopped small

Combine in a container from which the dressing can be easily poured, then shake vigorously. Make one day ahead of intended initial use so flavors can develop.

*I usually double this recipe. It’s been a staple in my frig since passed along to me by a dear friend in the late 70s.

*When I discovered light balsamic vinegar, it was necessary to go to lighter oil, so brought safflower into the mix.

[Allegheny]

@sfnative

Hi sfnative

Thank you so much for sharing the salad recipe.  It sound right up my alley.  I like the addition of salami.  It would be a nice addition to the Christmas menu and most of the other foods are served heated.  Sounds refreshing buy yet hardy.

[sfnative]

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@Allegheny wrote:

@sfnative

Hi sfnative

Thank you so much for sharing the salad recipe.  It sound right up my alley.  I like the addition of salami.  It would be a nice addition to the Christmas menu and most of the other foods are served heated.  Sounds refreshing buy yet hardy.

---

@Allegheny

Hi Allegheny,

I went back into my post because I caught a few errors, as I was rushing to get the lasagna out of the oven when I posted it.  If you plan on using it or want to keep it for future reference please make sure you have the corrected version.  Thanks! ~Rebecca

[Allegheny]

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@sfnative wrote:

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@Allegheny wrote:

@sfnative

Hi sfnative

Thank you so much for sharing the salad recipe.  It sound right up my alley.  I like the addition of salami.  It would be a nice addition to the Christmas menu and most of the other foods are served heated.  Sounds refreshing buy yet hardy.

---

@Allegheny

Hi Allegheny,

I went back into my post because I caught a few errors, as I was rushing to get the lasagna out of the oven when I posted it.  If you plan on using it or want to keep it for future reference please make sure you have the corrected version.  Thanks! ~Rebecca

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Thank you for letting me know.

[momtochloe]

I signed up for email blasts from this site and just love what they send.  Here are some great ideas for appetizer type snacks both savory and sweet:

http://www.tablespoon.com/posts/game-day-party-rings-for-couch-grazers/27b4e5b2-eaa1-45b8-ab36-54368...

[denisemb]

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@novamc1 wrote:

@Allegheny

Here's what I thought was a great idea for keeping food  at a safe temperature for long parties and buffets where people come and go at various times, or when entertaining outdoors when it's hot.

From a garden store or elsewhere, buy a long rectangular potting container, line it with plastic (trash bags, maybe), fill it with bags of ice, and place 2-4 bowls of food on the ice.. 

Seems to me a big family gathering could include bowls of chicken salad,  pasta salad, tuna salad, fruit salad,  ham salad,  potato salad, cole slaw,  egg salad, boiled shrimp, etc, --  and have nearby some of those little "slider" sandwich rolls that are available in the bread aisle at your local grocery so folks can make their own sandwiches.

---

Another suggestion is to buy a $ store "under the bed" plastic storage box, fill with ice and nestle your "cold" food bowls.  (We do this for family reunions.)

My favorite crowd recipe is allrecipes.com antipasto pasta salad.  I've tweaked it over the years (use all genoa salami instead of 1/2 pepperoni, halved grape tomatoes instead of whole chopped, add a bit of sweet onion -  and we prefer the dressing to be a bit more vinegary.)  This can be made the day ahead,in which case save some of the dressing to pour at the last minute.and toss.

[Allegheny]

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@denisemb wrote:

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@novamc1 wrote:

@Allegheny

Here's what I thought was a great idea for keeping food  at a safe temperature for long parties and buffets where people come and go at various times, or when entertaining outdoors when it's hot.

From a garden store or elsewhere, buy a long rectangular potting container, line it with plastic (trash bags, maybe), fill it with bags of ice, and place 2-4 bowls of food on the ice.. 

Seems to me a big family gathering could include bowls of chicken salad,  pasta salad, tuna salad, fruit salad,  ham salad,  potato salad, cole slaw,  egg salad, boiled shrimp, etc, --  and have nearby some of those little "slider" sandwich rolls that are available in the bread aisle at your local grocery so folks can make their own sandwiches.

---

Another suggestion is to buy a $ store "under the bed" plastic storage box, fill with ice and nestle your "cold" food bowls.  (We do this for family reunions.)

My favorite crowd recipe is allrecipes.com antipasto pasta salad.  I've tweaked it over the years (use all genoa salami instead of 1/2 pepperoni, halved grape tomatoes instead of whole chopped, add a bit of sweet onion -  and we prefer the dressing to be a bit more vinegary.)  This can be made the day ahead,in which case save some of the dressing to pour at the last minute.and toss.

---

Hi Denise, thanks for the great suggestions regarding cold food storage. I leave that up to my SIL. The majority of the crowd eats at one time and after eating we pack the food up and put it in the frig for any really late arrivers. Actually, we have more hot foods served at the Christmas gathering. Some bring their stuff in crock pots. But I tell you it is a real pain reheating all the other hot stuff in the oven and microwave before serving. I love the description of your recipe, I could eat that all day.