inexpensive menu for a crowd?

[MrsManiac]

I know May has just gotten started, but I'm trying to plan ahead and start stockpiling for our summer get-togethers. We have the 4th, dh's b-day, and the Bologna Festival at the end of July. The biggie is the Festival--we're expecting about 30 people or so, and I'd like to do something different, other than the usual dogs, burgers, and chicken.

So ladies, what are your favorite inexpensive ideas? I love these people, but not enough to give them steaks lol! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated--I'm not used to making bbq for large groups . Thanks!!

Ps--some people are bringing stuff(like chicken etc) so I'm not blowing off frugality--I'm just looking for things that are different!

[vgbuttons]

How about a bigggggggg dish of Lasagna? That always goes a long way. You can make it ahead and freeze it then pop it in the microwave or oven.
Or maybe some finger sandwiches and a pot of baked beans.
It's been a long time since I put on a feast for that many.
We're on the road most of the time so we don't really intertain that much.
I've always loved to cook for lot's of people.
I'll look around for some recipes or ideas for you.
I always liek to plan way ahead of time.
You know what, might be a good idead is a pot of meatballs and Italian sausage with small Italian rolls. That always went big with my crew.
Good luck

[MrsManiac]

Thanks! I've done a search, but it's all too "gourmet"--at leasr so far! I'm going to make some bbq pork in the cp and serve it with some homemade buns-that went over well last year and only cost me about $10 for a LOT of pork! The veggie tray will basically be free since I grow my own(that is, if it would stop raining long enough to plant them lol!). I'm thinking hm mac-n-cheese--that should be fairly inexpensive.

Good thing I never went into the catering business lol!

[vgbuttons]

That sounds good with what you have planned.
I've alway wanted to be in the catering business but I don't stay put anymore with traveling with my husband. We still have a house in North Carolina and only go back for a week or so at a time to see kids and grandkids. They are what I miss most about traveling is not seeing them grow up like I use to. But I also love the traveling too so guess I can't have it all.
Missed having a garden with the traveling so I decided to plant a few things and put them in front of our RV. I planted, bell peppers, eggplant and tomatoes in large white plastic buckets. What a screen that was in front of the trailer. Everyone in the park stopped by to see it. With the small freezer in these RV's there isn't enough room to do any of that and I left my canner back in NC. My husband says if you dont't use it in a year then you leave it.
Needless to say I shared with the park with my veggies.

[Mom2twoboyz]

Val,

What a neat life!! That is what my dh and I would love to do eventually. He loves to travel but when he married me he got a package deal and the lovely (2 boys) part of the package keeps me in one place. Our plan, once the boys and his twins are on their own, is to do an RV or something along those lines. He is an RN who travels without me at this time. I would love to go along and have him come "home" to me in an RV. I am studying to be a paralegal so that when this finally comes to pass I will have a job that can travel too. But, hmmm, I'm thinking maybe sitting in the RV doing crafts and playing on the computer might just be a lot more fun.

[vgbuttons]

Yes, this life style is really a neat one.
Neither one of us knew that we'd be doing anything like this in our life.
My husband retired from a Nuke plant in NC where we lived for 18 years and raised the kids and some fo our grandkids. I had some heart problems with stress on my job ( rural mail carrier) so he made me quit and then he took early retirement the following year. He wanted me to see the world as he called it before anything happened and we couldn't. It was a tough choice to leave the house and kids behind especially first Christmas holiday but after that I was fine. We bought a 25 ft. Travel trailer that we live in about 11 months out of the year. I have room for my computer which is a Gateway profile cx and the tower and etc is all in the computer so it doens't take up heaps of room. Along with my scanner and printer. It can be cramped at times but it's homey. We went to Alaska in 97 with a slide in camper in out truck and stayed gone for about 6 months. Now that was tight quarters. But we like each other and you have to in order to be that close to someone. I could go on day about our life style but don't have enough room.

[Shawn]

In the past when I was asked to make stuff for a large crowd (my friend asked me to cook for her sons communion).

Pasta Salad (easy to make)
Sausage and Peppers (boardwalk style and in a red sauce)
Baked Ziti (this was easier then lasagna)
Pasta and Peas

There there are always the classics like:

Macaroni Salad
Potato Salad
Tossed Salad
Cucumber Salad

[MrsManiac]

Hey, I like the baked ziti idea. I've got some of those trays you put the canned heat under, so I can serve hot stuff outside. (Am trying to keep this an "outdoor" event lol). Could you post the recipe, please, Shawn?

[grannydiane]

Hi! A few years ago my Mom had a family reunion with quite a few people coming. She made meatballs ahead and froze them, then the day of the reunion she put them in a crockpot and poured on her favorite Bar-B-Q sauce. It was a big hit with the men ,so be sure to make plenty! You may need several crockpots. Everyone else brings the salads and bars, so it was inexpensive and easy. Diane

[Shawn]

I will post the recipe for Baked ziti in the Pasta area of the Recipe Exchange..

Click below for the recipes.

Baked Ziti Recipe and my Meat Sauce