I have a Cooking Question Too!

Moms View Message Board: General Discussion: Archive September 2004: I have a Cooking Question Too!

We are going to have Taylor's Baptism next month and i was thinking of having everyone over to our house after. We would have about 20 people over to our house around 11:00 and I don't want to be in the kitchen the whole time and I don't want people to have to wait a long time to eat. What can I cook or make ahead of time that is filling and tasty?????
Any suggestions would be great.
Thanks.

By Monicamomof3 on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 08:08 pm:

i have a yummy chicken casserole recipe that you can even pre-cook and just warm up when you are ready. You could also pre-cook other casseroles. That would give you a tasty meal with out all the stress of time. Then, you could just throw a salad together with all of your pre-sliced veggies. Let me know if you want chicken casserole recipe.

By Vicki on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 08:10 pm:

Off the top of my head...how about a taco bar! You could put the meat filling in the crock pot and have all the fixings cut up and ready to go. Have soft and hard shell tacos or taco salad! Or the old stand by of sloppy joes in the crock pot with a veggie tray and perhaps fruit salad....maybe a vegetable pizza?? These are things off the top of my head that can be made ahead and basically ready when you all get there!! Oh, just thought of another one..how about a meat tray for subs!!

By Andi on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 08:56 pm:

I was thinking of cooking up Taco meat in the crock pot. Then I started thinking, since it's her Baptism, maybe I should try to do something a little nicer. I agree that tacos or sandwiches would be easy but this is a special occasion and I wanted to make the food reflect that. I know I'm being picky...maybe we should just take everyone to brunch or something. I just hate to spend all that money.

By Mommyathome on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 09:13 pm:

Maybe put a turkey in the oven late the night before. Put potatoes and veggies in a large crockpot that morning before the baptism. Serve rolls and a green salad.

Be sure to post pics of Taylor in her baptism dress!

By Emily7 on Tuesday, August 31, 2004 - 11:27 pm:

Swedish meatballs over rice or noodles.
roast beef
ham
veggie & fruit trays
with the ham or raost you could have rolls so they could make their own sandwiches if wanted.

Since it is in the early afternoon you could do more of a brunch with crossiants, muffins, fruit, cheese hashbrowns, sausage links.

By Paulas on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 01:18 am:

I like the idea of Brunch type foods since it will be early afternoon. Emily suggested some great stuff.

By Mrse on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 01:25 am:

Lazana and salad, pre cook lazana and just warm it up in the oven, salad can also be pre made

By Vicki on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 08:25 am:

If you want a little more fancy you could do a honey baked ham if you have them in your area. Hashbrown casserole could be put into one big pan and started before you left for the service and would be done when you get home. Add a salad and some rolls and perhaps fruit and I think it would be very nice. I also like the idea of more of a lighter brunch, but don't know how special or fancy that you might think that is.

By Palmbchprincess on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 09:01 am:

A nice roast or two, depending on how many you are feeding, served with a salad. Veggie tray, fruit tray, and cheese for munching on, maybe some chicken or turkey if some don't eat red meat. HTH

By Andi on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 11:22 am:

Honey baked ham!!! What a great idea...I think that is what I will do! THANK YOU...now why didnt I think of that?????

By Ginny~moderator on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 01:09 pm:

If you are having 20 people, is this sit-down or buffet? If buffet, I strongly suggest foods that don't need knife&fork cutting, as this hard to do standing up or with a plate on your lap. In other words - either finger food or food that is bite size to start with. One option is to have a buffet with really good sandwich makings, like a real roasted turkey instead of deli turkey, roast beef, etc.

Emily's suggestions for a brunch buffet sound super, now that I've read them, and if it were me I'd go in that direction. You could have really fancy individual fruit cups, and the croissants (instead of biscuits) are a classy touch. Think about Brown&Serve sausages that you can do in the oven, or sausage patties and cook in the oven. The fruit cup stuff can be cut up the night before, put in fanchy small bowls (plastic, if you don't have enough glass ones) and dressed up when you get back home, and most of the rest can be done fairly quickly. See if you can recruit a couple of family members whom you know are reliable and won't mind to help you when you get back from church, so that you can all get out of the kitchen quickly.

By Annie2 on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 04:56 pm:

I would do the Honeybaked ham, too. Buy frozen sides from the grocer that you can place into your dishes and warm up when guests arrive.
The same ones from the HBH Co. are small and expensive. ie: green bean casserole, corn souffle, scalloped potatoes.
Offer rolls, condiments and a fruit tray.
What's left on the fruit tray can be placed into small serving bowls, topped with coconut for dessert with some lime sherbet along with a cake/ice cream for the kids.
Unless you have matching plates, bowls, utensils, etc for everyone, I would go ahead to a party store and get all matching paper ones for the party.
Have fun and take alot of pictures to share with us!

By Conni on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 - 05:01 pm:

Brisket

Pork tenderloin

I like the brunch and ham ideas too.