Chook Me!

Looking for a great dish to feed 10 adults and 3 children (5, 3 and 2) at a cabin, any thoughts?

I'm looking for something other than chili, sloppy joe's, homemade macaroni cheese, spaghetti bolognese or chicken, broccoli and rice casserole.

Public Comments

1. I would think you would grill something being at a cabin. Pork chops hamburgers steaks brats chicken breasts.
2. This is a ridiculously easy recipe that feeds a bunch of people. I don't bother with the pre-cooking of the tortillas, and if you don't feel like bringing fresh chicken breasts, I've made it with canned white meat chicken, and it tasted fine. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Quick-and-Easy-Green-Chile-Chicken-Enchilada-Casserole/Detail.aspx
3. Use lots of bread in your meal so that the guests get full quickly ( the bread will expand in their stomach as soon as they take a sip of their drink. Wine makes bread expand more than any other drink.)
4. Swedish Meatballs, served on buttered noodles, fresh bread and butter, sliced tomato and cucumber vinagrette, steamed broccoli, coffee, milk, iced tea. Dessert: assorted cookies or brownies.
5. Make this pasta salad and add more meat to it and it could very well be a meal within itself. It can also go with steaks and sandwiches. You can double the recipe if you need to, it holds up very well in ziplock and it's something quick and easy to eat once you make it. OK this is the best: 1 box of farafelli or bowtie pasta cooked as directed, rinsed in cold water. Drained. 1/2 bottle or more or less of each of these Zesty Italian salad dressing and French Dressing 1/2 Red onion minced 1/2 block of extra sharp cheddar cheese cut into very small cubes (slice thin then Julienne then cut into small cubes) Ham or Chicken cut into smallish chunks Red pepper flakes Few pinches of garlic powder (not garlic salt) or one finely minced clove of garlic Red bell pepper minced Cherry tomatoes (although I leave them out so the pasta can last longer in fridge, just add them when you eat it) salt and pepper (this is important especially pepper) One small can of yellow sweet corn drained of liquid place pasta in bowl, add salt and pepper gently mix. Add one teaspoon of white sugar. Mix again add peppers, onion, cheese, meat, and corn mix again. add garlic mix once more (as you see you must mix at every addition to ensure proper coating and delicious taste, takes time but you'll love it) add Italian dressing first, mix, then add french, mix then add meat product (or no meat at all) mix. Test for proper seasoning. . Let sit in fridge to marry flavors. I put it in a zip lock so I can easily remix when eating. add cherry or other tomatoes when eating.......cause it will make salad too watery and messy. Pasta should be well coated but not dripping with dressing....it will be sorta orange.....and it will be like heaven in a plate LOL.....enjoy Please note: mincing onion and peppers and cheese will allow them the adhere to pasta better and not overwhelm you when eating....oh you can use leftover cold cuts too works just fine......
6. Taco Salad, leave everything seperate and have buffet make your own. the 2 and 3 yr olds can eat the meat and cheese, black olives, tomatoes, avacado and chips. Pasta Salad with grilled chicken. penne pasta grilled chicken green olives black olives red, green, yellow bell peppers grape tomatoes artichole heart green onion toasted pine nuts feta cheese (or cubed cheddar) pour over a big bottle of Paul Newmans Balsamic Vinegarette.
7. If you will be cooking over a fire, I would suggest trying foil packet meals. You just need to bring a box of foil and a bunch of vegetables, some oil, salt&pepper, and sausages or some other kind of meat if desired. I like to use potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, various root veggies like rutabegas or parsnips, onions, and garlic. I usually add some sliced polish sausage. Just dice it all up, lay meal-sized portions on peices of foil, pour seasonings and oil over the top, wrap it up, and lay on a rack or right on the flames for 30 minutes or so. Make sure you allow for some venting at the top of packet. It is a tasty, nutritious, all in one meal with almost zero clean up.
8. What about grilling? It's so hot right now, that grilling would save you from having to heat up the stove. You can grill anything, and even if you don't have one at the cabin you can usually buy a small one for $20 - $30. If you do this don't limit yourself to hamburgers or chicken. Try fish, or kabob's, you can even roast bell peppers, whole onions, corn on the cob (in or out of the husk) and include them as a side dish. I've even seen pizza made on the grill. Of course anything on the grill is always better with a nice side salad and some fresh fruit.
9. ********OLD FASHION GOULASH 1 lb. ground beef 1 can diced Rotel tomatoes with green chilies 1 can Ranch style beans Elbow macaroni (pre cook according to package) Brown ground beef; drain. Add all other ingredients. Simmer about 15 minutes. Top with grated Cheddar cheese. Its quick, easy and good. *******TEXAS SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS WITH CABBAGE 2 lg. heads cabbage 5 pork chops 3/4 c. cooking oil 1 gallon water Clean and wash cabbage leaves. Put water and cabbage in stock pot and boil until tender. Drain cabbage well in strainer. Fry pork chops in black iron fry pan until brown. Cut pork chops in small pieces. In frying pan with grease from pork chops, put cabbage and smother down. After cabbage is smothered down a little and excess water evaporates, add pork chops and seasoning. Cook cabbage until brown. Take about 1 1/2 hours. ****QUICK HAMBURGER RED BEAN DINNER 1 lb. ground beef 1 med. onion 1 bell pepper 1 pkg. Lipton's onion soup mix 1 c. rice 1 can red beans Salt and pepper to taste Brown beef in skillet; drain. Add onion and bell pepper, finely chopped, and stir in red beans. Add soup mix and simmer 15 minutes. Cook rice; salt and pepper to taste. Serve burger mix over rice
10. Lasagna Tuna Casserole Ham, Cheese and potato bake Baked ham Pot roast Home made chicken and noodles or dumplings Bert
11. Tuna salad: cook shell noodles then rinse them in cool water until they are, well, cooled. put in tuna, canned peas, onion if you like or celery if you like, miracle whip (or mayo, I guess you could use but I don't like it so eeew), mix it all together and voila I like mine super cold so I put it in the fridge for at least an hour. Feeds plenty and fills them up and its not too hot for a summers day. I also like a dish with cream of mushroom soup mixed up with canned corned beef. You just mix up a can of soup and a can of corned beef put it on half a hamburg bun, put it under the broiler until it is warmed through. One can of soup and can of corned beef will usually go on 8 bun halfs. I know this dish probably sounds a bit weird but my maternal grandmother used to make it often. My mom puts green pepper on hers, for variety. You can also do the same mixture and put noodles in it and bake it in the oven for a casserole. Bamburger: This one you take cabbage and shred it, cooked bacon (cut up), pork chops (cooked and cut up), and hamburger (cooked) and some white wine (we use apple juice instead as we don't drink, even though the alcohol cooks off) and mix it up and bake in the oven until the cabbage is cooked through. Thats yummy too. You put some spices in it but thats pretty much to taste. It might also have onion, if you like. Or, we always liked making a foil pouch, put a hamburger patty, onion slices, potatoes, and corn in a pouch and cook it on the grill for a 1/2 hour or so and each person gets their own pouch. We used to make that a lot for camping.
12. Does the cabin have a regular range and oven? or will you be cooking over a fire of some kind? If you've got a regular oven, here's a recipe I made up when I first got married... With the number you're feeding, you may want to do 2 of these... For each casserole-- 1 can each of chili, cream of ____ soup (small can!!) 2 cups of shredded cheese (your choice- I use cheddar) 5-7 potatoes (enough to fill the pan) 9x13 cake or casserole pan Peel or scrub the potatoes and then slice then THIN!! In a large bowl, mix together the cans of soup and 1 cup cheese. Then fold in the potatoes. Top with the rest of the cheese and cover with foil. I like to spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray so the cheese doesn't stick ;) Bake at 400F for at least an hour. Turn the heat off, remove the foil, and return to the oven while you prepare whatever side dishes you've planned. If you do NOT have a regular oven, most anything dutch oven will work. Grill some meat, and do potatoes (no, beer isn't necessary- just substitute Sprite). you'll probably want at least 2 12" ovens-worth for this many people.
13. Dutch Oven BarBQ Chicken and Cobbler... Just a thought since there are stage 2 fire restrictions and you can only use charcoal.
14. Are you camping? Something our family does over a campfire is ground beef, potatoes, carrots and onions, wrapped in aluminum foil. We place it in the coals and allow it to cook. Other things we have done are taco salad (ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, taco chips). Other "dinner" type salads are great too. And watermelon for dessert!
15. burritos or tacos with spanish rice. Or you can make refried beans with spanish rice and enchiladas. If you don't have a recipe I can explain how to make them or if you want I'm sure there are good recipes online. This meal is very cost effective and younger kids love beans and tortillas, plus it is very fulfilling and easy to make. if you want to know how to make the enchiladas just let me know : )