Have you ever 5 (Poll)?
- Thread starter Lefty
- Start date
buckytom
Grill Master
i cook for 10 or more every year when my family gets together for either my parents' anniversary or birthday. last year for their anniversary, we had a "soup party" where everyone brought a different soup. i made manhattan clam chowder for 20.
the most number of people i've cooked for was this past christmas, at my dept's christmas party. on a budget of $600, i fed somewhere around 100 people.
i made a full service tray of salad, 2 full trays of lasagna, 2 full trays of sausages and meatballs, a full tray of pasta primavera, and a tray and a half of pulled pork with a gross of slider rolls.
drinks were ten 64 oz. bottles of soda, 2 cases of water, and 10 litre and a half bottles of wine.
the most number of people i've cooked for was this past christmas, at my dept's christmas party. on a budget of $600, i fed somewhere around 100 people.
i made a full service tray of salad, 2 full trays of lasagna, 2 full trays of sausages and meatballs, a full tray of pasta primavera, and a tray and a half of pulled pork with a gross of slider rolls.
drinks were ten 64 oz. bottles of soda, 2 cases of water, and 10 litre and a half bottles of wine.
Jim_S
Resident Curmudgeon
Until a couple of years ago when it just got to be too much for us we had an annual Christmas Party. Usually between 100 to 150 in attendance. Not all at one time though, we ran it as an "Open House" from around 4 to 9 pm so folks could come and go. All the neighbors, folks I worked with and the staff from Beth's office.
There's a thread around here somewhere with some pictures. I'll see if I can find it.
Jim
There's a thread around here somewhere with some pictures. I'll see if I can find it.
Jim
smoke king
Banned
Every stinkin' summer holiday-(since we have the swimming pool) my family descends on our house likie the Clampetts hit Beverly Hills! (and I wouldn't have it any other way 
)
I'd say 4th of July draws at least 30+ guests, so I smoke the meats, do a "prison yeild" batch of Potato salad, and usually 4 or 5 desserts. Everyone in attendance usually brings something as well, so we always have waaaaaaaaaaay too much food-but thats the way it should be-right?
) I'd say 4th of July draws at least 30+ guests, so I smoke the meats, do a "prison yeild" batch of Potato salad, and usually 4 or 5 desserts. Everyone in attendance usually brings something as well, so we always have waaaaaaaaaaay too much food-but thats the way it should be-right?
SilverSage
Resident Crone
I do 25-40 at least once or twice a year. I love to throw parties and do all the cooking!
All joking aside though I've feed probably 25 to 30 here and perhaps a couple more in our last home. Being that our apartment is small we tend now to keep down the number of guests as best as we can.
Nope, not me.
I have a very small family and I don't like hosting dinner parties anymore.
When I cook for people, I bring them containers to take home.
Lee
Edited to say, boy, that sounds cold, doesn't it? LOL! Maybe it comes from working retail and having to deal with people all day long.
I have a very small family and I don't like hosting dinner parties anymore.
When I cook for people, I bring them containers to take home.
Lee
Edited to say, boy, that sounds cold, doesn't it? LOL! Maybe it comes from working retail and having to deal with people all day long.
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14-20 people over the years.
Thrice on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and asked no one to bring anything.
Once in England. I wanted to have a Thanksgiving feast for my family.
Of course they don't celebrate the holiday over there but were excited about it.
I found a turkey of good size, but had to pre-order it at the butchers as you can't get a frozen turkey in the UK.
I made a pumpkin pie, and had to use a fresh pumpkin.
Mash, gravy, stuffing (Paxo).. made the traditional green bean casserole (that took some work lol) and Steven made the appetizers.. some fab prawn cocktails.
So yes, I have cooked for crowds.
I miss doing it.
Thrice on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and asked no one to bring anything.
Once in England. I wanted to have a Thanksgiving feast for my family.
Of course they don't celebrate the holiday over there but were excited about it.
I found a turkey of good size, but had to pre-order it at the butchers as you can't get a frozen turkey in the UK.
I made a pumpkin pie, and had to use a fresh pumpkin.
Mash, gravy, stuffing (Paxo).. made the traditional green bean casserole (that took some work lol) and Steven made the appetizers.. some fab prawn cocktails.
So yes, I have cooked for crowds.
I miss doing it.
Maverick2272
Stewed Monkey
Nope. Most would be 7 I think. The wife and me, our three kids, and two guests.
Birthday parties would go over 10, but I order in what they want or put in ear plugs and take em to Chuck-e-Cheeses, LOL. Luckily that hasn't happened in about 4 years, but I think Abby may soon be wanting to go there for her 6th this year.
Birthday parties would go over 10, but I order in what they want or put in ear plugs and take em to Chuck-e-Cheeses, LOL. Luckily that hasn't happened in about 4 years, but I think Abby may soon be wanting to go there for her 6th this year.
GotGarlic
New member
We had 18 for Thanksgiving last year, although some people brought some of the sides. And we've had a few neighborhood parties with 30-40 people. Been a while since we've done that, though. I like having dinner parties for 8 people. I think it's a good number, and that's how many dining-room chairs I have 
Otherwise, I have to get some from someone.
Otherwise, I have to get some from someone.
SilverSage
Resident Crone
I grew up cooking for large groups.
My mother died when I was 13 years old. I was the oldest of 5 kids, and my father decided that cooking was 'women's work'. At 13, I was the closest thing to a woman in the house. He was also fighting a lot of family members that were telling him that he couldn't raise 5 young children on his own. He decided to 'show' them, and invited both sides of the family for Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Guess what - that meant I had to cook it! However, Mom died in April, my birthday was in June, and Thanksgiving is in November. I was no longer 13 - by now I was all of 14!
I had never cooked a turkey in my life - or the rest of the stuff that was expected to accompany it. I got up early and spent the entire morning on the phone with Grandma, as she talked me through the process of cleaning, prepping, stuffing, and roasting the birds (yes, that's plural - 2 25+ pound birds). I literally did it on the phone with her all morning. I made all the traditional sides (traditional if you're Irish), mashed potatoes, yellow turnips (rutabagas), parsnips, Brussels sprouts, cranberry (this was canned), dressing, etc. Other than the cranberry, it was all from scratch.
Yes - I really made my first big dinner without a cookbook or a recipe or a mother - it was all done on the phone with Grandma throughout the whole process.
Mom was one of 5 kids, and Dad was one of 4. They all had husbands, wives & kids (lots of kids - we're Catholic). And most of them came to see just what a disaster Mike (my dad) would make of this.
Someone had to pick up Grandma because she didn't drive (she was born in 1890, European women didn't drive back then), and she brought the pies (Thank the Lord).
At 14, I made my first dinner for 30-40 people (minus the desert), and I've never looked back.
After that, my aunt, my grandma, and I went into rotation for the holidays. Eventually (as an adult) I inherited all holiday cooking.
Now that I live in Florida, many of my friends have retired down here, and have no nearby family. No one asks, they just expect to show up here on holidays. Some are widdowed. Some are lonely. Some are gay. Some have children who are estranged. Some only see their kids once a year. But I have holidays for everyone who needs a family. It might be 20 people or it might be 40. Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving - everyone shows up. The same thing goes for birthdays - I may have 10, or I may have 40. But I am everybody's Sister/Mother/Daughter and I make sure they all have birthday parties when their families are up north and can't be here.
For me, dinner for 10, 20, 30, 40 is just what I do.
My mother died when I was 13 years old. I was the oldest of 5 kids, and my father decided that cooking was 'women's work'. At 13, I was the closest thing to a woman in the house. He was also fighting a lot of family members that were telling him that he couldn't raise 5 young children on his own. He decided to 'show' them, and invited both sides of the family for Thanksgiving dinner at our house. Guess what - that meant I had to cook it! However, Mom died in April, my birthday was in June, and Thanksgiving is in November. I was no longer 13 - by now I was all of 14!
I had never cooked a turkey in my life - or the rest of the stuff that was expected to accompany it. I got up early and spent the entire morning on the phone with Grandma, as she talked me through the process of cleaning, prepping, stuffing, and roasting the birds (yes, that's plural - 2 25+ pound birds). I literally did it on the phone with her all morning. I made all the traditional sides (traditional if you're Irish), mashed potatoes, yellow turnips (rutabagas), parsnips, Brussels sprouts, cranberry (this was canned), dressing, etc. Other than the cranberry, it was all from scratch.
Yes - I really made my first big dinner without a cookbook or a recipe or a mother - it was all done on the phone with Grandma throughout the whole process.
Mom was one of 5 kids, and Dad was one of 4. They all had husbands, wives & kids (lots of kids - we're Catholic). And most of them came to see just what a disaster Mike (my dad) would make of this.
Someone had to pick up Grandma because she didn't drive (she was born in 1890, European women didn't drive back then), and she brought the pies (Thank the Lord).
At 14, I made my first dinner for 30-40 people (minus the desert), and I've never looked back.
After that, my aunt, my grandma, and I went into rotation for the holidays. Eventually (as an adult) I inherited all holiday cooking.
Now that I live in Florida, many of my friends have retired down here, and have no nearby family. No one asks, they just expect to show up here on holidays. Some are widdowed. Some are lonely. Some are gay. Some have children who are estranged. Some only see their kids once a year. But I have holidays for everyone who needs a family. It might be 20 people or it might be 40. Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving - everyone shows up. The same thing goes for birthdays - I may have 10, or I may have 40. But I am everybody's Sister/Mother/Daughter and I make sure they all have birthday parties when their families are up north and can't be here.
For me, dinner for 10, 20, 30, 40 is just what I do.
