I have several that will feed up to about 16. My friends and I have monthly potlucks, so I’m always making a mess of one thing or another.

More or less. Everyone won’t be eating everything, but I’m looking at substantial amounts.

Used to feed my daughter's basketball team, some were vegan, some gluten free, some meat-a-sauruses. Set it up as a buffet and let everyone fix their own plate. I make a mean Mexican cabbage salad to go with it too! Recipe available on request!

thanks for the reminder:

Basque Chicken With Peas and bacon

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/4746-basque-chicken-with-peas

Csn be made ahead of time and frozen, and kept warm in a crock pot.

Can be made ahead kept warm in a slow cooker or nuked. LIke others said, chili is always a good crowd pleaser. You could go nuts with the "accesories" like breads/condiments and sauces..
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Gumbo, chili, jambalaya. They all get better over time. Red beans n rice. Shrimp boil is good hot, warm or cold. Finger foods are a hit. Wings aren't bad at room temp and chips go well with them.

Last edited Mon Jul 15, 2019, 08:54 PM - Edit history (1)

I did a vegetarian chilli, onions, carrots, poblano peppers, green peppers, cans of cubed tomatoes and kidney beans, a bit of spices for medium heat. It was in the crockpot ~6 hrs, and was very organic & what I had on hand. I also made a pot of rice to lessen the heat and mix together for protein. I brought along a bag of shredded cheese & some sour cream. I did not have leftovers.

There’s a black-bean chili in one of the editions of Joy of Cooking that I’ve made before and really liked.

if feeling generous and/or wanting to promote beef, I bring shredded slow cooked beef and rolls/tortillas, folks can add whatever - hot sauce, BBQ, cheese, salad, etc

Keep 2 or 3 crock pots going.
Pulled pork in barbecue sauce
Shredded chicken in hot wing sauce
Deli roast beef, sliced thin and cooked with broth and seasonings
Serve with crusty rolls and sandwich toppings - pickles, roasted peppers, cheeses, etc. and coleslaw and chips.
For a while we had a guest who was vegan so I made a crockpot of vegan chili as well.

raves and requests for recipe.

Have a big electric fry pan so kept it on warm for serving.

Sweet Potato Hash

Cubed sweet potatoes
Cubed ham
Mixed greens of any type, sliced in ribbons with thick veins and stems removed
Chix stock
Garlic
Shallots
EVOO with tab of butter
Salt and pepper

Slow roast in the sweet potatoes in big fry pan in olive oil and butter until soft and starting to carmelize. Add rest of ingredients and saute except for greens...add enough broth to allow steaming of greens - add those at end to wilt but stay green.

Think you could precook sweet potatoes and then finish quickly before serving. Cornbread matches well with this.

Most I have ever fed is 30-40. When feeding a crowd, I always fall back on Tex-Mex food. Buy some fresh made tamales at the Tamale factory. Make a big King Ranch or green chicken casserole or both. Rice, beans, queso, chips. Guacamole, a Mexican style composed salad or jimaca w/ oranges salad. Tres leche cakes and other Mexican baked goodies from the panderia. Plenty of Mexican beer, lots of colorful Jarritos fruit sodas, frozen margaritas, if someone will make them,. The variety is endless, all easy to make or purchase, most of my cooking is done the day before.

we were still going to Mammoth Cave once a month.

Beef stew, chili, lasagne, soup

Lots of salad and good bread.

Easy desserts, like brownies or pound cakes.

I stayed away from dishes with lots of beans since that made things unpleasant if everyone was caving the next day

I've done cooking for that many and more at a homeless shelter, and you really need an institutional kitchen to do that. Many crock-pots. A walk in fridge. Your own stove and refrigerator simply won't store that much food.

30 or 40, not so much of a problem.

In any case, look up recipes that are already scaled up for at least 20, and do the multiplication.