Potato Salad ~ crowd size

Picnic season is upon us...and what's a picnic without a potato salad?  The crowd-size version of this salad is a recipe we used often at church functions in years gone by...where we prepared potato salad for 300.  The recipe given here serves 50...though it can easily be doubled to serve 100.  If you are planning a slightly smaller picnic...I've included the recipe to serve 10.  Enjoy!

Crowd Size Potato Salad ~  serves 50

• 15 pounds potatoes...peeled, cooked and cubed
• 4 dozen hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 4 cups diced celery
• 2 cups green onions, finely chopped
• 8 cups Miracle Whip salad dressing
• 1/3 cup prepared mustard
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/2 cup vinegar

Potato Salad ~ serves 10

• 7-8 cups potatoes, peeled, cooked and cubed
  
• 10 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
  
• 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup green onions, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1/2 Tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar

1. Combine potatoes, eggs, celery and green onions in large mixing bowl.
2. Mix remaining ingredients together well and pour over potato mixture...stirring until combined.
3. Cover and chill until serving.

Cream Puff Dessert

Today is my sister Norma's birthday..wishing you a wonderful and happy day dear sister! I asked her what her favorite dessert was and she told me that this cream puff dessert is one of her favorites. I first tasted this dessert at her house a long time ago and of course I wanted the recipe:) I have made it often, it was a popular birthday dessert for our staff. It is a large dessert and can feed a crowd! Oh and if you happen to meet up with Norma today wish her a happy birthday, okay? Base:

• 1 cup water


• 1/2 cup butter


• 1 cup flour


• 5 eggs

1. In a saucepan bring water and butter to a boil.


2. Mix flour into the water and butter mixture and stir until the flour is stirred in and it forms a ball. Remove from heat.


3. Add eggs, one at time and beat until smooth and satiny. This is a bit of a workout on the arm so if you have someone else in the house ask for a hand..or would that be an arm:)


4. Spread on a large greased cookie sheet, one that has edges. My pan size is approx 13 x 17.


5. Bake at 425º for 15 to 20 minutes until golden in color.


6. Once baked it will have a bumpy look..don't worry, that is how it should look. With your hand, very gently press those bumps down just a little. They will deflate on their own a bit too.


7. Cool.

Filling and topping:

• 1 250 g (8 oz) package cream cheese


• 1 box, 153 g (6 serving size) of instant vanilla pudding


• 1 3/4 cups whipping cream (whipped and sweetened..I added 1/3 cup icing (powdered) sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla)


• Chocolate sauce

1. Beat softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.


2. Prepare pudding as per box instructions.


3. Whisk together pudding and cream cheese until smooth, spread on cooled base.


4. Top with whipped cream and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Refrigerate till serving time.


5. This is delicious as is but you can add bananas and fresh fruit if you wish.

Cranberry/Apple Muffins

These fruit and nut filled muffins are a delicious choice for breakfast or snack time.

• 2 1/4 cups white flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup quick cooking oatmeal
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 apple, cored and coarsely chopped, I left the peel on
• 2 cups cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup nuts, chopped
• Coarse sugar, cinnamon and oatmeal for topping

1. Whisk together flours, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium size bowl. Stir in apple, cranberries and nuts. Make a well in the center.
2. In another bowl beat eggs and buttermilk, add melted butter and mix well.
3. Pour mixture into the well of dry ingredients, mixing just till moistened.
4. Fill two 12 cup greased muffin tins and sprinkle with the coarse sugar, cinnamon and oatmeal.
5. Bake at 400º for 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Yields: 2 dozen muffins

Irish Meatball Stew for a Crowd

Happy St. Patricks Day.  I haven't a speck of Irish blood in me but I enjoy a good pot of stew and my nephew married a little Irish girl. ..so that is good enough reason to make some Irish Stew for me.

I put this one together for our pastorate a few weeks ago.  Don't be put off by the task of making a large amount of meatballs.  They can be made a day or two in advance and refrigerated until you are ready to use them.

It will serve 25 - 30 with a salad and some crusty buns.

Meatball Ingredients

• 5 pounds ground beef
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups panko crumbs
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese or other hard cheese
• 1 large onion, minced fine
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon rosemary
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 F
2. Combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl or a large pot if necessary using your hands.
3. Line two rimmed cookie sheets with parchment paper.
4. Roll meatballs about 1 1/2 inches and lay side by side onto the cookie sheets.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until browned.

Stew Ingredients

• 2 large onions, diced
• 2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic
• 24 ounces button mushrooms, quartered
• 5 pounds small potatoes cut into chunks
• 10 large carrots peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 head of celery cut into chunks
• 2 pounds green beans cut into chunks
• 2 cartons beef broth 900 ml size
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon worchestire sauce
• 1 can Guinness beer (you could substitute additional beef broth for the wine and beer but these ingredients make a difference in the complexity of the flavour)
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• fresh ground salt and pepper to taste after it has finished roasting

1. In a very large roaster, layer the vegetables and meatballs.  If you do not have one roaster large enough you can divide it all between two and adjust the roasting time as it will cook faster.
2. Combine the red wine and the cornstarch and set aside until 1 hour before the stew is finished.
3. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the top.
4. Bake at 350 covered for about 3 hours. Stir in the cornstarch and red wine and cook one more hour. (Stir it once each hour to  ensure that it roasts evenly.)

Carrot Cake for 30

One of the first things that I would encourage you to do if you are doing a lot of baking for a large crowd would be to invest in a proper pan.  I have an 11 X 15 straight sided light colored aluminum pan that serves  30 pieces.  You could probably divide it in half and bake it in two 9 X 13 pans but the cake would not be as deep nor would it bake as evenly flat on top.  Carrot cake can be baked the day ahead which just allows the flavours to blend and gives you a bit more of a breather when you are preparing for a larger group.

Cake ingredients

• 5 cups grated carrots (about 8 medium sized)
• 2 19 ounce/ 540 ml pineapple chunks, drained
• 6 eggs  or to equal 1 1/3 cups  (this is important as in this quantity egg size makes a difference
• 1 1/4 cups canola oil
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 4 cups flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons salt

Icing ingredients

• 1  8 ounce package cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons egg white powder
• 4 cups icing sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 F  (you will turn it down for baking)
2. Use a food processor to grate carrots if you have one or grate the carrots with a medium sized grater and set aside.
3. Put the pineapple in the food processor and pulse until it is mushy.  (if you do not have a food processor you could use crushed pineapple but the quantity in the can would be different so rather use 2 cups well drained crushed pineapple). Set aside
4. Line your pan with parchment paper and bring up the sides on two of the sides if you want to remove from pan.  Do not grease the remaining sides .. cakes cannot crawl up a greased side.
5. In a large bowl whisk together the dry ingredients.
6. In another large mixing bowl, combiner the eggs, and sugars and beat until light.
7. Add oil and beat until thick.
8. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.
9. Add the carrots and pineapple and stir until well combined.
10. Spread evenly in the pan.
11. Put in the oven on the center rack and turn the oven down to 325.
12. Bake 50 minutes or until a toothpick tests clean in the center of the cake.
13. Let cool and then remove from pan if the cake is to be decorated for display.

To make icing.

1. In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients and mix on low until just combined and then beat until light.
2. Spread on cake and then refrigerate.

If you want to make the cake ahead but don't have refrigerator room for your party, only spread icing on an hour before serving. 

To decorate sprinkle with 2 cups crushed walnuts if desired.  This is a perfect topping.  It cuts the sweetness of the cream cheese icing and covers up the imperfect spreading of icing.

Mushroom and Cream Dilly Chicken

Our church has pastorates which are smaller than our church but bigger than a care group.  We meet twice a month, mid week and when we get together we eat supper together to start our evening.  Most times it is a potluck and I thought it might be a good idea for us to start sharing some meal ideas for larger groups.

This Chicken in sauce is economical as far as a meat dish goes. 

• 4 kilograms / 8 pounds  boneless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
• 1 pound of frozen peeled large shrimp with tails on (optional)
• 4 - 6 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 1 48 ounce can mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup dry onion soup mix
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup freeze dried dill weed
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
• 1/2 cup sherry or chicken stock

1. Arrange the chicken thighs or breasts in the bottom of a large roasting pan.
2. Sprinkle the sliced mushrooms over the chicken
3. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over the chicken.  Cover.
4. Bake in a 350 oven for 2 hours. Add the frozen shrimp and continue to bake an additional hour uncovered.
5. Sprinkle with chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Note about cooking time.  I know this sounds like a very long time to bake the dish but it takes a long time just to get the sauce to a simmering point.  The chicken is not browned before putting the dish together so do not try to adjust the time.  If you break this recipe into half or even less.  ..adjust the cooking time.  If I was making enough for one family, I would still bake the dish at least one hour. . .and maybe even 1.5 hours.

This chicken served over hot rice or pasta or mashed potatoes with a salad and rolls  will serve 30 - 35 people.