The key to feeding large groups is simplicity. Simple recipes are the easiest to make in large batches, and will please everyone at the event. Planning ahead will go a long way when you're serving a crowd, so take some time to formulate your approach before you start cooking. Does this Spark an idea?
Menu Planning
If you're serving a crowd, choose foods that everyone will like. Items like meatballs, chips and dip, lasagna and roasted chicken will go over well with a group, and are not difficult to make. Stick to simple side dishes like mashed potatoes, rice, pasta with pesto or tomato sauce, or macaroni and cheese. Think of your family's favorite meals, and choose dishes that normally take you less than 30 minutes to prepare. Classic dishes are always popular; remember, they call them crowd-pleasers for a reason.
Quantity
If you're using a family recipe that serves four to six people in its original form, be careful about multiplying the recipe to feed forty to sixty people. Ingredients like spices, eggs, flour and cornstarch cannot be simply multiplied to create a larger recipe without imbalanced flavors and odd textures in the finished dish. To successfully cook a large batch of food, either start with a large-batch recipe, or cook your own recipe in several smaller batches. Small recipes can usually be multiplied by two without affecting the flavor or texture, so if your recipe serves four and you're cooking for forty, make five double-batches of the original recipe. Cakes and breads should be made in single batches; if you don't have the patience to make six individual cakes, find a larger recipe.
Deciding how much food to cook for a group involves some guesswork, but there are a few guidelines that can help. If you are serving your meal buffet-style, assume people will take smaller portions and try several things. The more options you have, the less you need of each dish. Make larger batches of side dishes and easy entrees, and serve these items first.
Serving
The easiest way to serve a large group is buffet-style. If you have the space, set up long tables and arrange the food in order, from appetizers to desserts. Station servers behind the buffet (which will help you control portions) or leave serving utensils by the food and let the guests help themselves. If you choose to serve people individually, you will need wait staff to assist you, and kitchen staff to help plate the food.
Tags: larger recipe, serves four, serving crowd, side dishes, your recipe