House Group Meal Ideas

Thank you for preparing a meal for your child's House Group! House Group meals can be as simple or extravagant as you are willing to prepare. Below are some recipes and ideas for creating a delicious main dish.  If you choose to purchase food rather than prepare it, be sure to discuss with the vendor any discounts available for ordering in mass quantities.

Catered Meal Ideas:

Pizza: Papa John’s offers large pizzas for $6.99 each
Pasta: Spaghetti Works offers pasta with sauce for 20 people, for $60 ($3 per person)
Lasagna: Check out the extra-large sizes available at Sams Club and Costco
Quiznos Sub Tray: prices vary by location
Subway Party Platters: prices vary by location
Jimmy John Party Subs: prices vary by location 

Recipe Ideas (in alphabetical order):

All-in-One Casserole for 75:

6 pounds frozen hashbrowns
6 cups diced ham
3 cups chopped onion
3 cups chopped green pepper
7 1/2 cups water
30 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Break eggs into a clean mixing bowl. Beat slightly on medium speed. Combine with onion, green pepper, diced ham and hashbrowns, Divide mixture into well greased baking pans (12x20x2). Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until set and firm. 

Baked Ziti for 20:

1 (16oz) pkg. ziti or penne pasta
3 cups commercial (jar) spaghetti sauce
1 lb ground beef (browned)
1 tsp garlic salt
1 cup Ricotta cheese
8 oz (2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese

Boil pasta to instructions. Mix ricotta cheese ½ spaghetti sauce, garlic salt and browned hamburger in bowl. In baking pan mix Ricotta mixture and pasta. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.

 BBQ Meat Sandwiches for 40:

3 lbs. EACH, pork and beef cubed with fat removed
3 cans tomato soup
3 med. onions, diced
3/4 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. vinegar or lemon juice
1 c. Worcestershire sauce
3 c. water
Celery salt to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
4-5 doz. buns

Bake 2 ½ - 3 hours, covered - moderate oven, 350 degrees. Mash and return to
oven until juices are absorbed. Approximately 50 sandwiches.

Chicken Casserole for 50:

20 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 package (2 lb size) Elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
6 jars (6 oz ea) Sliced mushrooms, drained
2 jars (4 oz ea) Diced pimientos, drained
2 large Green peppers, chopped
2 large Onions, chopped
4 cans (10-3/4 oz ea) Condensed cream of celery soup, undiluted
4 cans (10-3/4 oz ea) Condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 pounds Process American cheese, cubed
1 1/3 cup Milk
4 teaspoons Dried basil
2 teaspoons Lemon-pepper seasoning
2 cups Crushed cornflakes
1/4 cup Butter or margarine, melted

Combine the chicken, macaroni, mushrooms, pimientos, peppers and onions. In a large bowl, combine soups, cheese, milk, basil and lemon pepper; add to chicken mixture. Pour about 12 cups each into four greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2 in. baking pans. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Combine cornflakes and butter; sprinkle over the casseroles. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15-20 minutes longer or until bubbly.

Chicken/Noodle Casserole for 24:

16 ounces med. noodles
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 cans (10 1/2 oz. size) chicken gravy
8 cups chopped cooked chicken or turkey
1 jar (2 oz. size) diced pimento, drained (optional)
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
7 cups milk

Cook noodles according to package directions; drain well. In a large kettle melt the 1/2 cup butter. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; stir in chicken gravy. Stir in chicken or turkey, pimento and cooked noodles.

Divide mixture between two 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dishes. Bake covered, at 350degrees F about 35 minutes. Toss together bread crumbs and the melted butter to combine sprinkle atop casseroles. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes longer.

6 pounds cooked chicken
40 ounces converted rice
2 quarts boiling water
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons margarine or vegetable oil
6 ounces margarine, melted
3 ounces onion, chopped
8 ounces celery, chopped

8 ounces all-purpose flour
1 1/2 quart milk
2 quarts chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
6 ounces almonds, slivered
3 ounces pimiento, chopped
9 ounces bread crumbs
3 ounces margarine, melted
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

Dice chicken. Cook rice according to directions. Saute onion and celery in 6 ounces margarine. Add flour to vegetables and stir to blend. Add milk and stock, stirring constantly with wire whip. Cook until thickened. Add pepper. Add salt if needed. Add almonds, pimento, and chicken to sauce. Combine carefully. Scale into two lightly greased 12x20x2-inch baking pans. Combine bread crumbs, 3 ounces margarine and cheese. Sprinkle evenly over mixture in pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F.

Chili for 50:

20 lb. ground beef
10 lg. onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 (4 oz.) can chili powder
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 (6 lb. 10 oz. or 106 oz.) stewed tomatoes, crushed
2 (6 lb. 10 oz. or 106 oz.) red kidney beans
8 (36 oz.) cans tomato juice
3 lg. cans tomato paste
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce

Brown ground beef. Let cool enough to skim off some of the fat. Saute onions and celery until just wilted. Add to meat and sprinkle with chili powder, salt, and pepper. Add tomatoes, kidney beans, tomato juice, tomato paste, and Tabasco sauce. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Let set overnight. Simmer for 2 hours or more before serving. Serves approximately 50 people.

Easy Broccoli Soup for 50:

5 (20 oz.) pkgs. frozen broccoli
3 1/2 c. water
3/4 tsp. salt per pkg.
1 (50 oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (50 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
5 cans evaporated milk
2 sm. cans cream of celery soup

Cook frozen broccoli until done, using 3 1/2 cups water and 3/4 teaspoon salt per package.  Use the water that broccoli has been cooked in and add rest of ingredients.  Heat in a double boiler, do not boil.

Fancy Hot Dogs for 18

4 pounds hot dogs
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Lay cut up hot dogs in 2 (9x13) pans. Mix remaining ingredients together and spread over hot dogs. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Keep warm in crockpot on low heat.

Ham/Potato Casserole for 75:

20 pounds potatoes
5 cans cream of mushroom soup
5 cans cream of chicken soup
3 cartons (16 oz. size) sour cream
3 large onions, sauteed
2 cups milk
10 pounds canned ham

Parboil potatoes with skins on in salted water, covering potatoes. Cut potatoes in small chunks, chop ham, mix all together. Bake at 300 degrees F for 2 to 3 hours.

2 1/2 lbs. broad noodles
7 lbs. ground beef
1 tbsp. Fennel seed
3/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 tsp. garlic salt
1/4 tsp. allspice
2 tbsp. salt
2 lbs. cheese, shredded
1 gal. spaghetti sauce

Cook noodles, (not too soft).  Brown meat adding all spices and salt.
Layer noodles, meat sauce, cheese (leave cover off until about 10 minutes
before its done).  Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.
Makes 50 (1 cup) servings.

Potato Chowder for 40:

1-1/2 lb. margarine
1 c. flour
8 lb. potatoes, peeled and sliced, weigh after peeling
2 c. water
1 qt. sliced fresh onions
1 gal. plus 3 qt. milk
1 qt. celery, finely chopped
1 qt. shredded carrots
1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley 

Sauté onions in margarine until clear but not brown. Add flour and blend. Add milk and let come to a boil, stir in parsley. Steam potato, celery and carrots until tender. Add to cream sauce. Salt to taste.  Makes 50 servings.

Sloppy Joes for 30:

8lbs lean ground beef
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large onions
1 large green pepper
1 large red pepper
2 tbs brown sugar
1 family size can of tomato soup
2 tbs Worcestershire
1 tsp chili powder
30 large burger buns

Brown and drain the ground beef. Add salt and pepper and diced onions and peppers to beef. Put into crock pot and add brown sugar, tomato soup and ¼ can water, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder. Cook on low 3-4 hours. Makes 25-30 sandwiches on large burger buns.

Walking Tacos for 24:

1½ pound ground sirloin
1½ pound ground chuck
3 (1.25 ounce) packages taco seasoning mix
3 cups water or beef broth
24 INDIVIDUAL SIZE bags of tortilla chips
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans, seasoned or regular
6 cups finely shredded lettuce
3 cups salsa
6 cups grated Mexican Four Cheese (or any other cheese)
3 cups finely diced tomatoes
2 cups sliced black olives

Fry ground meat in a large skillet. When meat is browned, add taco seasoning mix and water or broth. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until liquid is reduced down. Keep the meat mixture hot in a crock-pot. Have all the topping ingredients next to the crockpot, so each person can make their own “walking taco.” Instruct everyone to crush an individual size bag of taco chips for themselves, then open it up and start adding in all the toppings they want starting with the meat first. When they have their toppings in the bag, fold over the top and shake vigorously. Open the bag, grab a fork and walk around with your meal in your hand.

If you have any menu ideas or comments about the listed recipes
please email us at student@hopewdm.org