What Do You Feed A crowd of 50 plus People - Chicken Linguine

What do you you feed a crowd of 50 plus people?   Something that can be made ahead?  Kids will actually each it?   

This dish is yummy just for a family dinner and leaves plenty of extra for our family of 8.  It can be made to look fancy or just your basic Tuesday night dinner.  The good news is that it can be made ahead.


Chichen Linguine

12 oz flat linguine
1/2 cup butter
4 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken *
9 Tbsp Flour
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups half and half
diced green pepper
mushrooms
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan



Precook both the chicken and the noodles.
I like to season chicken with garlic, salt and pepper, pan fry a bunch of it so it is browned on each side - then play on a tray and bake at 350 until cooked thru.  ( mass produce this and bag and have on hand for salads, wraps, whatever)

Melt the butter in a saucepan and blend in the flour.  Let cook for a few moments.  

Add Chicken broth, half and half,salt and pepper, green peppers and mushrooms.   Whisk the sauce to make sure all of the lumps are out.

Add all to the pot except for the mozzarella

Layer in 9x13 pan just as you would lasagna - the cream and noodle mixture, then some mozzarella.   End it all with some cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.


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X 9 = 50 plus people

I usually do 1 and 1/2 boxes of noodles for every sauce recipe

8lb bag of mozzarela is enough

1 costco plastic jug of shredded parmesan 

   jugs of 1/2 and 1/2

This Is The Veggie Dip

We all love veggie dip.  Its the way we get small people to each more vegetables.  There are many varying opinions on what is THE BEST, but at our house this is the one we love.  Tried and true.  The one my mom used to use, not too salty, not chunky . . . it just is The Veggie Dip that is served whenever there are vegetables, or chicken strips, or pizza, or baked potatoes . . . . . 




Bon Appetite Dip/ Dill Weed Dip


1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. Parsley Flakes
1 Tbsp. Dill
1 Tbsp Bon Appetit seasoning  **
1 Tbsp. onions or chives
1 Shake lemon pepper


Mix this all together and chill for 2 hours.

**some times Bon Appetite is hard to find in the seasoning section at the grocery store so I substitute Beau Monde seasoning and a shake of Chrisitnes magical swiss seasoning.   Not nearly as good but does work and most won't notice.

How To Win Friends and Influence People

If you want to make a new friend you should make them breadsticks.   If you want to win
someone over you should make them breadsticks. If you want to brighten someone’s day you
should deliver breadsticks to their door - forget about the flowers.   Not just any breadsticks
mind you, they need the be Our good friend Jenny Agle’s Breadsticks.   Jenny is a good cook
and anything she makes is fabuluous, but there is just something about these.   Everyone loves
them.  NO ONE turns their nose up or denies  them ( except for the gluten freeers).  Seriously
make these right away.   We also like to make a marinara sauce that is pretty delicious so I’ll be
sure to include it. Breadsticks for a better world!

Breadsticks

1and 1/2 cups warm water

1Tbsp yeast

1Tbsp sugar

Stir together yeast, sugar and water, let sit to activate.  

Yeast should foam. 

3 cups flour

1and 1/2 tsps salt

Combine flour and salt in mixer with a dough hook. 

Stir in yeast mixture.Stir in 1/4 cup more of flour if dough 

is too sticky. Knead in mixture for 3minutes. 

Remove dough to a floured surface ( dough should be sticky) 

and sprinkle flour on top. Roll dough into a rectangle

 about 9x13  or about the size  of the pan that you are using 

to bake breadsticks.   Cut dough with a pizza cutter into strips.   

Melt 4 Tbsp butter ina 9x13 pan and dip both sides of the 

dough strips in butter before placing in a row in 9x13 pan.  

sprinkle dough with grated Parmesan and garlic salt. 

Cover and let rise about 25 -35 minutes.Bake for 10/20 mins

until golden and delicious looking!

Marinara Sauce to Dip ( the secret is in the sauce)
4 cloves garlic
2Tbsp olive oil
2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes
2 springs oregano
Palmful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
A few leaves fresh basil, torn
2, 28 oz cans  crushed tomatoes


Cook garlic in oil with pepper flakes over medium heat until in begins to sizzle in oil. You don’t want to garlic to brown or it will taste bitter.   Add herbs and tomatoes.  Simmer over low heat 10 -20 mins.   We use this for breadsticks, sometimes pizza sauce, over stuffed shells .  . . It’s a basic for lots.

Cookies Bigger Than Your Head

When someone needs to feel important, nothing says we love you like a cookie that is bigger that your head.   Now sometimes making these are troublesome because they don't cook all the way thru, or you leave them too long, or you think you can fit more than 1 on a pan and then all mold together . . . we speak from experience over here.   We have found the recipe that cures all of these problems and then some.  This is our go to.  This is better than flowers.  This will make anyone smile. Here it is.  We make these often.   We need to feel good too!

Chocolate Chip Cookies Bigger Than Your Head

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

• Directions

  Add a notePrint 
  1. In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well.
  2. Gradually add flour, salt, and baking soda, beating until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
  3. grease cookie sheet or use parchment paper.  Take baseball sized mound of dough and slightly flatten to about 1/3 inch thick on pan. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes. Cool cookie in pan on a cooling rack. 
  
  
• 
  

CHOCOLATE DIPPED SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Lee Chipman

YIELD

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 8 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

PREPARATION

1. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt at medium speed just until smooth. Add flour and mix at low speed until combined. Divide dough in half and shape into 2 disks.
3. On lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 piece dough to 1/4-inch-thick rectangle. Using fluted pastry wheel or large knife, cut into 2- by 1-inch rectangles. Transfer cookies to baking sheets, spacing 1 1/2 inches apart. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Prick each cookie several times with tines of fork, then chill 10 minutes. Bake until edges are golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on pans 5 minutes, then transfer to racks and cool completely.
5. To decorate: Line baking sheet with clean parchment or wax paper. In medium heatproof bowl set over saucepan of simmering water, melt half chocolate. Add remaining chocolate, remove bowl from heat, and stir occasionally until smooth. Pour into small bowl.
6. Dip each cookie halfway into chocolate, let excess drip off, and place on baking sheet. Let stand until chocolate is set, about 1 hour. Store in airtight container at room temperature. (Do not refrigerate.)

Not Just Anyones Cornbread

Christine Vick was one of the Best people I have ever known.  Hands down. I could go on and on.  If you know me, then you know of my love for that lady.   You'll also know that anything she cooked, baked, or touched came out superb and was always on my list of "ummm, i'll be making that again" .     Enter her Cornbread.  When Heston and I first moved to Marlboro, Ma we were in the Marlboro ward.   The ward was having a trunk or treat, Christine and I had just become friends.  We were put in charge of the Trunk or treat - food - games - decorations - the works - what in the world?!?!   We mass produced this cornbread ( for 200)and it sealed the deal on our friendship.  Without further explanation here it is:

Christine's Cornbread
So Yummy - This tastes Like Cake

1 cup Stone ground corn meal
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten


mix it all up.  9x13  in a 350 oven

Sunday means LO MEIN around these parts



At our house we have afternoon church right now.   This means we think we have hours and hours of time on Sunday mornings only to then look at the clock and see that we have to be heading out the door lickety split.   When church goes from 1 -4 you have to start the small people off right with a full belly, otherwise you have a crowd that is "hangry" ( hungry and angry) and things will just not go well. AT ALL!   This is where Lo Mein comes in - it is fast - it can make a lot - you can sneak in vegetables - its cheap - did I mention its fast?   This is the version that we like.  Add whatever vegetables you happen to have in the fridge - it doesn't even matter.

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounces lo mein egg noodles* Or just ramen noodle if you are in a pinch
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1/2 cup snow peas
• 3 cups baby spinach

FOR THE SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce, or more, to taste (we Like Pearl River Ridge light and dark mixed together.)
• 2 teaspoons sugar - ok I dont measure but i'm pretty sure I add more than this
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, ginger and Sriracha; set aside. - *  Go easy on the siracha - i tend to over do it
2. In a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package instructions; drain well.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, bell pepper and carrot. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in snow peas and spinach until the spinach has wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Stir in egg noodles and soy sauce mixture, and gently toss to combine.
5. Serve immediately.

This recipe is a mixture from a Blogger called Dam Deliscious and A Pinch of Yum

The easiest lo mein you will ever make in 15 minutes from start to finish. It is so much quicker, tastier and healthier than take-out!