I’m hosting my family for my mom’s birthday and I don’t know what to make.
I’m looking for something simple, easy to make, gluten free. I don’t cook a lot since it’s just me and I’m not the best at it either.
Pulled pork platters! I do this all the time and it’s so simple. You can do a pork shoulder in the crockpot and then finish it on a quick broil in the oven. Serve with bbq sauce, potato salad, and corn on the cob.
For a group that size, I would think in terms of build your own food so it feels flexible and low stress. A taco or fajita setup works really well gluten free as long as you stick to corn tortillas and simple fillings like seasoned chicken, beans, rice, and roasted veggies. Baked potatoes or a baked potato bar is another surprisingly easy crowd pleaser, especially with kids. You can also do a big tray of roasted chicken thighs and vegetables since they scale up easily and do not need much babysitting. Whatever you choose, making one main and a couple simple sides is usually better than trying to impress with lots of dishes.
Can't go wrong with smoked meats, provided you or someone you know has a smoker. I cooked for 30 people at Christmas and had my smoker filled to the brim with ribs, pulled pork, and steaks.
18 people is a lot of people to cook for when you don't cook much though.
Taco bar, corn tortillas. Chicken or ground beef for filling, potatoes and beans if you have vegetarians.
Second the taco bar, rice and beans and toppings and a big thing of cheese dip!
Hmmm good idea maybe I’ll do potatoes and chili
Pulled pork platters! I do this all the time and it’s so simple. You can do a pork shoulder in the crockpot and then finish it on a quick broil in the oven. Serve with bbq sauce, potato salad, and corn on the cob.
Taco bar was my first thought also. But lasagna or baked ziti with a side salad and garlic bread is a nice easy option too.
Can’t go wrong with bbq for this sort of thing. Burgers (make sure you season them), dogs, chicken, steak if you want to be fancy.
Either that or do a big patch of red sauce and do a pasta dish.
For a group that size, I would think in terms of build your own food so it feels flexible and low stress. A taco or fajita setup works really well gluten free as long as you stick to corn tortillas and simple fillings like seasoned chicken, beans, rice, and roasted veggies. Baked potatoes or a baked potato bar is another surprisingly easy crowd pleaser, especially with kids. You can also do a big tray of roasted chicken thighs and vegetables since they scale up easily and do not need much babysitting. Whatever you choose, making one main and a couple simple sides is usually better than trying to impress with lots of dishes.
Good idea!
Can't go wrong with smoked meats, provided you or someone you know has a smoker. I cooked for 30 people at Christmas and had my smoker filled to the brim with ribs, pulled pork, and steaks.
18 people is a lot of people to cook for when you don't cook much though.
Last time I did pulled pork but didnt put it in the crockpot long enough - that was an adventure lol