How To Make Gourmet Dinners for A Crowd!
Our friends, Mercedes and Mark are gracious hosts when 25 to 30 of us descend on them every year for the Florida/Georgia football game in Jacksonville, FL. (My husband and son are both Gators). This year, they also had 10 of their daughter’s UF sorority sisters, too.
My girlfriends… Mercedes is on the right…looking calm 🙂 as usual, in spite of the crowd. Notice her tortoiseshell jewelry? She said she was inspired by this post.
For parties this large, you might think let’s just order pizza or Costco lasagna… but not Mercedes. Here’s how she made the “Gourmet Dinners for A Crowd.”
Friday Night Italian Dinner
Cheese Platter similar to this.
Trader Joe’s Bruschetta Sauce with toasted baguette slices.
I was in charge of slicing and toasting the baguette slices (delegation). I am definitely buying this sauce when I get home…
Baked Ziti Pasta
Mercedes doubled this meatless recipe. And made another double batch but with crumbled Italian sweet sausage, too. She made the sauce a few days in advance and assembled everything the day of our dinner. Everyone went back for seconds and my son was still talking about it the next day!
Kale Caesar Salad
Brownies for Dessert
The next day we went to the Florida/Georgia game. We lost 🙁 but still had fun!
At the tailgating parties, everyone has fun and it’s a friendly rivalry. We were in charge of this meal and basically ordered platters that we picked up and stocked coolers with drinks. (Got off easily).
Then, we came home to this…
Saturday Night Mexican “Street Fare”
Chips and Guacamole
Shrimp and Mango Tacos
Mercedes’ tip: “The shrimp were peeled and deveined frozen shrimp from Costco.” The recipe was quadrupled for the party.
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Slow Cooker Korean Pork Tacos
Mercedes’ tip: “For the pork tacos, I made it the day before in a crockpot. Then, I refrigerated it so that the fat rose to the top and I was able to skim it off the next morning.” And she doubled the recipe for the big group.
Local Bakery Cookies for dessert
Here is Mark and Mercedes’ dining room all cleaned up!
Thanks for a wonderful weekend in Jacksonville, Mark and Mercedes!
After Florida, we spent a couple of fun days in New York City and right now I am in New Jersey with my cousin, Patricia. You can see what I am up to on my Instagram.
If you haven’t already, I would love for you to subscribe to my posts by email.
Mary Ann
LOVE YOUR BLOG! Your rooms, your food, etc., etc., etc. Thanks.
Thanks so much, Judie!!!
Love all your posts. I have pinned these great recipes.
I have been on the search for the perfect clothes hanger. I am petite like you & I find all hangers leave bumps in the shoulders of all my tops. I have folded all my seaters to avoid having to iron every item before I wear it. My wardrobe looks like a mist mash of different hangers. As much as I love the felt hangers they leave annoying bumps too. Any recommendations?
Sorry, Barb. I don’t have a good answer as I use the skinny felt covered ones as well.
Thanks for your response Mary Ann.
Barb
Mercedes is a heroine in my book! What a fun weekend . . . love how you’re standing on your tippy toes between your hubby and son! xo
I don’t want you to get mixed up – It is “fall back” and we gain an hour.
Thanks for the recipes, great menus for a crowd!
YOU ARE SO RIGHT, CATHY!! Thanks.
Boy, some people just have a knack for doing large parties and never break a sweat. On the other hand, there’s people like me who go whacko preparing a dinner for 8! It looks like you had a fabulous time and you certainly ate VERY well! I’ve printed out the recipes and will keep them on hand. Would love the baked pasta recipe too!
Glad you’re having so much fun zigzagging across the country!
xoxo
I am sure you are a wonderful hostess, Gail!!!
These ideas will come in handy during the upcoming festive season, when friends and family gather. Thank you.
Karen
Thanks, Karen, for your comment!!
Tacos are great for a crowd–people can customize.
I love how you’re on your toes in that photo, yet barely to the guys’ shoulders.
I am a shrimp!!!
Great post ! Such good ideas for feeding crowds !
I think we gain an hour this wekend ?? “Fall back” – clocks go back , right ??Not sure !!
You are so right, Patricia…makes me much happier to get that extra hour 🙂
I lived it JAX for 10 years! It looks like you had a great time. Love all of these tips. IT is always nice to see how other entertain for a crowd and to get tips. I love hosting parties, my problem is that I always want to make too many things!
They are actually in Atlantic Beach, Elizabeth…such a great area!
I do a similar taco thing but yours sounds better! I am pinning these! I always love having a new corn salad to try too..yum! What nice friends to host the whole gang! I bet Tommy was happy the girls were there! Sounds like you are continuing to have a fabulous time!
No kidding, Tommy loved all those cute sorority girls that were there! And a lot of his friends came back for it, too.
What a fun tradition!
suddenly I want to host a party and saved all those recipes.
love the photo with the men in your lives, and thought, “look at how tiny she is”, then noticed you were on tippy toes…..cute!
xo
Debra
I get on my tippy toes for most photos 🙂