Ideas for meals please!

[Mommy Of A Little Angel]

We are hosting Thanksgiving this year. That means having 6 adults and 3 kids to feed for a week. I need ideas for easy (inexpensive) meals that I can prepare for everyone. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! I think I have ideas for breakfasts, but I need lunches and dinners please!

[s_gosney]

Well, I'm certainly no expert hostess, but I think I would go with sandwich and salad fixings for most lunches and then people can have those or leftovers. They're family, right? In my family, we would just tend to have those things around and then let people fend for themselves.
Then I would plan more of a "real" dinner. Nothing fancy to keep it inexpensive. I don't know where you live, but if it's not too cold, I'd plan to cook out once or twice (chicken, steak--if you can find some on sale-- or hamburgers and hotdogs are easy and cheap). I'd probably also make some BBQ pulled pork sort of thing in the crockpot, maybe a roast...um spaghetti and tacos are easy to make for a crowd and cheap...
Are those the sort of things you had in mind?
Hope that helps a little!

[hillview]

Bean or even Chicken Soup -- you can make it for about $20 that feeds the whole gang.

Fritatas -- easy to make and you can often get good deal on eggs.

Stir fry with chicken and a bunch of veggies

Breakfast for dinner -- pancakes/eggs/etc

Taco night

Quesedillas (sp) are fast and not very $$

Fix your own baked potatoe with all the fixings

Get some roast chickens at the supermarket

Make your own pizzas

hth
/hillary

[ILoveLucy]

This is a great, low-cost recipe that I make often for groups

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Chicken-Taco-Soup/Detail.aspx

I use 2 chicken breasts instead of the 4 called for, which makes it even cheaper, and substitute chicken broth for the beer. I can mix this up in under 10 minutes. Have some sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips to go with it. I like crockpot recipes for situations like yours because even if people are coming and going to do shopping or the like, you have a hot, fresh meal ready at any time.

Chili in the crockpot with cornbread would be good, too.

I keep baby carrots and celery in the fridge that I prep ahead of time so I can pull out and serve with dip as quick, low-cost side with chili, soup, or sandwiches.

You could also pick up a couple of the Ghiradelli brownie mixes so you always have a bit of dessert ready. I just bought some for $2 a box, and you can whip those up in like 5 minutes and everyone loves them.

Allrecipes also has a good budget cooking section.

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Cooking-on-a-Budget-Fall-Edition/Detail.aspx

As you can tell, I hate to spend a lot of time in the kitchen when I have company!

[newbiemom]

For lunches, you could serve brunch type casseroles - eggy, cheesy, sausage stuff that could be prepped the night before; or maybe make your own pizzas, sandwiches and soup and salad are good choices.

[specialp]

(1) Crockpot pulled pork for sandwiches (buy or make homemade bbq sauce): http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Southern-Pulled-Pork/Detail.aspx

(2) 3 bean & beef Chili: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/three-bean-and-beef-chili-recipe/index.html

(3) Chicken & rice casserole

(4) Spaghetti

(5) Upside Down Pizza Casserole (8 servings)- kids like and you can add/take away what you want. Freezes well (after cooking) in case you want to make before.
2lbs. ground meat (pork sausage or ground beef)
1 chopped bell pepper
2 onions chopped
1 can of mushrooms drained (or 8 oz. chopped fresh)
1/4 cup all purpose flour.
1 26 oz. jar marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 10 oz. can refrigerator pizza crust
1 tblsp. olive oil
Italian season
2 tbsp. of parmesan cheese

cook onions, meat & bell pepper until done, drain. Add mushrooms. Add flour and cook for 2 min. Add marinara sauch and bring to a boil. Spoon into a 13x9 dish. sprinkle with 1.5 cup of cheese. top with pizza crust(need to stretch). Brush with oil, remaining cheese & seasoning. Bake at 425 for 20 -25 minutes.

[JTsMom]

How about something like baked ziti or lasagna? Lasagna would be a little more $, but it's a real crowd pleaser. You could make it ahead of time and defrost it.

I'd do a BIG turkey so you could do sandwiches, etc for lunches.

[Tondi G]

Chili in the crockpot ... with cornbread, chips, sour cream, shredded cheddar and a green salad. You could make hotdogs with this meal and let the kids eat them plain and let the adults eat chili dogs

Spaghetti, garlic bread and salad

Lasagna (my kids love the stouffers in the red box, they sell nice big ones enough for all of you)

Tacos ... either make shredded meat in the crock pot or just ground beef or turkey.... lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, guacamole.... make some refried beans and rice and dinner is served! You can buy crisp shells or make them..... and offer soft tortillas as well

enchiladas are easy and usually a crowd pleaser... you could simply do cheese enchiladas and make it easy. premade enchilada sauce, shred jack cheese roll up in a corn tortilla... cover with sauce and sprinkle a little more cheese. Again beans and rice and you are all set

BBQ ... either do burgers and dogs or whatever meat you like, corn on the cob and baked beans

Italian sausages with peppers and onions on a roll... serve with a salad

PIZZA ... you could do make your own... my kids always have fun with that! Or order in!

Beef stew isn't difficult either... potatoes, carrots, corn, green beans, I like to use stew meat and shortribs cause it makes a nice broth... you could put this in the crock pot too. I usually serve with biscuits or sourdough rolls and a salad

rotisserie chickens from costco or the grocery store could be good too. make some mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes (red potatoes quartered, olive oil, rosemary, coarse salt and pepper and a little butter... YUM), a vegi (broccoli, corn, green beans... whatever you like).

Have lots of fruit in the house for the kids to snack on.... strawberries, apples, oranges, grapes, watermelon

get some munchies... goldfish and such

lunch can easily be PB and J sandwiches for kids and get lunch meat and breads (wheat/rye/sourdough/rolls)... grilled cheese or quesadillas (you could throw some left over cut up chicken from the rotisserie dinner) hummus and pita or pita chips .... tuna salad... chicken salad... egg salad. Pasta salad is easy and most kids and adults enjoy it (tri color pasta, red and green bell peppers, red onion, a small can of black olives sliced... toss with Bernsteins italian or cheese fantastico and put it in a big tupperware)

Good Luck!

[DietCokeLover]

Here is a favorite of mine when I have company. Great if you can find chicken breasts on sale.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Anniversary-Chicken-I/Detail.aspx

Soup and grilled cheese sandwiches

Taco night

Breakfast for dinner... always a hit with us

Lasagna

And, here is a "nacho" recipe I make frequently.

1 can chili no beans
1 lb velveeta
1 1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1 can Rotel tomatoes
1 pkg taco seasoning.
Brown ground beef and drain. Combine all ingredients in pot. Heat well. Serve over tortilla chips with shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, etc.