Anonymous
03/29/2022 23:35
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Look, you need to have an honest conversation with your DH about what his family will eat. I am Indian American. I have relatives in India who eat everything and some who are vegetarian and also don’t eat onion or garlic. Some who are fine with any cuisine and others who only like South Indian food. So, for them the PPs suggestion of aloo gobi etc would not work, even if it seems like it should to most people. I would say that even my flexible Indian relatives get tired of non-Indian food after a couple days. So if you are trying to make them feel comfortable, I would talk to your husband about whether they will enjoy Mediterranean, pancakes etc. After two days, that would mostly be a waste for my family (although pizza, pasta, and Mexican are more popular than other non-Indian foods).
Also, make it a group effort. It seems like you aren’t Indian. They don’t expect you to have perfected everything. So meal plan with them once they get here. And I can’t tell you how many times I have been talking and gossiping with family as we cooked - each person cutting vegetables etc. etc. Make it a fun part of the trip together. You don’t have to cover this by yourself, although you wil need to take the lead. Good luck!
Also, make it a group effort. It seems like you aren’t Indian. They don’t expect you to have perfected everything. So meal plan with them once they get here. And I can’t tell you how many times I have been talking and gossiping with family as we cooked - each person cutting vegetables etc. etc. Make it a fun part of the trip together. You don’t have to cover this by yourself, although you wil need to take the lead. Good luck!
Anonymous
03/29/2022 23:32
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Anonymous wrote:If you’re really going to try & shoulder all of this without help, I would stock a lot in my freezer & prep like mad.
1. Vegetarian chili (make ahead & freeze) + cornbread. Have shredded cheddar & sour cream as toppings. If anyone insists on meat, get a rotisserie chicken - slice it up and offer it as toppings too.
2. Mediterranean. Spanakopita (I make appetizer sized triangles with phyllo & freeze them), falafel (can she eat chickpea flour? Or is this an allergy?), store-bought hummus (Mil can skip), tabbouleh (I just use the boxed mix & add tons of parsley & cucumbers, tomatoes), baked fish with lemon & za’atar. For vegetarians, you can sear some halloumi.
3. Rice bowls. Cook rice ahead of time & freeze. Sauté diced seitan with frozen corn, onions, black beans. Season with cumin, coriander, and a pinch of smoked paprika/ancho pepper. While that’s cooking, roast wedges of sweet potato. Mix yogurt with lime and spread liberally into bottom of each bowl. Then add rice, then veg-seitan mix + sweet potatoes.
4. Indian. Freeze rice ahead of time. Freeze shredded greens & shredded ginger for quick palak paneer assembly. Many dals can be made ahead & frozen. Chutneys & condiments can also be frozen ahead. The gravy for many curries can be frozen ahead (just keep any dairy out & add it back in at the end of cook time). Naans & parathas can be frozen ahead.
5. Italian. Veg Lasagna (assemble & freeze ahead of time) Or, spaghetti & meatballs (make & freeze sauce ahead of time; use beyond meat for meatballs). Or, diy pasta bowls (I usually put out pesto, tomato sauce, roasted broccoli, black olives, shredded Parmesan, and chopped sausage/vegan sausage). Serve with green salad.
6. Spanish. Gazpacho (make 1 day ahead & refrigerate). Tapas: potato tortilla, manchego & tapenade on toast, baked aubergines and/or stuffed peppers. Shrimp in garlic oil, grilled veg with romesco sauce. Prep all ahead & assemble for dinner.
7. Grill. Veg burgers or fish, grilled corn, slaw.
These are all good suggestions but who has the freezer space to prep and freeze 5+ meals that are enough to serve 15 people, plus whatever else needs to be in their freezer?
Anonymous
03/29/2022 23:30
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Huh? You would be responsible for planning, purchasing, cooking AND cleaning up with no one -- not even your spouse -- helping to clean afterward?
Yeah, hell no.
Yeah, hell no.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 20:25
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Anonymous wrote:Is your DH worth all this trouble? Divorce before they show up. You can remarry after they leave but I wouldn't.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 20:20
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Your H is a jerk for leaving this all on your shoulders.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 20:04
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
If you’re really going to try & shoulder all of this without help, I would stock a lot in my freezer & prep like mad.
1. Vegetarian chili (make ahead & freeze) + cornbread. Have shredded cheddar & sour cream as toppings. If anyone insists on meat, get a rotisserie chicken - slice it up and offer it as toppings too.
2. Mediterranean. Spanakopita (I make appetizer sized triangles with phyllo & freeze them), falafel (can she eat chickpea flour? Or is this an allergy?), store-bought hummus (Mil can skip), tabbouleh (I just use the boxed mix & add tons of parsley & cucumbers, tomatoes), baked fish with lemon & za’atar. For vegetarians, you can sear some halloumi.
3. Rice bowls. Cook rice ahead of time & freeze. Sauté diced seitan with frozen corn, onions, black beans. Season with cumin, coriander, and a pinch of smoked paprika/ancho pepper. While that’s cooking, roast wedges of sweet potato. Mix yogurt with lime and spread liberally into bottom of each bowl. Then add rice, then veg-seitan mix + sweet potatoes.
4. Indian. Freeze rice ahead of time. Freeze shredded greens & shredded ginger for quick palak paneer assembly. Many dals can be made ahead & frozen. Chutneys & condiments can also be frozen ahead. The gravy for many curries can be frozen ahead (just keep any dairy out & add it back in at the end of cook time). Naans & parathas can be frozen ahead.
5. Italian. Veg Lasagna (assemble & freeze ahead of time) Or, spaghetti & meatballs (make & freeze sauce ahead of time; use beyond meat for meatballs). Or, diy pasta bowls (I usually put out pesto, tomato sauce, roasted broccoli, black olives, shredded Parmesan, and chopped sausage/vegan sausage). Serve with green salad.
6. Spanish. Gazpacho (make 1 day ahead & refrigerate). Tapas: potato tortilla, manchego & tapenade on toast, baked aubergines and/or stuffed peppers. Shrimp in garlic oil, grilled veg with romesco sauce. Prep all ahead & assemble for dinner.
7. Grill. Veg burgers or fish, grilled corn, slaw.
1. Vegetarian chili (make ahead & freeze) + cornbread. Have shredded cheddar & sour cream as toppings. If anyone insists on meat, get a rotisserie chicken - slice it up and offer it as toppings too.
2. Mediterranean. Spanakopita (I make appetizer sized triangles with phyllo & freeze them), falafel (can she eat chickpea flour? Or is this an allergy?), store-bought hummus (Mil can skip), tabbouleh (I just use the boxed mix & add tons of parsley & cucumbers, tomatoes), baked fish with lemon & za’atar. For vegetarians, you can sear some halloumi.
3. Rice bowls. Cook rice ahead of time & freeze. Sauté diced seitan with frozen corn, onions, black beans. Season with cumin, coriander, and a pinch of smoked paprika/ancho pepper. While that’s cooking, roast wedges of sweet potato. Mix yogurt with lime and spread liberally into bottom of each bowl. Then add rice, then veg-seitan mix + sweet potatoes.
4. Indian. Freeze rice ahead of time. Freeze shredded greens & shredded ginger for quick palak paneer assembly. Many dals can be made ahead & frozen. Chutneys & condiments can also be frozen ahead. The gravy for many curries can be frozen ahead (just keep any dairy out & add it back in at the end of cook time). Naans & parathas can be frozen ahead.
5. Italian. Veg Lasagna (assemble & freeze ahead of time) Or, spaghetti & meatballs (make & freeze sauce ahead of time; use beyond meat for meatballs). Or, diy pasta bowls (I usually put out pesto, tomato sauce, roasted broccoli, black olives, shredded Parmesan, and chopped sausage/vegan sausage). Serve with green salad.
6. Spanish. Gazpacho (make 1 day ahead & refrigerate). Tapas: potato tortilla, manchego & tapenade on toast, baked aubergines and/or stuffed peppers. Shrimp in garlic oil, grilled veg with romesco sauce. Prep all ahead & assemble for dinner.
7. Grill. Veg burgers or fish, grilled corn, slaw.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 19:45
Subject: Re:Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Easiest is to do a giant pot of fresh rice for every dinner. Then you can serve that with whatever meat or veg dishes you make or order. Make a couple trays of roast vegetables (add whatever spices you want), roast pork shoulder or lamb. Also make a giant pot of dal to last 2-3 days. Big pots of stew.
I would focus on breakfasts that don’t require cooking, at least some of the time. So a bagel and lox spread, yogurt bar, boiled eggs with toasts and spreads, that kind of thing.
I would focus on breakfasts that don’t require cooking, at least some of the time. So a bagel and lox spread, yogurt bar, boiled eggs with toasts and spreads, that kind of thing.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 19:22
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Have MIL cook. She would probably love a way to stay occupied and helpful
Anonymous
03/29/2022 18:30
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
MILs restrictions sounds over the top. It depends on what everyone else will eat.
Will they enjoy the novelty of easy American food and take out? Pizza, pasta, (turkey) burgers, tacos, chili. Chinese food. Sushi. Maybe one big nice turkey dinner type meal.
For lunches, bread, cheese, turkey, lettuce, tomato, etc for sandwiches. And leftovers. Breakfast bagels, scrambled eggs, cereal, fruit.
You can't possibly be expected to make more complicated meals than that.
Will they enjoy the novelty of easy American food and take out? Pizza, pasta, (turkey) burgers, tacos, chili. Chinese food. Sushi. Maybe one big nice turkey dinner type meal.
For lunches, bread, cheese, turkey, lettuce, tomato, etc for sandwiches. And leftovers. Breakfast bagels, scrambled eggs, cereal, fruit.
You can't possibly be expected to make more complicated meals than that.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 12:05
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Vegetarian baked ziti with sausage or meatballs on the side.
Mixed grill (chicken, fish, veg) with rice on the side.
Tacos with beans and rice in addition to a meat/chicken
Burger night, include lentil or black bean burgers
Baked potato with toppings and salad
Vegetarian Soup (bean or lentil) and have cheeses and bread too.
Mixed grill (chicken, fish, veg) with rice on the side.
Tacos with beans and rice in addition to a meat/chicken
Burger night, include lentil or black bean burgers
Baked potato with toppings and salad
Vegetarian Soup (bean or lentil) and have cheeses and bread too.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 12:03
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Possibly Vace's Italian Deli's cheese lasagna (give it more time to cook from frozen than the instructions say) or/and Eggplant Parm from the freezer section. It's substantial and yummy and done for you. Vace has a location in Bethesda and DC.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 11:57
Subject: Re:Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Costco has huge salmons that feed an army. Also do turkey burgers, pre-make turkey meatballs to serve with pasta, tons of grilled chicken breasts, lasagna, huge salads with grilled chicken and pasta thrown in, pre-cook lentils (great Indian recipes) and serve with rice. And tell DH he needs to help!!!
Anonymous
03/29/2022 10:07
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Is your DH worth all this trouble? Divorce before they show up. You can remarry after they leave but I wouldn't.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 10:06
Subject: Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Indian American here. When my vegetarian in-laws visit from India we stock up on breakfast foods (they love croissants, English muffins and the kinds of breads that are less common in India).
Once or twice a week, they will want a cooked breakfast (dosa, idli etc) and you can buy the batter pre-made in the Indian store. Buy pantry staples like rice, a few different types of lentils, spices if you don't have them on hand.
We do a weekly grocery run to the Indian store or Hmart for produce and then all get to enjoy my MIL's excellent cooking. They are usually happy to eat the same thing for lunch and dinner.
We also stock up on things like veggie burgers, salad greens and fixings since those are less common there too, and can be used to fill in a lunch here and there.
Takeout for at least 1-2 meals a week.
Once or twice a week, they will want a cooked breakfast (dosa, idli etc) and you can buy the batter pre-made in the Indian store. Buy pantry staples like rice, a few different types of lentils, spices if you don't have them on hand.
We do a weekly grocery run to the Indian store or Hmart for produce and then all get to enjoy my MIL's excellent cooking. They are usually happy to eat the same thing for lunch and dinner.
We also stock up on things like veggie burgers, salad greens and fixings since those are less common there too, and can be used to fill in a lunch here and there.
Takeout for at least 1-2 meals a week.
Anonymous
03/29/2022 09:04
Subject: Re:Cooking for a large group 3x day for over a week. Recipe help please!
Will they want to try American food?