Budget friendly meal for 12 people?

[taraprather]

I am looking for a budget friendly and some what easy meal to make for 12 people. I just joined a group of 12 women that play BUNKO. Next month is at my house and I have to cook! I have to cook a main meal and a couple side dishes? Any ideas??
Thanks!

 

[HM]

Taco salad bar:
Ground beef w/ taco seasoning
taco shells (you can use the ones that look like bowls) or tortilla chips
lettuce
diced tomato
shredded cheese
salsa

for side dishes-
Black beans
Spanish Rice

 

[jjteach]

This week at Bunco we had a baked potato and salad bar.

We've also had spaghetti/ lasagna, green beans, garlic bread.

 

[cajunfan]

Stuffed pasta shells...

1 cup ricotta
1 cup mozzarella
1 cup parmesean
1/4 cup egg substitute
garlic powder, salt, pepeer & basil to taste
1-2 cans Hunt's spaghetti sauce, any flavor-depends on how "saucey" you like your pasta
1 box large shells

Cook the shells according to the box (al dente). Mix the cheeses, egg and seasonings and stuff in cooked pasta shells. Put a little spagehtti sauce on the bottom of a 11x13 baking dish. Put the stuffed pasta shells in and cover with the spaghetti sauce. Cook covered for about 30-45 min at 350 degrees. This makes 25-30 shells. It doubles/triples/quadrauples well.

I usually serve this with a green salad and some kind of garlic bread.

And dessert(s) of course...lots of easy frozen selections at Sam's.

I also try to have some trail mix type things around where the tables are...but we are a beer drinking group and the girls like their salty & sweet stuff!

Have fun!

Lynn

 

[tiggger1]

You can by the frozen stuffed shells at sam's club, add some sauce and serve it with chicken caesar salad and italian bread...

 

[HeatherC]

How about a couple of quiches...spinach, bacon, etc.. They can be made before they come and served warm or at room temperature. Also pretty inexpensive to make.

You could serve them with a side salad of strawberry and spinach salad with poppy seed dressing and some fresh bread or rolls.

For dessert you could do a layered trifle of pound cake, whipped cream and berries....or chocolate pudding with cake and whipped cream and top it with crushed candy or oreos.

Have fun! I love girls night!

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

My mom makes this delicious meal where she mixes OJ concentrate, butter, and honey and uses it as a sauce to bake chicken thighs (much cheaper than breasts). Then she mixes the rest of the sauce into some Long Grain/Wild rice mix. She serves it with steamed broccoli or some other simple vegetable -- it's very elegant, delicious, fast and chicken thighs are relatively cheap.

My dad was a diplomat and my mom would serve this as a fancy official dinner party meal or as dinner for just the family -- it worked both ways.

 

[theycallmered]

How about a couple of quiches...spinach, bacon, etc.. They can be made before they come and served warm or at room temperature. Also pretty inexpensive to make.

You could serve them with a side salad of strawberry and spinach salad with poppy seed dressing and some fresh bread or rolls.

For dessert you could do a layered trifle of pound cake, whipped cream and berries....or chocolate pudding with cake and whipped cream and top it with crushed candy or oreos.

Have fun! I love girls night!

On this same idea, you could also make little mini quiches/frittata. Instead of baking the egg mixture in a pie plate you bake it up in muffin tins. I love making these for over night guests because they take a very short time to cook up in the oven as compared to a larger quiche, frittata, or egg strata.

 

[smacky1]

I am looking for a budget friendly and some what easy meal to make for 12 people. I just joined a group of 12 women that play BUNKO. Next month is at my house and I have to cook! I have to cook a main meal and a couple side dishes? Any ideas??
Thanks!

When next month?.......cinco de mayo is next month and mexican can be very budget friendly. chips and salsa, enchiladas, you could also do a strawberry marg. cake......yum. i have a great chicken enchilada recipe:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
2 cups prepared salsa
2 cups grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced
12 to 14 soft round 6 to 8-inch flour or corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a medium bowl cream together the cream cheese and the sour cream. Stir in 1/2 cup of the salsa. Stir in 1 cup of the grated cheese. In a second bowl toss together the chicken, the corn, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, and 1/2 of the scallions. Add the chicken mixture to the cheese mixture and stir to combine.
In a baking dish spread a 1/2 cup of the salsa over the bottom. Place about a 1/3 cup of the filling on a corn tortilla, roll up and transfer to the baking dish with the seam side down. Repeat process for remaining tortillas. Pour remaining salsa over enchiladas, spreading to coat all of them. Sprinkle remaining grated cheese over the top. Enchiladas may be prepared up to this point 12 hours in advance. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Enchiladas may be reheated, covered with aluminum foil, before service. Sprinkle with the remaining scallions and serve warm

 

[Dashzap]

Time to get out the crock pot!

 

[katieandallycat]

If you have a crock pot and can borrow another, tri tip burritos. 2lbs of trimmed tri tip does about 6 people. You can use untrimmed, but then it's about 3lbs for 6 people, because of the fat. In each crock pot put 1 roast and add a jar of salsa.
Then you just at the sour cream, olives, cheese, tortillas, etc. Very easy and very good

 

[Pigeon]

A spiral sliced ham, baked potato and a salad are easy and not tough on the budget.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

How about a few different types of quiche, tossed salad and something for dessert? Baked ziti is always good with meatballs, salad and bread on the side.

ETA: I apologize to the previous poster that suggested quiche...can you tell I didn't read the entire thread before I posted?

 

[a1tinkfans]

YOU HAVE ALL GOT ME STARVING, sounds YUMMY! LOL!

I love to use a crock pot....we make turkey chili in it (cooking all day long) and a side of salad and some rice, easy and not bad on the budget either (I get turkey meat at BJ's warehouse, 1.99 a pound, 97% fat free) HEALTHY!!

 

[brymolmom]

I am WAY LESS of a cook than those who posted before me. I would keep it EASY - there is enough to do getting ready for a party with 12 people. I would do pulled pork.

Buy a pork shoulder or Loin - the biggest that will fit in your crock pot, cover with BBQ sauce and then let it cook on low for 8 - 10 hours (longer is better because it is easier to pull apart) - then pull apart with forks and just leave in the pot (might have to add a little more BBQ). You can have this all DONE before everyone gets there.

Then you'll just need some rolls. For sides you could do mac salad or cole slaw, with some cut-up fruit as a second option.

 

[grlpwrd]

Be sure to check out Taste of Home's website: www.tasteofhome.com

There is a Subscriber-Only Premium Access subscription for full access which includes all current recipes, but you can still access many of the yummy recipes for free.

GL!

 

[girli565]

A baked Ziti. We just catered my cousin's baptism on Sunday and make 5 trays with meat sauce, a salad and garlic bread for 60 people for under $180, so about $3 per person!! Can't beat that!

So I suggest ziti with meat sauce and a nice salad with some sliced grapes or mandarin oranges, croutons and an italian dressing. and Garlic bread. One large tray should feed 12 with no problem. We used 5 mid-sized trays and more than half went for seconds.

 

[pixiewings71]

Fiesta!! I love this stuff and it goes a long way!

White Rice (I would suggest 12 cups for your group)
Chili (I like vegetarian or you could make your own in the crock pot)
tomatoes, diced
onion, diced
cucumber, chopped
lettuce, chopped
black olives, chopped
avocado, sliced
cheese, grated
*and whatever other taco style toppings you like)
Fritos (I use Scoops)
sour cream
hot sauce

cook the rice and chili then layer the ingredients on your plate and dive in
It's super simply, super cheap and fun to eat!

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I hosted bunko the other night. Unfortunately, I am the working mom in my hood so I make very little of what I serve. Our group tends to go all out so it can get pricey. I normally host in March, so I couldn't do my usual corned beef and cabbage, and it was way too hot to make chili and conrbread. So...

2 trays of pre-cut assorted sub sandwiches from Sub shop: $57
Lemon and Fruit Torte from bakery: $20
Baked beans in the crockpot: $5
Cole slaw (2 bags of pre-cut cabbage and bottle of slaw dressing): $7
Tray of fresh cut fruit: $10
Drinks: 5 2-litre asst sodas, 2 bottles of wine, coffee: $20
2 bowls of snacks (nuts, candy, chex mix) per table: $16
Paper plates, bowls, cups, cutlery, napkins $15

Having to wash only the crock pot and the slaw bowl when the night is done? PRICELESS!

 

[Jaycey'smom]

These all sound so good!!! I just have one question what is Bunko? I have never heard of it but food drinks and a game sounds good to me .