Ready for a recipe challenge?

[pjlla]

Here goes....

I need a recipe that fulfills the following requirements.....

can be doubled/tripled to feed at least 10 people (three of them being hungry teenage boys)

is healthy enough to be eaten by three Weight Watchers (so nothing fried, not much oil, preferably no white carbs)

isn't too carb heavy (can have whole wheat pasta or brown rice, but as PART of the meal, not the majority of the meal)

can be eating by folks with poultry allergies, nut allergies, and seafood allergies (so no chicken, turkey, duck, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, or coconut)

won't break the budget

isn't a sandwich or pizza or burgers

doesn't take more than 1 hour to make (preferably a one pot or crockpot meal would be great, because I will be making this during my family vacation, but I don't mind doing some prep ahead of time)

doesn't involve "frankenfoods" like cream of crap soup, tater tots, and the like

nothing too "Asian" in taste (my Dad is picky about that )

lots of veggies is okay, but it must have meat (or Dad doesn't think it is a "real" meal)

preferably no beans, as we have a bean "disliker" in the group.... plus we will probably have New England baked beans one night anyhow

prefer nothing terribly hot like soup.... this is being made next month.

and oh.... it is being made in a "limited stuff" vacation cottage kitchen.... so nothing that requires any special pots/pans.

Ready??...........GO!

...........................P

 

[Soulsearching]

Here goes....

I need a recipe that fulfills the following requirements.....

can be doubled/tripled to feed at least 10 people (three of them being hungry teenage boys)

is healthy enough to be eaten by three Weight Watchers (so nothing fried, not much oil, preferably no white carbs)

isn't too carb heavy (can have whole wheat pasta or brown rice, but as PART of the meal, not the majority of the meal)

can be eating by folks with poultry allergies, nut allergies, and seafood allergies (so no chicken, turkey, duck, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, or coconut)

won't break the budget

isn't a sandwich or pizza or burgers

doesn't take more than 1 hour to make (preferably a one pot or crockpot meal would be great, because I will be making this during my family vacation, but I don't mind doing some prep ahead of time)

doesn't involve "frankenfoods" like cream of crap soup, tater tots, and the like

nothing too "Asian" in taste (my Dad is picky about that )

lots of veggies is okay, but it must have meat (or Dad doesn't think it is a "real" meal)

prefer nothing terribly hot like soup.... this is being made next month.

and oh.... it is being made in a "limited stuff" vacation cottage kitchen.... so nothing that requires any special pots/pans.

Ready??...........GO!

...........................P

.


Don't you love family gatherings!!!! This sounds sooo much like mine. To add to the list we have vegetarians.

Have you thought about Quinoa Stuffed Peppers: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/quinoa-stuffed-peppers-2/

Just add ground meat to it for dad! add a salad and corn on the cob to make it a meal

 

[lovemygoofy]

shredded beef sandwiches(I've made bbq sauce style or Italian version) serve on crusty rolls with some dipping veggies

fajitas/tacos(you can cut up some cheaper steak and cook up with seasoning in the crockpot or cook up hamburger meat in the crockpot with taco seasoning) and you can add sliced veggies to the oven or cook up bunch extras couple days before on the grill during that meal. Serve with traditional stuff and have things to make big fajita salads for those that want that instead.

bbq pork sandwiches

sloppy joes

loaded baked potatoes/French fries (I steam broccoli, put out leftover bbq meat, make a cheese sauce, put out sour cream, and anything else...its my last day clean out the fridge meal)

You can make Ziploc bag omelets. Have a large bowl of egg mixture made and everyone scoops into the Ziploc bag and then go down the row adding all the veggies/meat they want. Seal the bag and put into a boiling pot of water for about 7 mins (depends on how full the bag is) serve with home potatoes and fruits.

Make a big batch red sauce and then let people add veggies or warmed up meatballs and serve over pasta of their choice and serve with big salads.

 

[mommyburns]

What about pork loin fajitas, put the pork in the crockpot with homemade or prepackaged fajita seasonings. Use whole wheat wrappers and about 40 minutes before serving roast tons of onions and peppers in the oven. You could also provide pico de gallo, tomatoes, fresh lettuce, cheese, sour cream, etc. for toppings

 

[MSSANDRA]

Do you have a grill? That is the foundation of most of our Summer Cooking. Maybe:
pork loin on the grill (slice into chops for quicker grilling)
fresh corn on the cob
grilled asparagus or other low carb veggie
Salad
Water melon and cantaloupe

Pork lion and veggies could also be done in an oven.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

Will everyone eat meatloaf? You can make it with ground up oats instead of bread crumbs so it's just ground beef, eggs, oats, and spices.
You could make muffin or mini loaf size ahead of time in different varieties and freeze - spicy, plain, Asian and then people could just heat up one or two or five (boys!) as needed, or heat up a big batch for dinner and serve a green salad as a side.
Or make a combo of minis for protein snacks and a few large loafs for a dinner.
ETA: Even with organic/premium ingredients would cost around $10 per batch (this ratio makes 1 lg loaf).
$9.00 2lbs ground beef at $4.50/lb (organic, Costco)
$0.42 2 eggs at $2.50/doz (antibiotic free, Trader Joe's)
$0.43 2 cups (6oz) oats at $1.17/lb (organic, Winco) - grind them in food processor or coffee grinder.
$9.85 total for the meatloaf base, plus a few cents for spices.

 

[Stephaniesue]

Check out unstuffed pepper casserole. It has rice, ground beef, tomato sauce, bell peppers and cheese to top. Eveyone here loves it, and its easy to double to feed a crowd.

I used to double the recipe and freeze half. Just google it, its pretty popular.

 

[Katy Belle]

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=87591

This is a link for a Weight Watchers recipe for Shepherds pie. My teen boys love it. You could easily substitute lean ground beef, or lamb, for the turkey. I have made the filling ahead, and refrigerated it, and then done the potatoes and topped it and baked it the next day.

The Pioneer Woman has a great steak salad that might work! I can't get it to pull up right now, but I think its the Ginger Steak Salad, its really good. The dressing is super, and steak is quick, especially if you have a grill pan and don't even have to go outside!

 

[3boymthr]

Pulled pork with side of baked sweet potatoes or regular potatoes and green beans and/or coleslaw or grilled veggies. You can slow cook on the stove top or in a crock pot. You could do something similar on the grill with a brisket.

For a southern touch DH's family also does cut grean beans in a pot with a ham hock and lets it cook for several hours. They sometimes add an onion for extra flavor.

ETA - for a super simple meal you could also do whole wheat spaghetti with meat sauce and green salad (Carby but not simple carbs.).

 

[Dakota731]

Chicken breasts, jar of salsa, bag of frozen diced peppers, bag of frozen corn. Cook in crockpot all day and then shred chicken and mix and serve in whole wheat tortilla shells. We garnish ours with sour cream and yum!

 

[Shagley]

When we go camping, we always make fajitas. Before we leave, we put frozen steak and/or frozen chicken tenders in zip lock bags with the pre-made fajita marinade (if you put in separate bags and cook separate, the people allergic to poultry could have the steak, but others would have the option to have chicken) . Then the day we want to have fajitas, we take the zip lock bag out of the cooler, and the meat marinades as the meat thaws. Then once we remove the meat from the bag to grill the meat, we put a bit of the marinade in a pan or an electric skillet, and use that to sauté the onions and green and red peppers.

Then we put out lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, and ranch dressing. We also put out tortillas and bagged salad, and then people can choose to have either fajitas or a fajita salad (that is what the ranch dressing is for).

** You can either grill the meat, or cook the meat in a skillet with a bit of the marinade and then add the onions and peppers after the meat has cooked for a few minutes if you want to make it a "one pan meal".

 

[pjlla]

Thank you all so much for your suggestions! I had to chuckle at how many of them were exactly the ideas that I was tossing around.... pulled pork, tacos, fajitas, meatloaf!

At the moment we are opting for tacos... ground beef for some and vegetarian filling for others (I'm not a "full-time" vegetarian, but avoid beef when possible).... soft and hard shells available plus lots of salad fixings for those who choose to make a taco salad. Plus cilantro brown rice and refried beans on the side. But fajitas are a close second! The kids are doing pulled pork on their night to cook and DS did request meatloaf as an option and I am keeping that in the back of my mind, just in case someone objects to tacos!

I thank you all for taking the time to help me out! You guys had it all.... recipes, ideas, cost breakdowns....I knew I could count on my Budget Board friends!.................P

 

[HeatherC]

Veggie Ratatouille. Just throw veggies in crockpot with lots of italian seasoning and favorite pasta sauce. Cook all day. Serve warm by itself, or over rice or baked potatoe or in tortillas to make wraps. Even better the next day.

I usually make it with tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, asparagus, onions and corn. I fill the crockpot because the veggies cook way down.

 

[manning]

I'm diabetic and have to watch my carbs. I can only pass on what my doctor said about holidays (that's what we were talking about at the time.

"On holidays have fun and enjoy yourself. Just remember that everyday can't be a holiday. When the party is over get back to your healthy eating."

I followed his advise and it works.

 

[Hawleys]

Am I too late?
Beef picadillo served with brown rice and a big salad. Perfect for the Weight Watchers crowd and I think hits all your other requirements.
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/03/picadillo-6-ww-pts.html

 

[scrapquitler]

Here goes....

I need a recipe that fulfills the following requirements.....

can be doubled/tripled to feed at least 10 people (three of them being hungry teenage boys)

is healthy enough to be eaten by three Weight Watchers (so nothing fried, not much oil, preferably no white carbs)

isn't too carb heavy (can have whole wheat pasta or brown rice, but as PART of the meal, not the majority of the meal)

can be eating by folks with poultry allergies, nut allergies, and seafood allergies (so no chicken, turkey, duck, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, or coconut)

won't break the budget

isn't a sandwich or pizza or burgers

doesn't take more than 1 hour to make (preferably a one pot or crockpot meal would be great, because I will be making this during my family vacation, but I don't mind doing some prep ahead of time)

doesn't involve "frankenfoods" like cream of crap soup, tater tots, and the like

nothing too "Asian" in taste (my Dad is picky about that )

lots of veggies is okay, but it must have meat (or Dad doesn't think it is a "real" meal)

preferably no beans, as we have a bean "disliker" in the group.... plus we will probably have New England baked beans one night anyhow

prefer nothing terribly hot like soup.... this is being made next month.

and oh.... it is being made in a "limited stuff" vacation cottage kitchen.... so nothing that requires any special pots/pans.

Ready??...........GO!

...........................P

Eggroll in a bowl? http://www.bigtastetrimwaist.com/2014/03/17/egg-roll-in-a-bowl-s-e-or-fp/ I haven't tried it yet, but it's a favorite for one of my friends and her kids. It's Asian, but doesn't have any of the strong seasonings that someone who dislikes Asian might object to.

I was going to suggest roasting a turkey or a turkey breast, but when I reread I see that you have poultry on the list as things to avoid. SO...How about baking a spiral ham or a regular ham? That is super simple and will give you LOTS of servings and you'll have lots of options for side dishes. I would probably go with a potato salad or maybe baked sweet potatoes, a light coleslaw (more vinegary that mayonaissey), a green salad and maybe another veggie or two (corn on the cob, green beans maybe). If you did that, you'll probably have some leftovers to use later, if the crowd doesn't eat all of it.

Another option I might consider would be pulled pork or beef brisket, probably with the same sorts of sides I suggested above.

 

[pjlla]

Veggie Ratatouille. Just throw veggies in crockpot with lots of italian seasoning and favorite pasta sauce. Cook all day. Serve warm by itself, or over rice or baked potatoe or in tortillas to make wraps. Even better the next day.

I usually make it with tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, asparagus, onions and corn. I fill the crockpot because the veggies cook way down.

I do have an excellent layered ratatouille recipe that I love to use this time of year, when the veggies are so delicious. Thanks for the idea! I may try it in the crockpot!

I'm diabetic and have to watch my carbs. I can only pass on what my doctor said about holidays (that's what we were talking about at the time.

"On holidays have fun and enjoy yourself. Just remember that everyday can't be a holiday. When the party is over get back to your healthy eating."

I followed his advise and it works.

We DO enjoy ourselves.... but within moderation. And a lot of those particular food restrictions are because of allergies/sensitivities, not weight loss. If this was a one day event, I wouldn't worry too much about the Weight Watchers... but this is a full week and none of us want to gain weight.

Am I too late?
Beef picadillo served with brown rice and a big salad. Perfect for the Weight Watchers crowd and I think hits all your other requirements.
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/03/picadillo-6-ww-pts.html

I will definitely check that recipe out today! Thanks.

Eggroll in a bowl? http://www.bigtastetrimwaist.com/2014/03/17/egg-roll-in-a-bowl-s-e-or-fp/ I haven't tried it yet, but it's a favorite for one of my friends and her kids. It's Asian, but doesn't have any of the strong seasonings that someone who dislikes Asian might object to.

I was going to suggest roasting a turkey or a turkey breast, but when I reread I see that you have poultry on the list as things to avoid. SO...How about baking a spiral ham or a regular ham? That is super simple and will give you LOTS of servings and you'll have lots of options for side dishes. I would probably go with a potato salad or maybe baked sweet potatoes, a light coleslaw (more vinegary that mayonaissey), a green salad and maybe another veggie or two (corn on the cob, green beans maybe). If you did that, you'll probably have some leftovers to use later, if the crowd doesn't eat all of it.

Another option I might consider would be pulled pork or beef brisket, probably with the same sorts of sides I suggested above.

Thanks for your ideas. As much as eggroll in a bowl sounds delicious to me, I don't think it would go over well with this crowd. I have given some thought to a spiral ham and it is on the list of possibilities. Maybe we could call it "Easter in July", since that is what my family equates spiral ham to!! Thanks!................P

 

[pjlla]

Okay....I checked out both the beef picadillo recipe and the eggroll in a bowl recipe. The beef one sounds a bit like a salty/briny sloppy joe.... I think my son would like this! And the egg roll in a bowl is very much like my own "inside out egg roll" recipe, except I don't use cabbage because that is the ONE FOOD on the entire planet that my DH refuses to eat (guess I forgot to put that in the list of restrictions!). I usually use a broccoli slaw instead and everybody is happy! We put wonton crispies on top to give it that same crunch as an eggroll wrapper.

Anyhow.... thanks again to my BB friends for all the help!.............P