What should I serve when my small group comes over for dinner Sunday?

[lavender mom]

We'll have 16-20 people, with about half of those being preschoolers. I want something easy and kid friendly. In the past we've done pasta, bbq, & taco bars. I might fall back on one of those, but I'd love some fresh ideas.

[RealLifeMama]

:lol When I saw the title, my first thoughts were spaghetti, bbq sandwiches, or taco bar!
Those are easy to fall back on because they are so simple and everyone loves them.

Another "bar" type meal that we have been to is a stuffed/jacket potato bar. DH and I don't really like that, but other people seem to like it anyway.

You could do MYO pizzas. A friend of ours has done that before- they provide the crusts, individual size, from the bread machine. They are sourdough and meant to be grilled. Then they set out a bunch of toppings, everyone assembles theirs, and toss them on the grill. I am sure you could google it to find out how to do it.

[lavender mom]

You could do MYO pizzas. A friend of ours has done that before- they provide the crusts, individual size, from the bread machine. They are sourdough and meant to be grilled. Then they set out a bunch of toppings, everyone assembles theirs, and toss them on the grill. I am sure you could google it to find out how to do it.




Love that idea! Thanks!

More ideas still welcome- we do this every couple of months. :)

[jenny_islander]

My late MIL used to call this "tacos," but it's really taco salad.

You need:

Ground beef, ground turkey, or ground venison
Salsa
Taco seasoning

Tillamook medium Cheddar cheese or other cheese of choice
Fritos--no substitutes!!
Crisp inner leaves of iceberg lettuce, torn into pieces
Chopped tomato, fresh or canned
Chopped yellow onion
Chopped avocado, if available
One or more salsas
Sour cream or plain yogurt

Fry up the meat, drain, and season with taco seasoning and/or salsa. Add water just to make it a spoonable consistency; bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently. Meanwhile, prepare the other ingredients. My MIL used to put the veggies and cheese in separate Ziploc bags and set the bags out on their bases. Also set out soup plates and forks. When the meat is ready, invite everyone to build their own plates of "tacos." I start with a base of lettuce and a few Fritos, top with lots of cheese. ladle hot taco meat onto the cheese, then top with the remaining ingredients. The traditional accompaniments are ice-cold Cokes and slices of melon.