Help Me Feed 8 Picky People Once Per Week

Cafe Society
21

I think you were on the right track with the chicken chili, but just make it vegetarian chili instead.

I have a stepson who is allergic to poultry, one vegan stepdaughter (and her family), and the other stepdaughter refused to eat beef when the mad cow scare was a thing. One year for Christmas dinner, instead of trying to make a bunch of different things that would make everyone happy, I just said “screw it” and made a big pot of vegetarian chili. I left the meat out of my usual chili recipe, added a can of black beans and great northern beans, and some frozen corn.

22

i knew meatballs should be light and tender but WOW!

23

Taco night, one pot of beef and one pot of beans, make your own.

24

I have seen recipes for vegetable lasagna with bechamel rather than tomato sauce, maybe that would work.

I suggest adding a big pan of cornbread or corn muffins to the vegetarian chili which has been suggested. Spicy black bean soup would also be good, and you could use your Instant Pot for that (or the chili).

I think salmon patties made from canned salmon are so good, and would make a good burger alternative.

25

That’s going to vary with the allergic person. Allergies are all individualistic like that, so it’s always a good idea to ask.

26

yeah, some further reading tells me that people allergic to tomatoes tend to have issues with other nightshades too. Probably best not to risk it.

27

I wish I had a recipe for this, but I don’t; I just kind of throw it together in a hot skillet in amounts that seem about right, and it comes out really tasty.

Anyway, Quick Shrimp: you’ll need some shelled shrimp. Uncooked or precooked, tail-on or tail-off, doesn’t matter, just make sure they’re shelled. Melt some butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter’s all melted and starting to bubble, put in your shrimp. Keep it moving, it cooks fast. When they’re about halfway done, put in some lemon juice and a spice blend. My favorite is Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic. Keep tossing the shrimp around until they’re fully cooked.

Serve with whatever side you can get your family to agree on.

28

I can definitely feel for you: My DM is a diabetic vegetarian. But at least he’s the only one with restrictions, so anything he comes up with will work for the rest of us, too.

We often do the assemble-your-own sandwiches thing.

And when I see “no dairy”, my first thought is Chinese. Which also makes it easy to avoid tomato. I love me some Indian food, but most of the best of it includes dairy and/or tomato.

29

I would made it a pot luck meal and have everyone bring their own dish .

30

I have an amazing recipe for brussels sprouts and tofu (don’t laugh! It’s amazing!) but it might be hard to scale up. (But it’s amazing!)

31

What I’ve done with my weekly group (gathering to watch Doctor Who, not to game, but same difference:

We have it on a rota, with some flexibility. Before we break for the week, I remind everyone who’s next - “Rowland, you have food next week, ya?” and he’ll confirm, then I remind them again the morning of.

As I said, there’s some flexibility - “Hey, money’s gonna be tight that week, can I switch with you Janna?” “I’m not going to be there, who can I swap weeks with?”

This system means that 1) all the expense and labor is not mine - I still provide sodas & snacks, but I don’t have to feed 4-8 people all the time 2) We have more diversity in food, since different people have access to different places to eat/recipes they can do and very importantly 3) Everyone is invested in it, not just me - after a while I was starting to feel very taken for granted, and with the burden split it means a shared responsibility. Plus some folks really liked to show off their cooking skills!

Sure, a lot of the time it’s just who’s picking up takeout. But it’s a lot more fair.

32

Whoops, I looked at this thread again and realized I forgot the “no dairy” when I suggested vegetable lasagna using bechamel. I looked for vegan recipes for vegetable lasagna and there are some out there that might work.

33

N’Awlins red beans and rice, with grilled andouille or kielbasa on the side for the serious carnivores.

Or the hillbilly special…a big pot of soup beans (pintos simmered with some sidemeat, onion and garlic) and a huge cornbread, butter and chopped raw onion (or scallions) on the side. This has happily fed thousands of fiddlers and banjo pickers Down South for over a hundred years.

34

Minestrone, all sorts of vegetable or seafood soups. Serve with bread, garlic bread, cornbread, crackers, etc.

Jambalaya

Sausage with peppers and onions

Gumbo with sausage, shrimp, or both. Eggs are a nice addition to gumbo, too.

35

Oooo, that DOES sound good. Do you poach the eggs in the gumbo, or what?

36

When I have had eggs in gumbo, they were boiled, then peeled and added. Poaching in the gumbo sounds good, too.

37

Sounds great, just be sure to substitute corn or canola oil for the ghee, due to the “no dairy” restriction.

38

I make a simple egg roll that’s just spicy breakfast sausage with shredded cabbage. After I fry’em up, I throw them in the crock pot (on warm) to keep them warm.

That way people at the party can eat them at their leisure. (Not that they ever last long. They’re quite popular.)

39

Please post - I’m always looking for new vegee dishes and tofu is one of the few legume-based foods I’m allowed.

40

Rice with stir fried veggies and tofu or shrimp. You can use the really cheap, tiny salad shrimps to get the flavor without the investment.

I also once did a salad with chicken-fried tofu on top instead of fried chicken. It was utterly delicious and I couldn’t stop filching the tofu bites. I just cut it into about 2 inch rectangles, dredged them in my usual flour/egg/flour (I add milk but you don’t need to) with various herbs and seasonings tossed in with the flour. Then fried them like chicken. I need to make that again soon.

Speaking of which, a Salad Nicoise is beautiful, filling, and cheapish as well. I usually serve it over baby spinach for extra nutrition. And I do a very simple dressing - equal parts EVOO and lemon juice.

I love the baked potato bar idea. Anything that you can just put out the options for saves you time and makes everybody happy. Tacos, fajitas, spaghetti with a couple of sauces . … Do the tomato and dairy avoidance intersect? If not, a marinara and an Alfredo would do 'ya.

Almost any vegetable can be lightly coated with olive oil and the seasonings of your choice, then roasted in the oven. This will always make you look like a genius in the kitchen. Cauliflower is especially good this way. Sometimes I cut it into smaller pieces and layer it over a green lentil dish done with similar spices. (Moroccan, Greek, Italian, curry, just about any profile works well.)

Can people allergic to chicken eat turkey? A marinated turkey breast is a great go-to for large groups. Ask MamaZappa for her recipe.

Does no dairy mean no eggs? If not, a couple of different Frittatas are easy, cheap, quick, and customizable. Beat the eggs gently with some salt and let them sit for about ten minutes before you start. This will prevent them from getting watery or blowing up and then falling flat. A nice potato/ham hash makes a great accompaniment, or just some good bread with olive oil and fresh pepper to dip in. Fresh grated parmesan can be placed beside the serving station in a bowl and really sets it off nicely for those who indulge.

I do a million different combos of green lentils and quinoa. Just boil them in equal amounts, then oil a lasagna pan and make them the bottom layer. It’s a nutritious canvas over which you can spread just about anything. One that goes over nicely is just those two things, mixed with a bag of frozen fire roasted mixed veg and a healthy sprinkle of the nutsonline Syrian Spice Mix. Everything is better with that stuff in it!

OK, that’s enough. Can you tell I love to cook for people? :smiley: