Sloppy joes and potato salad for large group

You might associate sloppy joe sandwiches and potato salad with summer. However, these hearty foods are great for a casual party any time of year. Follow these terrific recipes and tips for cooking for crowd.

If you are hosting a casual get together in your home for a large crowd of people, keep the food simple. Here you will find a delicious recipes for sloppy joes and potato salad that will please kids and adults alike. These recipes are designed for 50 people, however the ingredients can be cut in half to serve 20-25.

Sloppy joes for 50

Ingredients

• 10 pounds lean ground beef
• 4 large white onions (chopped)
• 3 large green bell peppers (chopped)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
• 1/2 cup spicy brown mustard
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 can (16 ounce) tomato sauce
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 50 hamburger buns

Directions

1. Split the beef, onions and peppers in thirds.
2. In a large dutch oven, place a portion of the beef, onions and peppers.
3. Cook until meat is browned. Remove with a slotted spoon a transfer to a large roaster.
4. Repeat with remaining batches of beef.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients to the roaster and stir well.
6. Cover and simmer for four hours. Add more water if necessary.
7. Serve on hamburger buns.

Makes 50.

Note: If you do not have a large roaster, borrow crockpots from a few friends or neighbors. You will have to split all the ingredients into thirds, but three crockpots should be enough to cook all the meat.

Chunky potato salad for 50

Ingredients

• 25 large russet potatoes
• 1 dozen eggs (hard boiled and chopped)
• 3 cups Miracle Whip salad dressing
• 1 cup yellow mustard (regular yellow mustard)
• 2 large white onions (chopped)
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• paprika (optional)

Directions

1. Place potatoes in a very large pot and cover with water. (If you don’t have a large enough pot, split into two batches.)
2. Boil until potatoes are tender when stuck with a fork.
3. Be careful not to overcook. The potatoes shouldn’t be mushy.
4. Remove potatoes from water and let cool until potatoes can be handled.
5. Peel carefully and discard skin.
6. Chop potatoes in 1/2″ chunks.
7. Place the chopped potatoes, hard boiled eggs and onions in a large plastic bowl.
8. In a separate bowl, mix together salad dressing, mustard and seasonings. Stir well.
9. Pour mixture over potatoes and mix will your hands to thoroughly coat.
10. Seal in air-tight bowl and refrigerate overnight.
11. Top with paprika, if desired.

Serves 50.

Dessert for a crowd

The simplest dessert to feed a crowd is cookies. And you don’t need to slave in the kitchen all day either.

Go to the bakery of your neighborhood grocery store and choose a variety of different types of cookies. You can usually be them by the dozen or 100. Account for two cookies per guest. If possible, purchase a small amount of sugar-free cookies as well for diabetic or dieting visitors.

Drinks for a crowd

I always find that canned sodas and beers are the best option to serve a crowd of people. You can select an array of inexpensive sodas – whatever is on special at the market.

Tip: Don’t forget plenty of paper plates, napkins, plastic utensils and trash bags on your grocery list.

Make sure to have several large trash cans or containers marked for recycling where guests can easily dispose of their aluminum cans.

Cleaning up after a crowd

Cleanup should be a snap if you have many large trash cans visibly located in several areas throughout your home and yard. People tend to throw away their own trash if they see a trash can.

As the party winds down, enlist your children (or visiting children) to help you gather up any remaining trash.

Winter recipes

• Winter dessert recipes
• Macaroni and cheese made simple
• Warm up with spicy cocktails