Monday, July 25, 2011

Cooking for 15 on vacation


We just returned from a week in Hilton Head with my in-laws, two brother-in-laws, two sister-in-laws and lots of cousins. We all had separate sleeping quarters, but ate dinner together every night. Our condo was the dinner condo -- so I usually bought and sort of prepared the main course, and the S-I-L's brought the sides. I think it went pretty well (thus, my need to record it here)

Night One -- Lasagna, Bread and Salad (I brought spaghetti and a jar of sauce by Allison brought frozen lasagnas so we used those)
Two -- Hamburgers and Hot Dogs, deviled eggs, baked beans, fruit salad
Three -- Fajitas (I brought the marinade from home, we threw in flank steak and chicken), black beans, refried beans
Four -- Out to eat
Five -- Pizza ordered in
Six -- Fish and Shrimp (wish I had a good sesame tuna steak recipe), Rice Pilaf, grilled veggies, pasta salad
Seven -- LEFT OVERS (more hamburgers, hot dogs, etc.)

Here's my shopping list(s):
Shopping List Take:
Cereal (Cherrios, Frosted Flakes, Cinnamon Toast Crunch)
Pancake Mix (dry ingredients for buttermilk pancakes)
Syrup
Oreos
Pasta
Spaghetti Sauce
Soda – Mountain Dew Coke and Diet Coke
Seltzer
Peanut Butter
Salsa
Ketchup
Salad dressing (Gazebo room, small ranch)
Fajita marinade (see below)
Foil
Plastic wrap
Gallon and quart bags
Almonds or nuts
Pam
Olive Oil
Mayo
Guldens
Coffee
Big chicken stock box (4 1/2c.)
Rice
Limes
Tonic


Shopping List when I get there:
Eggs
Margarine
Butter (to cook with)
Onions
Peppers
Eggplant
Zucchini
Squash
Buttermilk
Bacon
Bob Evans sausage
Milk
Orange Juice
Fruit (Pineapple, Bananas, Oranges, Apples)
Yogurt
Lunchmeat
Deli Cheese
Bread
Chips
Pretzels
Gd. Beef
Hot Dogs
Buns (Hamburger and Hot Dog)
Flank steak
Chicken breasts
Frozen pizza (2x)
Popsicles (or ice cream sandwiches)
Tortillas

The only thing I really wish I had taken that I didn't was my griddle for morning breakfast. Other than that, I think it was a success. For next year!

Fajita Marinade (I doubled this for the 15 of us)
1/3 c. minced cilantro
1/3 c. fresh lime juice
1/3 c. water
4 t. dried oregano
1 T. ground cumin
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
5 garlic cloves