Heading to a cabin for the holidays? Feeding a group without lots of work may seem daunting. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are three meal ideas that can easily be made for groups in a cabin:
1. Loaded Baked Potatoes. This is a fun, easy idea. Get plenty of potatoes, wrap them in foil and throw them in the oven. While they cook, set out butter, sour cream, chives, bacon (buy it pre-cooked to make it really easy), chicken cooked with fajita spices (can be made at home beforehand), cheese (shredded and maybe a sauce), broccoli and salsa. Give everyone a potato and let them dig in!
2. Warm Subs. Before you go to the cabin, buy: sub buns, 3-4 kinds of lunch meat (plenty for all), 3-4 kinds of cheese, tomatoes, lettuce leaves, pickles, onions and marinara sauce. Bring: aluminum foil, mustard, mayonnaise, ranch dressing, Italian dressing, salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, and a Sharpie marker. Set everything out and let everyone make sandwiches. Wrap them in foil and write names on them with the sharpie. Stick them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Serve with chips and fruit. Easy and delicious!
3. Chili or Sloppy Joe. The easiest kind of meal is one you make and home and bring along. So make a big batch of chili or sloppy joe before leaving. Freeze it, then stick it in the crock pot on the morning you want to serve it. Bring buns for the joe or rolls for the chili. You’re all set.
In case you need a good chili recipe, here’s my favorite (it freezes really well and makes enough for 15 or so):
Jason’s Favorite Chili
Ingredients:
3 pounds of ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (29 ounces) tomato puree
1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (10-1/2 ounces) condensed beef broth, undiluted
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of chili powder (or less to make it less spicy)
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS dried basil
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp steak sauce
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Cook beef, onion, green pepper and celery in Dutch oven until veggies are tender and meat is done. Drain. Dump it in the crock pot (or a large bowl, if you want to freeze it). Stir in beans, tomato puree, salsa, tomatoes, broth, water, and seasonings. Cook over low heat for 3-6 hours.
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