So Many Houseguests, So Many Tummies to Feed!
My sister and her kids are visiting from New York, which always prompts my youngest to stay at the house for maximum cousin fun. Of course seven people at the house requires forethought for hungry tummies.
Their first night was an unphotographed burrito/tostada buffet centered on home cooked rice and pinto beans, with an array of side options including grape tomatoes, romaine, salsas, avocado, sour cream, pepper jack and cilantro. This is always a hit as it works for everyone's food preferences.
Frugal, filling and yummy.
For breakfast we repeated the oatmeal buffet breakfast, but added shredded coconut. I cooked a huge pot of oatmeal on the stove and then transferred it to my 1990s-era slow cooker and set it to "keep warm."
Dinner last night was last minute takeout pizza, as we added my mother and step father to the mix. However I kept it as frugal as possible(ish) by using an ecoupon for a gluten-free Domino's pizza, and also ordered half & half single toppings on a pair of large pies from Original Dream pizza. That way there were four choices, (pepperoni, mushroom, artichoke hearts and herb chicken) which kept the cost under control(ish).
We also put together a big ol' green salad.
I assembled a frittata for today's brunch, which utilized the variety of random vegetables from the fridge and freezer. It included diced potatoes, a massive amount of spinach, red peppers, roasted green chilis, pepper jack and a nice sprinkle of steak seasoning, which has dried onion, garlic, salt and pepper. I also tucked in a few blobs of cream cheese for extra richness. I had cilantro, sour cream and avocado available for toppings. Nice and filling.
Again, a big hit and only frugal because eggs prices have come down.
Click HERE to read my "Hakuna Frittata" blog post from 2009!
Yesterday was the first Saturday of the month, so I popped into the Franz Bakery Outlet to grab $1 loaves of bread. I picked up two packages of brioche bread for possible French toast, as well as loaves of blueberry and cinnamon bread for afternoon tea time. The bag on the left is filled with long thin multi-grain bread, which inspired me to plan a "sandwich buffet" dinner. It's packaged for the restaurant trade and probably holds a eight or so loaves.
I have still gluten-free bread in the freezer from previous visits.
I spent five dollars.
I think tonight will be red curry sauce with tofu and mixed frozen veggies, served over rice or rice noodles. This is both vegetarian and gluten free, which will serve everybody's dietaries needs. Plus, you know . . . be delicious and frugal.
I also think I'll slip a "breakfast for dinner" into the mix, which'll probably include French toast, cornmeal pancakes and a yogurt parfait bar. Probably even hit a food cart pod at some point.
Lunches have been been "grab what you want" and will start to include leftovers. Plus the young adult cousins like to explore and eat on their own. My neighborhood is walking distance from a couple of different fun shopping districts with almost endless locally owned shops and cafes. The full Portland experience!
I enjoy the creative challenge of figuring out meals that check the boxes of delicious and frugal; and also serve each person's specific dietary needs.
Do you have go-to meals you serve when feeding large groups of people? Please share in the comments section below!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
"Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."
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That bakery outlet is awesome.
1. I used my discounted Texas Roadhouse gift cards last night to buy dinner for me and my kids. I brought home leftovers which I ate for breakfast.
2. My youngest is visiting for the weekend (she's homesick). I spoiled her with some Boba tea and cans of cold brew lattes I bought at the discount grocery outlet. She's all about the beverages. Her apartment laundry facilities are shut down at the moment so doing laundry at mom's house works.
3. I made chicken enchiladas for dinner which used up a red pepper and a couple of sweet potatoes that have seen better days. I also used up some elderly tortillas and instapot beans from the freezer. I'm sending leftovers home with her so she has something easy for dinners after work. There's enough chicken leftover for another batch which I think I'll make and take to my mom's this week.
4. I've donated $50 for my daughter to take two feral cats to be spade. The vet charges $50 each. She has a feral mama cat who's had three litters in two years. Only two more of her litter need to be fixed and hopefully it helps with the feral cat population in her small town or at least in my daughters area. Less mouths to feed. She's adopted three and found homes for two kittens but there are five counting mama who are living outside her home.
5. I finished reading two library Kindle books. Women of a Promiscuous Nature by Donna Everhart which was chilling since it's based on real events. It was excellent. I also read Home Again by Kristin Hannah. I've just started The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins.