Cooking for 50 people

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I have been volunteered to cook for a wedding shower. Looking to cook something besides the standard jambalaya/pastalaya or gumbo. Any recommendations are appreciated and include recipe. Thanks in advance!

P.S. It's also still a few weeks away so feel free to keep posting!

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A little about those attending is helpful.

Sushi baby! or Spaghetti and Meatballs if they are less adventurous.

Haha meant people not age!

I assume this is at mealtime rather than in the afternoon.

Does it need to be served buffet style and do you need items which need to be made days ahead or just hours ahead?

It is on the Friday after Thanksgiving so it shouldn't be a problem if I am cooking all day. I am going to have to transport whatever I need to cook or have cooked to the house in which the party is being held. Approx 20 minutes away. I am just doing the "main" meal and the bridesmaids will be providing finger foods/side dishes.

So, you're going to have it have it cooked and hot ready to serve upon arrival?

How about white bean chili with chicken? The recipe I use is in the recipe book in the sticky at the top of this forum.

You can make it a day ahead of time and you can warm it at the party and add the last ingredients there just before serving. You can have the various toppings available.

You could also warm it before you leave home since it takes a while to warm. I've made it for 50 a number of times. You can fix half in one pot and half in another and transfer it all to a big roaster to keep warm. That's what I did. I have an 18 quart roaster from Sam's that was not expensive and worked well, if you have to find something.

You could have a salad with it, but really, with all the garnishes, chips etc..., it works well by itself. Guac would be good, though.

Pulled pork for sandwiches is another option.

It could be made or partially made earlier in the week, if you can swing that.

How much time will have to make something before this shower?

There's always lasagna or an Italian meat sauce which could be made early, frozen, defrosted and baked/heated the day of.


Gumbo or some other hearty soup which freezes well are obvious options.

Regular chili freezes well and is another obvious option.

I've made shrimp creole up to the point of adding the shrimp, frozen it, defrosted, heated and added the shrimp just before serving, for a large crowd. I use the recipe in the Plantation cookbook by the New Orleans Junior League. Just needs a salad and French bread. I usually butter the bread, wrap in foil, heat it and load into an ice chest for traveling. Stays very warm for a good while. I didn't the same thing with tamales for about 50. I made chili to go with them. Worked out well.

Fried Catfish, Crawfish Etoufee, Shrimp parmesan alfredo pasta, Chicken and Dumplins