Cooking for a Crowd

A Thanksgiving Luncheon

The apple pie is made with phyllo (also filo or fillo), which can be purchased at most grocery stores in the freezer section. If you’ve never tried it, phyllo is much easier to work with than you might imagine. Be sure to have a good supply of melted butter; it serves as the “glue” to hold the pie together. You may use margarine, but the flavor is not quite the same.

Whether you add salt, pepper or curry, adjust the seasonings to your taste. If your pans aren’t large enough, use two and divide the ingredients appropriately. Bon appétit!

Curried Mushroom Pumpkin Soup

6 Servings

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup diced onion
1 small can pumpkin
4 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon curry
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup whipping cream

50 Servings

2 lbs. butter (4 cups)
8 cups sliced mushrooms
4 cups diced onions
4 29 oz. cans pumpkin or 1 #10 can
2 gallons chicken stock
3 tablespoons curry, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 quarts whipping cream

Preparation

Melt butter in pan and sauté mushrooms and onions until limp. Add pumpkin, chicken stock and seasonings and bring to a boil. Mix well, lower heat and add cream. Simmer over low heat until time to serve. Stir occasionally.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream sprinkled with curry.

TIP: If you like a thicker soup, add a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with just enough water to make it liquid. Add a small amount at a time until you have reached the desired thickness. It will thicken as it simmers as well.

Chicken Salad with Cranberries and Pecans

6 Servings

3 cups diced cooked chicken
½ cup purple onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
½ cup sweet pickle relish
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cups chopped pecans
½-1 cup mayonnaise*
Salt and pepper
Tarragon, to taste

*Start with ⅓ cup and add more mayonnaise as needed. You may adjust the quantity of most ingredients as desired.

50 Servings

25 cups diced cooked chicken
4 cups purple onion, diced
2 quarts celery, diced
4 cups sweet pickle relish (or to taste)
2 cups dried cranberries
2 cups chopped pecans
4-6 cups mayonnaise**
Salt and pepper
Tarragon, to taste

**Start with three cups and add more mayonnaise as needed. You may adjust the quantity of most ingredients as desired.

Preparation

Mix together all ingredients, using enough mayonnaise to bind together. Serve a scoop of salad on a lettuce leaf or on salad greens.

Crusty French Rolls

It’s time to purchase your favorite rolls or baguettes. The “bake and serve” variety give you a fresh-from-the-oven taste with very little effort. Perhaps you’ll choose to use frozen bread dough. Cut each log in 12 pieces and bake in well-greased muffin tins. Use an egg wash (egg and water) to brush the tops and sprinkle sesame seeds or poppy seeds before the rolls rise. Bake and serve.

Primitive Apple Pie

12 Servings (1 pie)

12 phyllo leaves (1 box)
1 lb. butter
6 tart apples, peeled, cored & sliced
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup currants

50 Servings

48 phyllo leaves (4 boxes)
4 lbs. butter
24 tart apples, peel, cored and sliced*
4 cups sugar
8 tablespoons flour
8 teaspoons cinnamon
4 cups walnuts, chopped
2 cups currants

* You may also use canned sliced apples. One #10 can of sliced apples makes 2 pies.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425 degrees . Melt the butter. Mix together apple slices, 2/3 cup sugar (3 cups for large recipe), flour, cinnamon, currants and walnuts.

Unwrap the phyllo leaves and cover them with a barely damp towel. Using a pastry brush, lightly butter a 14-inch baking pan. Lay a phyllo leaf on the pan. Brush the phyllo with some of the melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Work quickly, or re-cover the phyllo. Do 5 more phyllo leaves. Arrange the apple mixture in the center of the phyllo stack making a circular mound. Continue to stack 6 more leaves on top of the stack brushing each with butter and sprinkling with sugar. Then roll the edges of the phyllo up to the apples, making a circle. Pinch lightly together to form a seal. The tart should look rustic. Brush the edges with butter. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden. Cut into 12 or 14 wedges. Serve warm.