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Cooking for a Crowd

For the Pasta Lover

Menu

• Orange Almond Salad
• Spinach and Cheese Crostini
• Creamy Penne Pasta with Chicken and Bacon
• Crème Brulee
  

If you are a pasta lover, you’re going to enjoy this one! A creamy parmesan sauce combines with chicken and bacon to make this special. I like to include a few baby peas for color and taste. The fruity salad and crusty crostini complete the entrée, leaving room for a wonderful crème brulee. A simple yet elegant meal for your family or 50 of your best friends!

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Orange Almond Salad

6 Servings

1 head romaine or butter lettuce washed, dried and torn
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted

50 Servings

8 heads romaine or butter lettuce, washed, dried and torn
3 large cans mandarin oranges, drained
3 cups dried cranberries
3 cups sliced almonds, toasted

Preparation

Toss together the salad ingredients, reserving some of the fruit and almonds to garnish the salad. Whisk the dressing ingredients together and toss with the salad. Serve immediately.

 

Magic Dressing

6 Servings

½ cup olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup sugar
Salt to taste
Dash of Tabasco®

50 Servings

4 cups olive oil
4 cups red wine vinegar
1 ½ cup sugar
Salt to taste
A few drops of Tabasco®

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Spinach and Cheese Crostini

6 Servings

1 baguette loaf, cut into ½-inch slices
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 9 oz. package frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 8 oz. package light cream cheese
¼ cup roasted red peppers
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

50 Servings

4 baguettes, cut into ½-inch slices
1 stick butter
2 cups finely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 9 oz. packages frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 8 oz. packages light cream cheese
1 cup roasted red peppers
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation

Place baguette slices on baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 4-6 minutes until light brown. Set aside.

Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, or until softened. Add spinach and continue cooking for one minute or until warm. Place cream cheese in bowl; using mixer, mix about 30 seconds, then add spinach mixture. Mix for 30 additional seconds and add red peppers, mixing for a final 30 seconds.

Spread mixture on toasted baguette slices. Top each slice with one teaspoon cheddar cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees until thoroughly heated and cheese is melted. Serve warm.

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Creamy Penne Pasta with Bacon and Chicken

6 Servings

12 bacon slices
3 chicken breast halves, boneless, cooked
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. penne pasta, cooked
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 pint whipping cream
4 green onions, sliced

50 Servings

100 bacon slices (about 8 lbs.)
24 chicken breast halves, boneless, cooked
½ cup minced garlic
1 ½ lbs. fresh mushrooms, sliced
8 lbs. penne pasta, cooked
8 cups grated parmesan cheese
1 gallon whipping cream
32 green onions, sliced

Preparation

Prepare pasta per directions on package. Chop or pull apart cooked chicken breasts into bite-size pieces. While the pasta is cooking, cook bacon in skillet (or oven) until crisp. Remove bacon. Using either bacon drippings, butter or olive oil, sauté mushrooms and garlic for four minutes or until tender. Stir in whipping cream, parmesan cheese, and pepper, and simmer over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If needed, use a little cornstarch dissolved in cold water to thicken (remember the other ingredients will help it thicken as well). Stir in pasta, bacon, chicken, and green onions. Serve hot. Reserve some of the green onions to garnish the top. The recipe will give generous servings. If desired, add ½ cup green peas with the pasta for color and taste.

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Crème Brulee

6 Servings

2 1/3 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup milk
¼ cup granulated sugar
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup light brown sugar

50 Servings

5 quarts heavy cream
1 ½ quarts milk
2 cups granulated sugar
25 whole eggs
25 egg yolks
3 tablespoons vanilla extract
6 cups light brown sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat cream, milk and sugar in a heavy saucepan to almost boiling. In a separate bowl, beat whole eggs and extra egg yolks together.

Gradually whisk the heated mixture into the eggs, then return mixture to the saucepan. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard coats the back of the spoon (three to four minutes). Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour custard into six individual custard dishes or into shallow baking dishes. Set dish or dishes in a large pan and place on the middle rack of the oven. Pour hot water into the outer pan to come level with the custard. Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until center of custard is set. When done, remove custard from water bath and cool. Cover and chill. A few minutes before serving, preheat broiler. Sift brown sugar evenly over top of custard, spreading to the edges. Set custard under broiler as close to heat as possible. Broil until browned but not burned, about 1 ½ minutes. Watch closely. Remove and chill. Serves six.

This elegant dessert is best served in soufflé cups, but can also be made in larger pans and cut into individual servings after it has chilled and set up. The “brulee” makes it special, and the sugar can either be melted under a broiler or with a separate “torch” which is available from most kitchen stores. This may be done ahead of time, leaving the browning until immediately before it is served.

PRISCILLA TAYLOR

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