Quantity Recipes
Pasta and Potatoes for a Crowd

Cooking Holiday Dinner for a Crowd?

Macaroni and Cheese for Fifty Recipe
Baked Ziti with Four Cheeses for Fifty
Mashed Potatoes
Au Gratin Potatoes
Candied Sweet Potatoes

Macaroni and cheese and mashed potatoes are seasonal and everyday favorites. These recipes plus variations will serve 50 quests at your holiday feast.  If you are preparing for fewer or for more then 50, see Creating Your Own Quantity Recipes and Cooking for a Crowd Chart for information and guidance.   

hints
» Depending on your oven size, you may need to bake these quantity dishes at different times.  

» Place pans of pasta or potatoes on appropriately sized baking sheets to make it easier to get the pans in and out of the oven

» The pans recommended for these recipes refers to disposable aluminum pans.  Look for these pans in your local discount store for the best buys.

Macaroni and Cheese for Fifty
Makes approximately 3 13" x  9" x 2" pans or 2 12" x 20" x 4" pans.  Serving size about 1 cup.  This recipe can be cut in half to serve 25

3 1/2 pounds elbow macaroni or favorite short pasta (about 14 cups uncooked)
3 sticks butter or margarine

8 ounces all purpose flour
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 medium onion, grated or finely minced
1 gallon whole milk
4 pounds sharp Cheddar cheese shredded.  A combination of Swiss, Fontina, mozzarella, Colby or Monterey Jack may also be used

OPTIONAL TOPPING
1 pound bread crumbs
6 ounces melted butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350º F

In large stock pot, cook macaroni according to package directions.  In same stock pot or in large saucepan.  Stir in flour, salt, dry mustard and onion.  Cook, stirring frequently, 5-10 minutes.  

Add milk gradually, stirring constantly with a wire whisk.  Cook until thickened and onions are softened.    Add cheese to sauce and stir until cheese melts.  Pour over pasta and mix thoroughly.  Pour into pans.  If using topping, add bread crumbs into melted butter and mix well.  Divide evenly and sprinkle over macaroni and cheese.   Bake about 35 minutes or until hot and bubbling

Variation:
Bacon or Ham: Cook 2 pounds of bacon until crisp, cool, crumble.  Add 3 pounds chopped ham.  Mix bacon or ham into cooling pasta.  Reduce salt for both variations

Seasoned: Sauté 5 or more finely minced garlic cloves in 3-4 tablespoons of the butter

This baked ziti is much easier then it looks

Baked Ziti with Four Cheeses
Makes 50, 1-cup servings.  Use 3 13"x 9"x 2" baking pans or 2 12" x 20" x 4" pans.  Oil pans or use cooking spray.  Recipe can be cut in half to serve 25

6 28-ounce canned whole tomatoes, or equivalent to 5 1/2 quarts

32 ounces tomato puree

1/2 cup finely diced onion

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 tablespoon dried basil, crumbled

3 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

1/2 cup fresh minced parsley

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons salt, or to taste

12 cups uncooked ziti

6 cups cottage cheese

1 1/2 pounds shredded mozzarella

1 1/2 pounds shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

1 pound shredded provolone cheese

In a pot large enough to hold 3 gallons of salted water, cook ziti according to package directions.  Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to water.  Drain well.  In a large stock pot or saucepan, combine whole tomatoes, tomato puree, onion, garlic, basil oregano, parsley and salt and pepper.  Simmer for about 15 minutes or until heated through.  

NOTE:  Divide ingredients between the 2 or 3 prepared pans with each pan having two layers each as follows: sauce, cooked ziti, cottage cheese, mozzarella and Swiss.  Repeat for second layer.  Sauce on top, parsley, provolone. 

Cover pans with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350º F for 25-30 minutes or until hot, bubbly and cheese is melted

Mashed Potatoes for Fifty
Makes 50 - 3/4 cup servings.  This recipe can be cut in half to serve 25

hint:  If you do not own a commercial sized mixer, prepare potatoes in 2-3 batches.  Potatoes must be mashed or whipped while they are hot or they will not hold together.  They can be made 1 week in advance and frozen in tightly sealed containers.  Defrost in the refrigerator, 5-6 hours.  Transfer to baking dishes and reheat in a low oven or in the microwave.  Stir often.  They can also be made 1-2 days in advance.  Store in tightly sealed containers in the refrigerator.  Reheat as above      

16 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes
2-2½ quarts milk or half-half, heated
2 sticks butter, melted
3 tablespoons salt

Peel and eye the potatoes.  Cut into even pieces.     For large quantity cooking, boil potatoes in a large kettle or stockpot.  Do not overload the pot.  Use two pots or cook in batches,  25-35 minutes or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork but do not fall apart.   Drain well in a colander and place hot potatoes in a mixing bowl.  Mash by hand or beat with a mixer briefly.  Add the hot milk, melted butter and salt.  Continue mixing until desired texture is reached. 

Au Gratin Potatoes
Makes 50 1/2 cup servings.  Use 3 13"x 9"x 2" baking pans or 2 12" x 20" x 4" pans.  Oil pans or use cooking spray.  Recipe can be cut in half to serve 25

hint: If you have never made white sauce it may be safer to make this recipe in 2-3 batches.  Divide ingredients in half or into thirds.  White sauce can be prepared one day in advance and refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.  Reheat in the microwave at a low power level.  Stir often.  

potatoes
10 pounds potatoes, use Russet or Yukon Gold for best texture and taste
1 tablespoon salt

cheese white sauce
3 sticks butter
3/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon salt
3 quarts milk
1½ pounds Cheddar cheese, shredded

optional topping
1½ cups dried bread crumbs
2 sticks butter, melted
Combine crumbs and butter.  

Peel and cut potatoes into an even dice .  Place potatoes in at least a 25-quart stock pot (or cook in batches).  .  Cover with cold water, add salt and boil until just tender, 20-25 minutes (potatoes will finish cooking in the oven).   Evenly divide potatoes between prepared pans.  Sprinkle with olive oil if desired.  

Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Melt butter in 3-5 quart saucepan (recommend cook in batches).  Add flour and salt and stir until smooth, 5-10 minutes.  Gradually add milk while stirring.  Cook until slightly thickened.   Add cheese to mixture and stir until melted.  Pour over potatoes.   Gently distribute sauce in-between potatoes.  Sprinkle bread crumb topping over potatoes, if using.    Bake at 350ºF, 25-30 minutes or until heated through, bubbling and browned in spots

Candied Sweet Potatoes For Fifty
Makes 50 1/2 cup servings.  Makes enough to fill approximately 3 13"x 9"x 2" baking pans or 2 12" x 20" x 4" pans.  Oil pans or use cooking spray.  Recipe can be cut in half to serve 25.  

hints
» To all sweet potato dishes, enhance flavor by adding spices such as allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, singly or in combination, or use pumpkin pie spice.  Start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more according to taste.
» Use approximately three 6-7 pound cans (No. 10 sized can) of sweet potatoes to substitute for fresh potatoes.  Some large supermarkets sell this sized can, especially during the holidays.  Use the serving size guidelines on the can.  

16 pounds sweet potatoes
1 pound 12 ounces light brown sugar
2 cups water
2 to 2½ sticks butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt

If boiling potatoes, do not crowd in saucepan or stockpot, cook in batches if necessary. 

Scrub potatoes.  Boil or bake in skins until tender, about 25-40 minutes.   When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into halves lengthwise.  Arrange in prepared pans.

Mix sugar, water, butter and salt in a large saucepan.  Heat to boiling point, stirring frequently.  Pour over potatoes.  Bake at 400ºF for 20-35 minutes or until heated through and bubbling. 

Variations:
Sweet Potatoes with Apples: Reduce potatoes to 9 pounds.  Peel and slice 5 pounds of tart apples, such as Granny Smith.  Place alternate layers of sweet potatoes and apples in the baking pans and pour the hot syrup mixture over all.  Bake for 35-45 minutes. 

Orange-Accented Sweet Potatoes: Add 1/4 cup grated orange peel the the syrup.  Cut 4-5 oranges into thin slices and place on top of potatoes before baking. 

Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Cook and mash sweet potatoes following procedure for Mashed Potatoes, except use 1/2 stick melted butter, 1¼ quarts hot milk,  1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon.  Add salt to taste, starting with 1 teaspoon.