# Cooking for a Crowd - help



## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

I just know someone here will have a concise answer for me - 

I need to make an 18qt Nesco full of spaghetti for a fundraiser - 

If I am using the rotini - spiral noodles - how many ounces/pounds of UNCOOKED noodles would I need to cook to fill that nesco pan?

I was planning, also, to include venison italian sausage - about 3#- if that sounds right? And hoping to find a #10 can of spaghetti sauce

(Obviously) I don't have much experience in quantity cooking!

Thanks, everyone!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I'd start with 4-5 lb of rotini, 5 lb sausage, a couple large cans of sauce and add additional onions, garlic & celery.

How many folks are you expecting?


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## sewsilly (May 16, 2004)

I really recommend this site growlies for groupies:

http://lotsofinfo.tripod.com/

here's spagetti for 50: http://www.angelfire.com/bc/incredible/xSF31spaghetti.html

and for 150 : http://www.angelfire.com/bc/incredible/xH8sausagemozzadinner.html

I cook for 200 regularly at my church... and you can't beat these recipes or the ones at the Navy website (which I've been unable to find lately, but I printed them off and bound them in a book before the website disappeared).

I hope this helps.

dawn


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

Knowing how many is the hard part - we aren't preselling tickets, but it is opening day of WI deer season, so we think 150-200. Someone else is providing 2 nescos of long spaghetti, I am hoping a third will do it, although she is checking with DILs who own a restaurant together to check on servings/nesco.

Thanks, Sewsilly, I'll check out those websites. The other spaghetti lady is an awesome cook, and while I can't compare, I'd like to bring something better than mud!


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## Solarmom (Jun 17, 2010)

OK- what is a NESCO??


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

Those big electric 18 qt roasters - usually white, with a big black speckled enamel pan insert. It's the "original" name brand, like ViseGrips pliers.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Dawn,
Great sites!! I routinely cook with another person for our church get togethers and for special events.

Last Friday was a meal for 160 of roast turkey, roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans (with onions!), gravy, homemade yeast rolls, letuce(s) salad, cole slaw and desert to benefit the food banks of our area.

We had 4 turkeys donated, 2 were 38 lb each and would have been sufficient Instead we cooked all of them and donated the left overs to one of our daily food banks who also serves lunches. The folks ate good Friday night and other folks ate real good Saturday afternoon!

I took home the 4 turkey carcasses and boiled them up with some dehydrated vegetables for a very hearty turkey stock, which I canned up. Yum!


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## countrysunshine (Jul 3, 2008)

Chixarecute said:


> Those big electric 18 qt roasters - usually white, with a big black speckled enamel pan insert. It's the "original" name brand, like ViseGrips pliers.


Must be regional. Everyone I knew had a Westinghouse when I was a kid. I have an old Westinghouse and a newer Hamilton Beach. I have never seen anything in the Nesco brand except the dehydrator my husband has.

ETA: I did a little research. It is regional. NESCO is a Wisconsin company. Of course I would have only seen Westinghouse. They had a local factory. Westinghouse came out with theirs at about the same time as NESCO. My grandmother had one that had a cabinet base. I remember getting burnt on that thing!

Back to your original question: I think you are underestimating meat and sauce needed to fill your roaster. I also recommend you cook the pasta and put it in bags then add to the sauce when you get to the location. It will continue to swell some in the sauce and will get drier the longer it sets.


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## sewsilly (May 16, 2004)

I personally own two of the 18 quart cookers and the church owns 4 and the boyscouts own two... so I really can cook for a crowd when I need to.
I generally take any recipe that I'd normally make for my family and make 4 of them for one 18 quart cooker. At home, I normally use a 5 quart LeCrueset dutch oven. This guideline works for me without things being too full, allowing for stirring, etc.
Of the 8 cookers that I have access to, two of them are 'slower than Christmas' no matter what you do... those are marked. The others are comparable in their ability to heat quickly and hold at temperature.

For group meals, etc, I usually use between 4 and 5 pounds of meat for the 18 quart quantity, depending on recipe and price of meat at the time. I like for the food to be really good. ; ) Must work, when I'm cooking we'll have a great turn out and folks will 'sign up' to buy leftovers before they've eaten! 

When I do a 4 to 5 container quantity, I always make one of them meatless (one way or another, say if I'm making chicken stew, I make one of potato soup). I never fail to sell that one too. 

I love the 18 quart cookers!

dawn


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## Chixarecute (Nov 19, 2004)

The spaghetti fundraiser was last night. We served about 130, and went through 2 full roasters of spaghetti. Thanks for everyone's help!


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## diamondtim (Jun 10, 2005)

Solarmom said:


> OK- what is a NESCO??


The following is the answer to your question:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk3F60sunUY[/ame]

Hope that helps.


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