8 essential cooking tips for feeding a large crowd

Even the savviest entertainers can get tripped up when it come time to cook for a crowd. There are so many mouths to feed! How are you supposed to know what everyone likes? And how much food will be enough to feed them all? It can certainly be stressful. And if it's your first time cooking the big holiday meal for the family or just throwing a big bash, that stress can leave anyone wondering if it's too late to call the whole thing off.

But don't give up just yet. Remember to breathe, and that just a little organization (plus the great tips we've given you below) will go a very long way. And while you're running around the kitchen trying to get everything ready, remember it's most important to stay calm. Even if a few things go wrong, as long as you're happy and relaxed, your guests will be too.

1. For kids, make hot dogs in the slow cooker

Kids can be some of the most difficult people on earth to feed. They're picky, and you never know quite just how much you need. What if one of them is used to eating like they're a bottomless pit in the middle of their growth spurt while one is just not that hungry and eats like a bird? And how on earth do you make sure they're all going to like what you serve so you get at least a little something into them?

The answer is easy - make hot dogs. Just about every kid loves hot dogs, so you won't have to worry about a bunch of little noses turning up at your food. And, they're super easy to make without you having to worry about standing over the stove or grill during the party.

Just place 60 hot dogs into a slow cooker, standing them all on their ends so they'll all fit. If you don't need that many, just use however many you need. Throw them into the slow cooker, place the lid on and cook on low for about 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. There's no need to add water, as the hot dogs will release their own moisture. Plus, if you do add water the hot dogs can overcook and end up splitting.

2. Get organized with lists

It can be difficult to remember everything when you're just cooking dinner for your own family, never mind a large crowd. Because of this, lists are your friend when planning for a party. Write down every single dish you plan to make, along with all the ingredients you'll need to make it. Make lists of all the actual dishes you'll need including dinner and dessert plates, cutlery, and coffee cups. Check to make sure that you have everything and if you don't, head out to pick some up. If you're trying to throw the party on a budget, a dollar store can also be your friend when it comes to picking things up like dishes and cups.

You can even extend the lists to your table and serving area. Set out all your plates and chafing dishes and leave a Post-it nearby indicating what will go in there. These can be taken down before the guests arrive, but it will help you ensure that you have enough room for everything.

3. Cook traditional favorites

Adult palettes can sometimes be more difficult to please than a child's, so it's important that you don't offer a lot of food that many people may not be used to, or that may not be appetizing for everyone. Quail eggs, pheasant, and other dishes that not everyone may be familiar with should be kept for smaller groups, and for guests that you'll know will appreciate them. Instead, choose proven crowd-pleasers like lasagna, chilli, or a roast. Your guests will thank you and in the end, you'll all be happier.

4. Prepare make-ahead meals

This kind of goes hand in hand with the above tip, but when you're wondering what dishes to make, those you can make ahead are best. So even if you know that everyone on your guest list loves steak, it's best to choose something else because steaks have to be prepared right before serving. And you'll spend all of your time in the kitchen at the stove rather than mingling with your guests. And they did after all, come over so they could spend time with you, not your furniture. So avoid this party gaffe by preparing as much as you can in advance so you can cook for your guests and spend time with them.

Casseroles, slow cooker meals, and things that can sit in a large pot (like a soup or stew) that can slowly simmer away throughout the party, or quickly be reheated, are the perfect party food. You can even make them the day before and take that much more stress off your shoulders on the big day.

5. Remember not to overcrowd your oven

Although casseroles can be great, you don't want every dish to be a casserole. You'll just end up overcrowding your oven and the chances are, different casseroles will need different temperatures - leaving you to choose a temperature that's somewhere in the middle and overcooking and undercooking some of the food. Plus, as you continue to pile food into your oven, it will have trouble keeping itself warm enough to cook all that food properly.

Instead, mix up your dishes by making sure that some of them require the stovetop, one of them requires the slow cooker, and then choose just two or three that require the use of the oven. Your dishes will turn out perfectly and you won't have to worry about the different temperatures needed for different dishes.

6. Serve buffet style

It can be discouraging to get through the stress of cooking for everyone only to realize that you now have to plate it all for them too! Get around this by just serving everything buffet-style and letting guests serve themselves. You'll feel better because you can jut place things on the buffet as they're ready (especially if you have chafing dishes to keep everything warm) and your guests will feel better that they can just pick and choose what they want to eat, without feeling badly for leaving things on their plates. Plus, you won't have to scurry around during mealtime making sure everyone has everything they need. Just check the buffet area a couple of times during the meal and restock items if necessary.

7. Make the right desserts

No meal is complete without dessert, especially at a big party. But serving a big layer or even a complete pie can come with its own stresses; particularly when it's time to cut it just perfectly in front of everyone. And one cake or pie may not even be enough to feed everyone if you're feeding more than eight people. To get around this, and still serve a knockout dessert that everyone will love, make a sheet cake - it's so much easier to make and to serve! Or you can get around making cake at all and make a dessert that can be made into single servings like cookies or brownies.

8. Know how much to cook

So the big question, how much should you cook for all the people coming to the party? And that will depend largely on what type of food you're cooking. Firstly, remember that it will depend on the meal you're serving. If it's a brunch at 10 a.m. your guests likely won't be as hungry as they will be at dinnertime, so you likely won't need as much food. Also remember that the more dishes you have, the less you'll need to cook of each. But, for the main dish, there are a couple rules of thumb you can follow.

When serving ground meat or boneless poultry, typically half a pound per person will be enough. Five to six ounces per person will be more than enough when serving pasta; three to four ounces for veggie side dishes; and two to three ounces of grains such as rice will fill even the hungriest tummy. When serving dessert, count on one slice of cake or pie per person or two cookies or brownies. With these guidelines, no one will leave your home hungry.