Recipes  

you_are_are Home » Special Feature » A Holiday Menu to Feed a Crowd

A Holiday Menu to Feed a Crowd

With the kids, grandparents and even your little cousin along with his new girlfriend, the guest list can easily expand very quickly. So now you have to bring out the folding table from the garage and plan a grand menu to feed all these people. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered! Here is a selection of traditional holiday recipes suitable for large groups.

Starters

1. Salmon Mousse

This recipe straight out of the ’80s will certainly hit your guests with a wave of nostalgia. Quick and easy to prepare, save some time by cooking your salmon in the microwave! Refrigerate for half a day before serving it; for a dozen people easily.

2. Warm Artichoke Dip 

For larger groups, you’ll need to break out the heavy artillery: your slow cooker. This machine will be a lifesaver when hungry guests enter the kitchen and a hot dip awaits them with a plate of bread and raw vegetables. Keep the slow cooker on Warm mode so that it stays at the correct temperature.

3. Tutti Frutti Punch 

Playing bartender for 10, 12 or 20 guests can keep you occupied throughout the entire evening. So rather than making cocktails for everyone, prepare a punch that you can pour into a large bowl, and place glasses nearby so that everyone can serve themselves.

Side and main dishes

4. Roasted Turkey with Sage Butter and Marsala 

Sauce Don’t skimp on the turkey! Opt for a bird weighing about 20 pounds, which makes 20 servings. Add sage butter under the skin for added flavour and to ensure that the skin remains golden and crispy. Serve alongside a sauce made with marsala, a slightly sweet Italian wine.

5. Apple and Squash Stuffing

With such an imposing bird, you have no choice but to serve it with a good amount of stuffing. This recipe consists of squash, celery, apple, pancetta, bread and ground pork.

6. Meatball Stew 

Upon entering your home, your guests will be drawn to the intoxicating scent of cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon that is emanating from this meatball stew, a classic holiday meal of yesteryear.

7. Meat Pies 

This recipe makes six meat pies, or tourtières. So you will certainly not run out! Since they can be frozen, you can bake them days or even weeks in advance and simply reheat before serving.

8. Mashed Potatoes

It takes about 10 pounds of potatoes to prepare enough mash to feed 20 people. Add butter, cream and garlic confit, and then bake in the oven at the same time as the turkey.

Desserts

9. Triple Chocolate Yule Log

Regardless of the number of guests at your table, a yule log is a must. This triple chocolate log is irresistible with its white and milk chocolate whipped cream, dark chocolate ganache and moist chocolate cake. Don’t have enough time to bake? It’s also available at IGA grocery stores across Quebec.

10. Christmas Dessert in a Jar

This is a great dessert idea that will serve around 20 guests. In pretty Mason jars, place slices of vanilla cake layered with mascarpone cream, pistachio nougatine and a cranberry-raspberry compote.

In short, with this generous menu to feed all of your loved ones, we promise that no one will leave the table hungry. Now all that’s left is to wrangle a few volunteers to help wash all those dishes...

Looking for a few more classic holiday recipes? We’ve got them all here: