The hashbrown cassarole is great for breakfast. Just add a muffin and coffee/tea.
Sausage/gravy & bisquits.
Lasagna for dinner.
Or maccaroni/hamb. (goulash).
Chicken fried chicken
Meatloaf
Leslie

Casseroles are great, rice, beans and pasta stretch things a long way. Stir Frys use lots of veggies and you don't need a lot of meat. Stroganoff? Soups are good. Have you made Haley's taco soup? Even potato soup or vegetable with a sandwich. Chicken Pot pie?
DD and the boys are coming on the 22nd and only staying 4 days, but I need to cook a little better than what I do for just DH and I. Lasagna was one of my choices, tacos another because Hunter will eat them like there is no tomorrow! LOL
Breakfast pizza and fruit, even if its canned peaches or pears that are cheaper than fresh. Make pancakes one evening for supper with eggs or sausage. That goes over pretty well.

Soup is filling and usually a pot will last for two lunches--depends on how many. How many people are coming? They can be made ahead of time and frozen (unless they're a cream-based soup)which saves you cooking time when your house is busier. I tend to get distracted when there is a lot of conversation, etc., going on.

Casseroles are great--chicken and noodle, any pasta-type casserole, tuna casserole (I love the stuff). With a casserole, you can just have bread and a salad.

Sandwiches for lunch (with or without soup). Make up egg, tuna or chicken salad ahead of time (but not too long ahead).

Hope someone has breakfast ideas. That's my stumper 'cause I don't eat it. But I'm having company after Christmas so I could use help, too.

Paula Deen's French Toast Casserole.

I had it at a brunch that a friend held and it was great. I asked for the recipe. She told me she makes it with just milk and less eggs, (Even cheaper) and uses all the old dried bread that she saves for croutons and breadcrumbs (No cost).

4 pounds dried French bread
3 quarts whole milk
2 dozen eggs

1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Praline Topping, recipe follows
8 sticks butter
4 cup packed light brown sugar
4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

This recipe will feed an army for breakfast at little cost and your guests will rave about it.

Here is a link that might be useful: French Toast Casserole

Chicken Casserole

6 chicken breasts or 1 whole chicken cut up
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz sour cream
2 cups chicken stock
¼ lb butter
1 small bag of Pepperidge farm stuffing mix (not cubes)

Cook/ boil chicken and save stock (water you cooked the chicken in). Cut into small pieces. Put in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Mix sour cream & soup then pour over chicken. Heat 2 cups stock & butter then blend with stuffing. Place over the top of chicken & soup.

Bake @ 350 for 1 hour.

Breakfast Pizza

1 tube crescent rolls
1 lb bulk sausage or ground beef or bacon or mixture
1 cup frozen hash browns, thawed
1 cup shredded cheese (any kind you like)
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup additional cheese

Unroll crescent rolls and place in greased pizza pan or 9x13 pan; press seams together and press up sides to form crust. Brown meat and cool slightly. Sprinkle meat, hash browns and cheese over crust. Beat eggs, milk and salt & pepper; pour over pizza. Sprinkle additional cheese over top.

Bake @ 375 28-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Cheesy Ham Chowder

10 bacon strips
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup diced carrots
3 TBSP flour
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups water
2 1/2 cups cubed potatoes
1 can (15 oz) whole kernel corn
2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups fully cooked ham

In Dutch oven or large pot, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. In the drippings, saute onion & carrots until tender. Stir in flour until blended. Gradually add milk & water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add potatoes, corn, & bouillon. Reduce heat & simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add cheese and ham & heat until cheese is melted. Stir in bacon.
*****I used frozen cubed hash browns, a chicken bouillon cube and frozen corn. Turned out just fine!*****

Peddler's Beans

Brown together:
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb bacon cut up
1 onion chopped

Add to meat mixture:
1 can (1 lb size) of EACH: pork and beans, kidney beans and butter beans (rinsed)

Mix together:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 white sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 TBSP molasses
1/2 tsp dried mustard
then add to meat & beans

Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

I have also made this in the crock pot.

Here's a couple of inexpensive Dutch recipes:
This one's called "Hutspot"
Boil potatoes
Cook carrots until soft
Lightly fry some onions (I do this in olive oil, but any oil or margarine will do)
When all this is done, mash them all together in one big pan. Can be eaten with gravy only or with any kind of meat on the side. Delicious on a cold day!

The next one's called "Boerenkoolstamppot"
Boil potatoes
Cook finely chopped kale (I steam it to preserve the vitamins)
Mash the two together in a large pan.
Serve with smoked sausage (or any meat you like) and lashings of gravy (onion gravy, as for the "Hutspot" is my favourite). Also great on a cold winter's day. Yum!

A little more exotic and not Dutch:
Cook some egg noodles
Fry the following in oil:
Sliced or chopped red bell peppers
Chopped mushrooms
Onions
Then add 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce (available at a Chinese shop)
In another pan make an omelette and cut into strips or chop into pieces.
Add the omelette to the bell pepper/mushroom/onion mixture. You could also stir in some chopped tomato, but this is optional. Serve on top of the egg noodles - delicious, quick, easy and cheap.

Hope these are of some help.

Bernadette

Oh,another one for breakfast is waffles.
Leslie

Coca-Cola chicken (Weight Watchers) recipe is really easy. Mix a can of Diet Coke with one cup of ketchup. Add a pound of chicken breasts, an onion and a green pepper cut up in bite size pieces. Simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes. My daughters thought I was nuts until they tasted it - it's really yummy!

Bunnylovers Cheesy Ham soup is very good! I've made that when she posted it before!

Wow - 30 meals!
I say tacos or burritos - everyone can build their own and I second the soups; You can start cooking some of those now if you want and stick them away in the freezer. There's nothing like homemade bread with a hearty soup, and there are some easy recipes out there.
Also - spagetti. I love making Lasagne for a big crowd, but it is not necessarily a low cost item.
I'm hoping you get a lot of help with the grocery shopping cooking & cleaning!

A pot of beans with sliced sausage and corn bread. Pizza topped with everything you have. Lasagne with everything you have plus more. Hamburgers and tater tots. Beef stew made with hamburger, carrots and potatoes....more cornbread. Chili with hotdogs sliced into. Salmon patties. Tuna salad stuffed pita.
KFC! Tuna stuffed tomatoes. etc :)

Soups and stews can be made cheaply and are quite filling. Serve with bread or a green salad and you've got a meal. Here is my faourite soup, it is really easy to make and if you want to you can omit the ground beef. It's just as good without it.

Minestrone Soup

1 large can tomatoes (diced)
1 can tomato soup
1 can kidney beans
1 can baby carrots (cut up)
2 cubes or envelopes beef bouillon, dissolved in 2 cups water
½ cup macaroni
1 lb ground beef, cooked
1 onion, chopped and cooked with the ground beef
salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano and other spices to taste
Combine all ingredients in large pot. Simmer until macaroni is cooked. Serve with garlic bread.

Get some large chicken whole fryers and throw them in the oven with potatoes and vegetables all around the sides. That's easy and inexpensive. The next day cut up the leftovers for chicken salad sandwiches. Meatloaf is a good one too. Spagetti sauce from a jar with bread and a simple salad. Any casserole is good. A taco bar for make your own. Cold pasta salads with bread on the side.
Keep the dinners as simple as possible.
I'm glad it's you and not me.
Donna

Spaghetti with meat sauce, a salad and garlic bread

Pot roast with veggies and potatoes

Chili and cornbread

Sausage of your choice sliced fried up with diced potatoes,onions and bell peppers.

Hamburger steaks topped with BBQ or sauted onions,mushrooms,peppers etc. (whatever you like)

Stuffed baked potatoes with all the make your own fixin's

Lunch can be sandwiches and leftover soup and such

People are funny about breakfast. They may just want toast,a bagels or a muffin and some fruit or juice. If they are big breakfast eaters pancakes, scrambled egg dishes and biscuits and gravy are most economical.

Make taco filling by cooking hamburger and adding a can of chili. It goes a long way, especially if you put out plenty of cheese and sour cream. If you start to run out, add another can of chili. Nobody will complain. The next day, you can use what's left on salad greens, with more grated cheese, olives and some Fritos. Call it a taco salad. I do it all the time and it never goes to waste.

Make this casserole the night before, then refrigerate and pop it in the oven in the morning.
INGREDIENTS:
8 slices white bread, crust removed, cut into cubes
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 1/4 cups cubed, cooked ham (about 8 ounces)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
6 eggs, beaten
3 cups milk
PREPARATION:
Directions for this ham and egg breakfast casserole.
Place bread cubes in a lightly greased 12x8x2-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese, ham, onion, and green pepper. Whisk together eggs and milk; pour over ham and cheese mixture.
Cover and refrigerate 8 hours. Remove from refrigerator; let stand 30 minutes. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40 minutes or until set.
Serves 8 people

1. JIM's Family Chili - big pot

Ground meat, 2 lb

Red (kidney) beans, 2 cans

Tomato paste, 2 cans (Reduce the amount if you like less. Contidina paste or chili style tomato paste may be substituted for part of the bulk tomato paste.)

Green bell peper, 1: dice

Carrots, 4 large or more smaller ones to arrive at the same amount. Dice or thin slice.

Celery, Several stalks: dice. The amount isn't critical. There has to be enough to lend a bit of celery flavor.

Vidallia or white onion. 1/2: Dice. Dried onion flakes or onion powder may be substituted.

Chili powder

Salt: None. There's plenty of salt in the canned stuff already. Individauls can sample and add salt as desired when they dine. Most won't need to.

Brown sugar (My secret ingredent! But use sparingly.)

Preparation:

Brown the meat using just enough cooking oil to keep it from sticking.

Continue to heat.

Toss in the beans, tomato products, and the diced vegtables. If you are short on counter space, you can dice the vegtables, one at a time, and add to the heating mix as you dice. Start with the carrots first since these take the most time to soften followed by the onions. No particular order for the remaining vetables.

Bring the mix to a boil and reduce the heat to simmer. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. When you think the mix is about half done, probably after 10 min of simmer (keep it boiling), begin to add the chili powder. You'll need several ounces, maybe 2 serving spoons. Add to suit your taste. A little for mild and a bunch for hot.

Stir as needed.

Cook until the vetables begin to soften. Now, add the brown sugar. Add in small amounts, stir and taste for flavor. Start with no more than 1 teaspoon. A tiny amount of this stuff shifts the taste more than imagined. Its easy to ruin the batch. After the mix meets your standard, let it heat some more to finish cooking the vetables. If you like a little crunch in your vegtables, stop the heating sooner.

For those who insist on tongue roasting chili, they can add a bit of chili powder when they dine, or a little red pepper.

2. JIM'S BEEF STEW

It's the same recipe above with the following changes:

Start with bite sized chuncks of beef, or roast beef.

Add potatoes cut into small pieces to the vegtable list.

3. Other variations:

A. Substitute chicken and/or turkey meat for the beef. This, in my opion is not as tasty as the beef base, but it works for those who do not eat beef.

B. Make up your own mix of vegtables. Corn and peas are good companions to the stew. The mix I show above is sure fire for the chili mix and I recommend this if you don't have time to experiment before company comes.

The best part is the left-over (if there are any). Left overs can be cooled, covered, and stored in the refigerator. The taste improves with each re-heating. For a quick snack for one person, put a serving into a microwave...

This is the 3rd time I am typing this, it keeps disappearing, so if it shows up 3 times I'm sorry!

I like this recipe as it adjusts easily, change burger for turkey or no meat at all, change types of beans, don't want pie crust use biscuits or cornbread instead. You could probably even just bake it in the oven and use crackers.

Beans and Burger Pie

1 lb burger
1 onion, chopped
garlic (2-3 cloves or = amt of chopped)
1 can undiluted bean with bacon soup
1 jar (16 oz) salsa or picante sauce (divided)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley, or 1 tsp dried
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 can each kidney and black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup scallions
1 can sliced black olives if you like them.

Brown burger, onions & garlic, drain
In lg bowl combine soup, salsa (recipe says 1 cup, I use the whole jar), cornstarch, spices, mix well. Fold in the beans, 1 1/4 cups cheese, 1/2 cup scallions and beef mixture.
If using pie crust, line pie plate with crust, fill, top with 2nd crust,seal edges, cut slits in crust bake at 425 for 30-35 minutes (adjust time and temp to your oven) or till lightly browned. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
Garnish with sour cream, ripe olives, salsa etc.

If you don't want it in pie crust put the chili like mixture in a big pan (9x13 or so), top with biscuits or cornbread, bake according to directions for your biscuits. (the meat etc is all cooked, you just need to heat it at this point)

Enjoy your visit! Ellie

Mom24,
how many people, what ages are you dealing with, are they "fussy", have allergy or religion restrictions on their diet, are they vegetarian? Any special hints, I posted 1 easily adjusted recipe, but can get out some more if you want them,

Ellie

Good luck, Erin! I don't envy you the chaos and all the cooking. Maybe your guests will pitch in and help with the expense of feeding all of them? I would just ask who wants to go to the store with you to help with the tab!

I just made this last week and it was amazing, easy and cheap:

Pork Chops
Thick and Chunky Picante
Saffron Rice

Pour a bit of picante in the crock pot. Brown pork chops on both sides in a frying pan using a bit of cooking spray. Place the chops into the crockpost on top of the picante sauce. Cover the chops w/ more picante sauce. Cook on high for an hour then switch it to low and cook 5 to 7 more hours. Serve over prepared saffron rice (which cooks in 20 min) They are so tender and delicious!!! My husband reheated the leftovers yesterday for lunch and raved about them all over again.

ginger

scottyman made a good point about so many people having dietary restrictions these days so casseroles and thing like it are out. One way to deal with this is to serve buffet style and do everything as a 'make your own'. Tacos. Tossed salads. Pastas, Sandwiches. You can even do a dinner soup that way too. Let them fix it up the way they want.

Hi Erin!

I've posted this before and it's a favorite in our family. EASY and cheap!

TACO SOUP
1-2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 (4-oz) can chopped green chiles
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 can corn, undrained
3 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can kidney beans, undrained
1 can pinto beans, undrained
1 1/2 C water

Brown meat with chopped onion; drain; add remaining ingredients and simmer at least 30 minutes; longer if desired. Great served with shredded cheese and cornbread or Mexican chips.

Blessings,
Haley

Thank you everyone who responded! We saved this thread for ideas. There are 4 people coming and those of you who said they don't envy me for having to cook- you guys are crazy- I'm NOT cooking...it's my husband's family, he can cook. LOL. He does a majority of the cooking anyway and is really good at it, so who am I to butt in. I'm hoping they aren't super picky about what we have. I guess if they are, they'll be given a list of restaurants and a good luck. Keep them coming guys, I'm enjoying the list

I don't want to cause trouble -- I would think that these people would offer to buy a couple of meals out -- or some carry out back to the house?
You might have dh ask what people like for breakfast.... -- we're kinda yogurt & fruit people -- occassionally egg cassaroles style... Call me a killjoy -- but the cost of sodas will break the bank!

Here's another that is sooooo good, I have to double the recipe whenever we have company. YUM!!!!! You can have it for breakfast or as a dinner side. ::drool:: Think I got this off of the KT.

Oven Hashbrown Potatoes

32 oz frozen hashbrowns-thawed
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
minced onion-to taste (Optional)
1 pint sour cream
salt and pepper

Mix all together and place in 9x13" pan.
Melt ¼ cup butter, add with rice krispies, and sprinkle over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.

I'm going through my online recipes... Here's another! I got this from the KT as well and it's sooooo easy! A big winner in our house. When the feta comes into contact with the hot green beans, it makes a DELICIOUS sauce!

Tomato Feta Green Beans (Side dish)

***I halved for 3 adults.
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 16 oz frozen french green beans thawed
2 garlic cloves minced
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbl olive oil
4 plum tomatoes chopped
2 tbl lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 4 oz pkg feta cheese crumbled.

-Bake pine nuts 6-8 minutes 350 for 6-8 minutes, watch so they don't burn. (or not, I just throw mine in, LOL)
-Drain beans on paper towel, press well.
-Saute garlic in oil 1 minute
-Add beans, saute 5 -7 minutes
-Stir in tomato, cook until heated
-Stir in salt, pepper, lemon juice.
-Add to serving dish, sprinkle with cheese, pine nuts.

And another. I make this for company often! It's wonderful. If you want to add meat, I add Italian sausage. It looks like a lot of work, but it's really not. Also, I use Barilla no boil noodles to save a step.

Artichoke Spinach Lasagna
INGREDIENTS
cooking spray
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (14.5 ounce) cans vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed dry
1 (28 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (4 ounce) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes, or until onion is tender-crisp. Stir in broth and rosemary; bring to a boil. Stir in artichoke hearts and spinach; reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce.
Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish; top with 3 cooked noodles. Sprinkle 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese over noodles. Repeat layers 2 more times, ending with artichoke mixture and mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.
Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, and bake 15 minutes more, or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Yet another! I don't like Chicken Noodle Soup, but this is VERY good and easy. DH even likes it and he is PICKY!

Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
1/2 pound chopped cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 cups egg noodles
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion and celery in butter until just tender, 5 minutes. Pour in chicken and vegetable broths and stir in chicken, noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes before serving.

Yep. Another. Very, very yummy w/ crusty bread!

Broccoli Potato Soup
INGREDIENTS
2 cups broccoli florets
1 onion, sliced
1 tablespoon margarine
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of potato soup
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the broccoli and onion in the butter or margarine, about 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the soup, milk, water, basil and pepper. Mix well and heat through, about 15 minutes. Add cheese and stir until melted.

These are some of the things I do when we have guests for a few days.

Chili---- and chili dogs a couple days later ;o)

I make up 2-3 lbs. each of sloppy joes and shredded chicken ahead of time for sandwiches, enough for multiple meals. I set out some of both each meal I'm serving it, let everyone choose. It's quick and easy to warm up whenever.

Sloppy joes, I just use Manwich.
But the shredded chicken is
2-3 lbs. chicken breast on bone, w/skin. Boiled until done and tender enough to fall off the bone. Remove chicken, cool some and shred it. Check twice for bones. With 2 cups of broth, add 1 cup plain bread crumbs. Stir in shredded chicken and 1 jar chicken gravy. Done. Sometimes I will use bonessless/skinless chicken to make it 1)easier and 2) less fat.

I keep salad stuff on hand, the ingredients stored in baggies ready to put on a serving platter so everyone can make it the way the like it. Tacos are good that way, too.

I have deli lunch meats for sandwiches. For a couple nicer meals, I'll do one lasagna and one pot roast.

We almost always end up ordering pizza one night, or doing a Kentucky Fried Chicken run.

We eat a lot of eggs, too. Scrambled, and egg salad, deviled eggs, and just have some hard boiled ready for breakfast.

For breakfast, I'd honestly just make sure there are a few varieties of cereal, fruit, toast and jelly. A hot breakfast would be a special treat, not every day! That's too much cooking and dishes... not to mention calories. Or when you do make pancakes, make double and freeze them the next day.

When my brood goes to stay with family for a few days, I always cook at least one meal. My lasagna is usually what is requested, but sometimes it's something else. I head to the grocery and buy all the ingredients for that meal, as well as my kids' favorite cereals, fruits and snacks. When we visit my parents, I usually arrive a couple hours before they get home from work that first day. I go straight to the store and start dinner. I know my mom has never liked to cook, never mind for 6 extra people. If I cook and mom does the dishes, and the men take the kids outside, we're all happy.

Lots of good recipies here, and good advice from stephanie_in_ga: a hot-cooked breakfast is a special treat, not an everyday occasion (unless you WANT these houseguests to stay forever, lol!)

Also, if you haven't already done so, I'd buy a stock of medium-quality paper plates. That's alot of extra folks to wash dishes for, no matter how much you love them.

Enjoy your company :-)