https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 17 Apr 2026 18:57:48 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2625654 Thu, 22 Sep 2016 15:18:34 +0000 Kimberlybee 2625654@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: sounds delicious! Thanks for the recipe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2625652 Thu, 22 Sep 2016 15:18:12 +0000 Kimberlybee 2625652@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: Will your guests eat fried rice? Sometimes I just make it with eggs, frozen veggies, and spam or whatever meat is leftover. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2625120 Thu, 22 Sep 2016 01:47:22 +0000 lamariniere 2625120@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624971 Wed, 21 Sep 2016 14:36:45 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2624971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: @lamariniere: </p> <p>SAUSAGE AND CORN CHOWDER</p> <p>1 lb hot Jimmy Dean Sausage (or plain if you want)<br /> 1 large onion, diced<br /> 3 large potatoes, diced (or 2 cans diced potatoes)<br /> 2 teaspoons salt<br /> 1 teaspoon basil<br /> ½ teaspoon pepper<br /> 2 cups water<br /> 1 can whole kernel corn<br /> 1 can cream style corn<br /> 1 large (12 oz) can evaporated milk</p> <p>Directions: Brown sausage and drain grease reserving 2 tablespoons of grease. Sauté the onion in 2 tablespoons of grease. Add all ingredients except the cans of corn and evaporated milk. Cover and simmer 20 minutes*. Add cans of corn and evaporated milk and heat to warm.</p> <p>* If you use the canned potatoes you can omit this step and just throw everything in the pot and heat to warm. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624929 Wed, 21 Sep 2016 13:39:57 +0000 daniellemybelle 2624929@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: This sounds delish - I would like the recipe too! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624862 Wed, 21 Sep 2016 12:18:58 +0000 lamariniere 2624862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: anytime! :happy: and yes please for the recipe. Sounds yummy and great for fall weather. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624681 Wed, 21 Sep 2016 07:57:35 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2624681@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Also I have a great potato corn sausage chowder I can send you. You could leave the sausage out or just use very little </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624680 Wed, 21 Sep 2016 07:56:17 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2624680@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: I will cook if you let us come visit! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624619 Wed, 21 Sep 2016 02:29:06 +0000 lamariniere 2624619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@gingerbebe: I was hoping you would chime in! Thanks for the great suggestions and all the links!</p> <p>@sunny: that reminds me that I do actually have a fondue set. I got it for free and think I've used it once. :silly: That could be fun with the kids. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624390 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 15:08:00 +0000 sunny 2624390@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How about raclette or cheese fondue? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624373 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:51:27 +0000 gingerbebe 2624373@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think coming up with a repetoire of pasta dishes that you like will be your best asset. Pasta marinara sounds like the most obvious, but there are a lot of other vegetarian options. Here's a link to Lidia Bastianich pasta recipes and she uses a lot of random veggies for sauce, like broccoli or mushrooms. Pasta puttanesca uses barely any meat (just anchovies) and I really love simmering chopped kale and onions and chili flakes in a jar of pasta sauce and tossing it with whole wheat spaghetti and cheese. </p> <p><a href="http://lidiasitaly.com/recipes-categories/pastas-polenta-risottos/" rel="nofollow">http://lidiasitaly.com/recipes-categories/pastas-polenta-risottos/</a></p> <p>Soups or stews would also be good. Lentil or bean based soups are hearty and good this time of year. A standard brown lentil soup simmered with a mix of onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, vegetable or chicken broth, with salt and pepper is hearty and delicious. I also really love this red lentil soup that's fast and a little different:</p> <p><a href="http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016062-red-lentil-soup-with-lemon" rel="nofollow">http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1016062-red-lentil-soup-with-lemon</a></p> <p>I also really like ribolitta, which is a bit more filling and tastier than a simple minestrone to me: </p> <p><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ribollita-recipe.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/ribollita-recipe.html</a></p> <p>Another favorite is potato leek soup, which I like to serve with Gruyere cheese toasts:</p> <p><a href="http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/potato_leek_soup/" rel="nofollow">http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/potato_leek_soup/</a></p> <p>Then you can quickly make a simple green salad and serve with bread and cheese. The dressing you can just make in a big jam jar once a week and keep in the fridge. I do a quick one that's chopped shallot, cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper, and olive oil, plus a little sugar if the vinegar is really strong. Its great on just simple green leaf lettuce. If you want to jazz it up, you can chop up an apple or add a handful of raisins. Go buy a box of truffles and a tin of good cookies and pass them around after dinner for an easy quick dessert with tea or cookies.</p> <p>I don't think any of these things are so weird that a kid wouldn't eat them. Especially with pasta, if they really don't like it, some cheese and butter and noodles will be fine.</p> <p>For breakfasts, I would just keep fresh bread, jam, butter, yogurt, and coffee/tea/hot chocolate around. Cereal and milk if the kids want that. You can boil off some eggs and keep them in the fridge if someone wants that.</p> <p>Lunches I'd do cold things, like cheese or saucisson sandwiches with pickles and a cold side salad, like canned garbanzo beans tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, and grated Parmesan. Or if you want to host a nicer lunch, I'd do a huge salade Nicoise with tuna and nice olives. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624360 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:38:18 +0000 brownepiano 2624360@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Chili and corn bread, taco salad, and (home made) pizza are always my go to meals for more people. In the winter I do a lot of hearty stews with fresh bread. In the summer bean burgers or pasta salad with fresh fruit on the side. </p> <p>For breakfast I make baked oatmeal or granola and yogurt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624343 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:15:09 +0000 daniellemybelle 2624343@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When my in-laws were here last, I made a big thing of chicken salad and had croissants and sandwich fixings on hand. That turned out to be perfect and they ate that happily at least once a day! Even a huge amount of chicken salad is easily contained in a large Tupperware. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624321 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 13:40:29 +0000 Cole 2624321@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you're somewhere this makes sense- raclette is awesome for people from out of town! </p> <p>We do a lot of build your own your own type things too. Tacos are good, you can do a hearty soup and good bread is nice and you can't go wrong with pasta. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624320 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 13:39:43 +0000 looch 2624320@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: It's the Swiss German word, lol. I don't know why that came out. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624246 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 12:49:22 +0000 lamariniere 2624246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LuLu Mom: good idea about the breakfast bakes. I have a few of those in my repertoire.</p> <p>@looch: you're right about meat, it's expensive here and I almost always buy organic when I buy it. I wish we had rotisserie chicken here, because it's so easy to just add sides! It's really not a thing here though. I only know one place that has it at one of the weekend markets and the chickens are tiny. And gipfeli, is that a Swiss thing? Here they just call them croissants. :happy: </p> <p>@Foodnerd81: we'll definitely have cheese. Nearly all of our visitors are French, so it's a given!</p> <p>@youboots: added to the list, thanks!</p> <p>@yoursilverlining: definitely good ideas for the adults. We have a lot of younger kids visiting...but I could do grilled cheese or something less complicated for them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624060 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 10:11:50 +0000 LuLu Mom 2624060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>lunches: I always do just stuff for sandwiches/wraps and set it out so they can make their own. Then have pasta salad, potato salad, fruit, chips. etc. to eat with it. </p> <p>dinner: make ahead lasagna or similar pasta dish, or i'll make a huge patch of taco meat (chicken/hamburger) and have a DIY bar with taco shells and chips for nachos. I will also do a pulled chicken/pork for sandwiches. </p> <p>breakfast: I always do a egg casserole and/or a French toast bake casserole depending on the amount of people. If its' a lot, i'll do bagels/rolls I can just pick up and fruit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624045 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 09:46:15 +0000 looch 2624045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had to menu plan, my inlaws were here for 10 days and I had to come up with breakfast, lunch and most dinners, since I needed to be able to stay on track with some of my weight loss efforts.</p> <p>I had several things on repeat...but what worked well was to have a bigger, hot lunch, but then do charcuterie for dinner. It's also more affordable I think, as meat in Europe is very expensive and people don't really eat a lot of it. Do you have a guggliman...the chicken guy from the roadside stands? You can buy the roasted chicken there and then do the sides. Additionally, I really like a pot pie, or even those little cheese cakes in the tart shells...tell me you know what I am talking about?</p> <p>Breakfast I would do locally from a bakery once or twice, people always love gipfeli . I would also do muesli one day, and another day soft boiled eggs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624022 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 09:10:10 +0000 Foodnerd81 2624022@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not necessarily for meals (I struggle with this too!) but I always like to have a variety of cheese and crackers on hand. They stay good for a long time and people have something to snack on while I figure it out. And I just put t out on a pretty cutting board and let them cut it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624021 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 09:09:54 +0000 yoursilverlining 2624021@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lots of salads and choice of protein (usually salmon or steak, or white fish or chicken). Some kind of veggie on the side. </p> <p>Butterflied and pan seared pork chops and a farro salad, etc. </p> <p>Quiche and salad.</p> <p>Grilled shrimp and a cold pesto pasta salad.</p> <p>for lunches, left overs and a spread of deli meats, cheeses, breads, etc. </p> <p>For breakfast, frittatas and quiches are easy to make ahead, fruit salad made of whatever fruit is ripe and on sale, small selection of breads/muffin/whatever </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2624015 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 08:56:01 +0000 youboots 2624015@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>DIY tacos/nachos. Spaghetti with salad and red sauce. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2623984 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 07:54:31 +0000 lamariniere 2623984@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@PinkElephant: @ElbieKay: unfortunately, our freezer is also small. It's one of those freezers with 3 drawers and none of my pans fit.</p> <p>I also don't have a crock pot!</p> <p>@Anagram: I like the make-your-own idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2623981 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 07:46:26 +0000 ElbieKay 2623981@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Do you have freezer space? My husband often makes big pots of stew-style food and freezes portions. Then we just defrost/reheat on the stove and cook a starch (rice, pasta, quinoa, or couscous) and make a salad or side vegetable if you are feeling fancy. Examples: Bolognese sauce, Thai-style curry chicken, Moroccan chicken with carrots (or sweet potatoes) and currants, or beef goulash.</p> <p>This weekend he made Moroccan chicken. Then last night after work I reheated the chicken and made some quinoa and steamed some broccoli. It was a very tasty and healthy too.</p> <p>ETA: The Mario Batali bolognese recipe is excellent, and we recently discovered that it still tastes good if you substitute the ground veal and pork with ground turkey. (We still use the pancetta though!). Grated Parmesan is a must with this! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2623971 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 07:16:44 +0000 erinbaderin 2623971@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This crockpot pulled chicken with coleslaw and buns: <a href="http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/06/best-crockpot-bbq-chicken.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2014/06/best-crockpot-bbq-chicken.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2623970 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 07:14:24 +0000 PinkElephant 2623970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Things I can make ahead and freeze, like lasagna, quiche (bonus - they go in flat pans so don't take much fridge/freezer space), or soups - two favorites are a black bean soup (vegetarian) or lentil with shredded chicken. Both are quick to make but also freeze well; I freeze them flat in freezer bags so they aren't space hogs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2623969 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 07:13:54 +0000 ShootingStar 2623969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We do a lot of Italian food - big pan of baked ziti, crockpot full of meatballs, chicken parm, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2623965 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 06:59:50 +0000 Anagram 2623965@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Depends on the house guest, but a lot of times I do pasta with a choice of two sauces (like marinara and pesto, or a red meat sauce and alfredo), or I do taco soup, or make-your-own-pizza, or taco bar. Basically things that people make themselves, so I don't have to worry about what people do and don't like. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2623956 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 06:10:24 +0000 MrsSRS 2623956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Crockpot stews, rolls, salad, fruit salad. I usually keep sandwich stuff and pasta salad around for easy lunches, and bagels, fruit, and eggs for breakfasts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-feed-house-guests#post-2623954 Tue, 20 Sep 2016 05:54:50 +0000 lamariniere 2623954@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We have a ton of house guests coming to visit over the next two months (both with and without kids) and I'm trying to figure out how to menu plan. We will definitely be going out to eat, but not for every meal. What are some easyish dinners that feed and please a crowd? </p> <p>Limitations: we don't eat much meat, we live in an apartment so no BBQ, my oven and fridge are not huge, so I can't roast something large like a turkey (or bake multiple things at once) or keep more than 2-3 days worth of food on hand. </p>