Here's a challenge for you all....... I need ideas

[The empressof all]

Every Labor Day we spend the week-end with friends at the Lake. We've been doing this for over 10 years and a friendly cooking rivalry has developed over which "cook" can do the best meal for the weekend.

Here's what I have to work with: A half fridge...(no freezer to speak of), small microwave, large Nesco Oven, one hot plate and a charcoal grill (with no cover). (I also can bring a crock pot if needed)

We'll eat almost anything although my SO hates fish.

Give me some ideas beyond the typical barbecue burgers and hot dogs.


In the past I've done brisket, all kinds of marinated tri-tip, grilled drunken chicken, kabobs and fajitas. I ususally do a huge salad and sometimes a pasta side but usually it's just roasted potatoes or corn.

We have a 4 hour car ride. I can stop at a Costco or Safeway about an hour away from the cabins.

I'm looking for something relatively easy and simple with a huge WOW factor.

Please help make me the Queen of the cook-out this year!

PS: I'm cooking for about 20 people.

[ernstbass]

1. First thing that came to my mind was kebobs

but you've already done them. I was thinking kebobs w/ steak, chicken and shrimp/scallops and lots of baby veggies that would skewer easily. I'll have to think on this for awhile. I also thought of some type of South Carolina low country seafood boil w/ shrimp, sausages, corn, potaotes or a clambake (oops forgot about your SO!)

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

2. How about ham?

Or would that be too odd? I've got a recipe from Saveur that always knocks them dead.


best

[eleny]

4. I'd love to see your recipe

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

5. here you go eleny

I buy the cheapest, bone-in, smoked ham I can find. Once got one for 98 cents a pound!

1 15 lb, smoked ham, on the bone

For the ham, preheat oven to 300. Trim tough outer skin & excess fat from ham. Put ham in a large roasting pan & score, making crosshatch incisions all over w/a sharp knife. Roast for 2 hours. Remove from oven & increase heat to 350.

For Glaze:

1 1/2 cups orange marmalade
1 cup dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 rounded tbsp. whole cloves.

For glaze, combine orange marmalade, mustard & brown sugar in a medium bowl. Stud ham w/cloves, inserting one at the intersection of each crosshatch, then brush entire surface of ham generously w/glaze & return to oven.

Cook ham another 1 1/2 hours, brushing w/glaze at least 3 times. Transfer to a cutting board or platter & allow to rest for about 30 minutes. Carve & serve warm or at room temp.

I once made a 10lb ham as an appetizer. By the time everyone got there it was gone. I also made one when son & DIl were visiting. Son had asked friends to come over. I pulled it out of the oven & was cutting slices when he came bounding up the stairs. He grabbed a piece & walked into the bedroom. Immediately he came back out, turned to his wife & said "get that recipe". She had already written it down. Of course, I turned to him & said, "what, did you break both your arms?" I apologized to DIL & said I thought I had done a better job of raising him.

best

[Shakespeare]

6. Oh, that sounds GREAT!

MUST make that for my dijon-obsessed husband!

[eleny]

13. Thanks!

I never used an orange glaze so this is going to be good! We're ham fans.

[eleny]

3. With that full sized Nesco - the sky's the limit

I know this isn't exactly practical - but you could even roast a Thanksgiving turkey dinner with that Nesco. Stove Top stuffing and the other "works" out of cans cold be fun.

Not to be taken seriously, really. It's just that the Nesco has me imagining. Such a luxury when camping. A ham would be easy in it, too. I'm wild for roasts since they're just so easy.

[The empressof all]

9. The Ham Idea is tempting

I'm not a real Ham fan--It's a once a year thing for me. But one of those spiral cut babies could be fun.

The problem with the Turkey is the Nesco just can't seem to get the skin brown and crunchy. It tends to have a very moist heat which is great for moist and juicy meat but not good for skin. I'd never make a roast beast in it but it's great for a pot roast or brisket.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

11. Empress,

I'm not a ham fan either, which is why I hesitated to post the recipe. However, I love it if I get to eat the edges. :)

GF wanted the recipe for a party. I gave it to her & told her to use a bone-in, smoked ham. She got a spiral cut & it wasn't anywhere near as good. I don't know if it was the ham or GF, who honestly couldn't cook her way out of a paper bag.

best.

ps still looking for dessert recipes. I have only one that qualifies as low maintenance, & then not really. Though it can be made a week in advance & kept.

double best

[eleny]

12. I know what you mean about the moist Nesco heat

I have a small Nesco and make chickens in it. It cooks them very quickly but no crisp skin.

I was going to get some sliced ham in the packages the other day. And then I saw some small spiral hams. I tossed back the packaged sliced meat and opted for the tiny spiral ham. So much better.

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

7. I've come up with a couple more

main courses, but I wanted to ask if you're looking for BBQ recipes in particular? If it's BBQ, I have nothing except one dish to make steak salads. I'm just not a BBQer.

best

[The empressof all]

8. No doesn't need to be barbecue at all

The goal is to make something fabulous with minimal facilities.

Folks have made Chicken enchiladas, lasagna, cioppino, chili, and stews of all types.

I'm also looking for easy dessert ideas as well. I usually make a huge trifle on my dessert night. I'd love to do something new.

[AwakeAtLast]

10. Italian Beef?

For every three pounds of chuck or rump roast add 1 pkg Italian dressing mix (like Good Seasons) and a can of beer into a crockpot. 3-5 hours on low. Shred beef, serve on rolls.

I think it is easy and good.

[eleny]

14. Now this has my attention

It sounds yummy!

[AwakeAtLast]

15. Don't kill me

I forgot about the 1/2 cup or so of water if you need it.

I always get rave reviews whenever I make it!

[eleny]

16. Heh...heh

Thanks! I'll be fixing this next week. I'll let you know how it turns out for me. I know it'll be good as it sounds great!

[franmarz]

17. Heres an all time recipe that ANYTHING can be added to---

An old Spanish sauce, and I mean Spanish, not Mexican.
This sauce can be used in any kind of meat from meat balls to steaks.

Sweet Cubanella or Banana peppers-3-4-5
Fresh large tomatoes-3-4
Large sweet onion-1
Garlic -Ad Lib.

Chop all into medium size pieces-add what ever spices you like, put some oil in skillet, and SLOW COOK till all is a sauce you prefer.
I freeze this in pints and when I have-pork steaks, chops, ground meat balls, or my favorite HOT DOGS CUT IN BITE SIZES, I have a ready made meat dish that has been simmered to perfection.

[The empressof all]

18. I do something very similar with roasted red and/or yellow peppers

It's yummy. I like very spicy food so I sometimes add cayenne and/or jalapeno as well.

[mandyky]

19. Since you have gotten a lot of suggestions for meats

I am a smorgasborg lover, so I am thinking salads - cole slaw, potato, macaroni, baked beans, etc for sides. Or maybe you pass some vegetables for sale stands along your 4 hour drive, where you could find squash or something else to roast or bake. Cold salads can always be made the day before as long as you have a cooler and ice.

[The empressof all]

20. I'm thinking about doing a big antipasto platter

grilled zucchini and eggplant, roasted red peppers, olives, with various Italian cheeses and maybe some salami and prosciutto wrapped melon.

I'm also now toying with the idea of doing a Moroccan Chicken on a bed of couscous as the main course.

I'm not committed to this yet so Keep the ideas coming.

[wryter2000]

21. Dang

If you had a covered barbecue, I'd say do beer can chicken. You season the inside of a chicken (or about 5 for 20 people). Then, you take a beer can and empty of it of all but about 1/3 beer. Or take an empty aluminum beverage can and pour in 1/3 other liquid -- brandy, burbon, use your imagination. Then, you stuff the chicken over the can and put it on the barbecue, standing up on the two "feet" and the can. Cover and cook for 1.5 hours. You can put some smoke chips on the fire. It's yummy and very dramatic.

In the crockpot, you could make "white" chili with chicken. You could make a bunch of pesto and freeze it. It would thaw on the drive to the lake. Boil up lots of pasta -- I like skinny spaghetti. Buy a bunch of ripe tomatoes from a farmer's market and serve with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Grate some of Costco's ultra expensive but yummy Parmesano reggiano over it. Sprinkle on some basil you've cut into thin ribbons.

[The empressof all]

22. I love beer can chicken.

It's one of our staples at home. I even do it in the oven sometimes in the winter. I also hoard empty beer cans. rinse them out and fill with wine and herbs instead of beer for a change.

I like your Pasta idea too...I just don't want to drag a pasta pot if i could avoid it.

[grasswire]

23. I'm with the person....

...who said to ignore the SO's dislike of seafood.

The biggest wow I think a cook can get is for shrimp or crab. Here's one of my favorite menus:

. Spiced jumbo peel and eat shrimp -- the Old Bay recipe is durn good

. Polenta squares fried crispy in butter (make the polenta ahead of time with citrus zest, rosemary and a bit of garlic)

. Celery root remoulade (any kind of fun slaw would work -- remoulade is just interesting because it's mustardy)

. A big bowl of sliced oranges with coconut (another more seasonal tray of fruits could substitute)

. Pecan pie (David Rosengarten's recipe is what I use)

..............
If you have an ice cream maker available, how about making some peach ice cream?

Of course, you could go koo-koo and make tempura. My ex and I did a tempura party for twenty over a Coleman stove. What were we thinking??

[grasswire]

24. another thought.....

....how about doing a whole suckling pig? I don't know if it is the right time of year or if it could be done in the roaster, but it's possible to do it in a pit in the ground, too. We did it one time for a campout at a lake, and it was a quadruple wow. It cooked all night and the next day in the pit.

[Lefty48197]

25. I'd say pork loin or baby back ribs

rubbed with garlic and pepper and other spices But the only way to cook pork is to use indirect heat, and you'll need a lid for your grill to do that. Baby backs should be cooked for almost 3 hours.

[The empressof all]

26. Just an Update

DH and I prepared teriyaki flanken ribs. I had never seen a flanken rib in my life but Albertsons was having a 2 for 1 sale so it seemed like a good thing to try. They turned out great. We had fresh corn and an asian salad with mandarin oranges in it.

We also did a hugh cheese platter around cocktail time which was a great success.

Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

I :grouphug: you guys.

[NMDemDist2]

27. yummmmm and here I was eating peanut butter and nuking trolls

:cry: