Do you ever struggle to figure out exactly what to cook on vacation or when having people over to your own home? Summertime is here, and it is the season to vacation and entertain, so today I am sharing a tried and true, tested and vetted dinner menu that is great for a crowd, or for your own family.
Planning a menu for a vacation is essential to having a fun time, and not being stuck in the kitchen the whole trip. Even as someone who enjoys cooking, I know that I want to spend my time hanging with friends, not cooking while everyone else is out having fun without me! I always start my planning process by thinking about what can be made quickly and easily, and is good for a communal dining experience. I start with the main dish and fill in the details from there.
What makes something good for a communal dining experience is something that people are experienced with eating, so it doesn't require a lot of explanation. Another thing to watch for is the cost of a dish. Because a communal vacation meals are often served to a lot of people, and the odds are you going to spend a little bit more on groceries when on vacation, it's always best to consider the price of a dish per person. The next thing is ease of cooking, I refuse to cook anything that is super time consuming on a vacation. Vacations are for relaxing and having fun, not for slaving over a soufflé. Recipes that you have cooked before also are a good idea, you never know what you are really getting into when you are cooking a recipe for the first time. The final thing to think about is how easy different parts of the menu, or recipes will be to delegate out. Dinner always tastes better when everyone helps!
On a recent trip I planned a simple fiesta menu, I started with the main dish- Easy Oven Fajitas and worked my way through the menu from there.
Pico De Gallo and
Guacamole aren't just toppings for
Oven Baked Fajitas, they double as appetizers or side dishes. Throw in a
Cheesy Corn Queso Dip, and
The Best Blended Margaritas you've ever had, and I'd say you have got yourself a meal. Sure you could make rice and beans, we didn't and we were fine, but I might have if we were feeding more people. Rice and beans are super easy, and a great inexpensive way to stretch a meal.
Next time you are planning a vacation, group meal, dinner party or a fiesta of any kind, you can refer to these recipes for easy, delicious, inexpensive place to start.
Do you have a favorite fiesta recipe? Would you make this menu on vacation or for a dinner party?
