Sweet and Sour Chicken for a crowd

A lot of people have been asking what and how I cook for 20 people when we have group and so I thought the easiest way to answer this once and for all would be to do a post.

Last night, I made sweet and sour chicken (thanks to Alister’s Aunt Violet who served it while we were in N.I and told me the recipe). This combination of things actually only fed 12 (but there was enough chicken left over for probably 2 more portions, plus we only had 3 girls and the guys will tend to keep eating until everything is gone if given the chance as long as everyone else has eaten) Everyone really liked the recipe so it is definitely one I will try again. Probably though – I could have done with another salad. (By the way - other yummy and chicken/ crock pot recipes are appreciated!)

Prices are rounded to the nearest hreevna to give a generous estimate

Item	Cost
3 whole chickens @ 18 uah/kilo	71	I put these in the slow cooker and cook them overnight. The next day I debone them and strain the broth, setting it aside or using it in whatever recipe I’m making at the time. The cat always likes this part because he gets lots and lots of bones
1 850ml can of pineapple chunks	9
350 gr of Peppers purchased and frozen during the summer when they were 10 uah/kilo	4	I make the sauce and then add it to the deboned and diced chicken from the night before. This recipe didn’t need much more cooking so basically I just turned the crock pot on low an hour before group to reheat the chicken thoroughly and make sure everything was hot.
1 cup of vinegar	1
2 onions 3 uah/kilo	1
¼ cup sugar 4 uah/kilo	1
1 tablespoon of Ginger and Vegetable bouillon	1
1 bottle of soy sauce	4
1 kilo of white rice	14
1 grated carrot @ 3.5/kilo	1
A few tablespoons of flour to thicken the sauce	1
1 head of cabbage for salad	3
3 carrots for salad	1
1 packet of mayo	4
1 tablesppon of dill	1
Juice of half a lemon	3
A couple of loaves of bread	10
Total cost of meal	130	= $16.50 at current exchange rate

I always try to buy veggies and things that are in season. The biggest cost is always the meat but so far prices on chicken have stayed stable. The exchange rate is also a big factor – this recipe would have cost $35 dollars if I had made it during the summer – but even at that rate each person would have been fed for less than $3

Lately people have been bringing cookies and stuff for tea and it seems we always have enough of everything.