Feeding a crowd

I made almost four quarts of spaghetti sauce yesterday afternoon. And cooked up a truckload of spaghetti in my big stockpot (three standard sized packages, and yes, I probably should have split it between two large pots but I only had the one big stockpot).

And I served carrot sticks and celery (which didn't seem to be that popular; one of the mothers who helped me out took the leftovers home - since I can't eat either one because of my food intolerance of things in that botanical family). And three of those big frozen loaves of garlic bread. And two boxes of those frozen "push up" things. (I have the better part of a box leftover...I don't think all the adults took one when I put them out).

I think I counted 20 people, kids plus adults.

I had one serving's worth of spaghetti sauce left at the end of the evening. So I guess they liked it. Several of the kids went back for seconds and thirds. (Which was a relief, because I know how picky kids can be, and I've seen kids freak out over a spaghetti sauce in which you can see pieces of onion, and that's how this spaghetti sauce was. And also, I used that "plus" variety of spaghetti - the one that has chickpea flour in it to give it more protein. I happen to like it better because it's not as gummy and starchy as regular pasta. But I was concerned the kids wouldn't go for it, I guess they did.). One of the older boys - he's 12 or so and not QUITE old enough for the teen group - gave me the thumbs-up over the food.

So I'm gratified they enjoyed the food. But I'm also glad I won't have to do that again for a while. It's a lot of work. (Next time, I might do something like chili, which is probably marginally easier, and the kids seem to like chili.)