what to cook at a vacation house v.2
 We just got back from the Oregon high desert with 9 adults and 4 kids and I was in charge of 2 dinners. I made Caro’s sheet pan fajitas (with steak and chicken) and they were such a hit! (I used taco seasoning packets to avoid having to buy a bunch of different spices.) We also had spaghetti with Rao’s & what I call “cheater meatballs” (sweet Italian sausage rolled into balls, cooked on a sheet pan in the oven, and finished under the broiler) and Caesar salad, which was so easy (although I did have to buy Worcestershire for the dressing). I tossed most of the pasta with marinara and pasta cooking water (except for the portion I just buttered for my niece), and served the meatballs with more marinara on the side so that people could choose to go meatless if they wanted. Expand full comment Looove that cheater meatball hack. I first learned about it from Caro! And fajitas — such a smart big group meal! Expand full comment I thought the meatballs were a Caro hack, but couldn’t remember for sure! Expand full comment I would love this but our vacation house includes a vegan, a gluten free diet, a newly dairy & soy free breastfeeder, a toddler, and a new eater. God help me. Expand full comment I love “build your own burrito bowls” when a group has a lot of dietary restrictions - one person can skip cheese, one can skip meat, etc.! Expand full comment That's quite the spread of dietary restrictions!! Tropical shrimp bowls and grilled chicken with veggies and burrata would be good ones to try to make work using the notes + subs... they're really modifiable. And turkey bolognese but make it with mushrooms instead of turkey and omit the dairy and make a pot of regular noodles and another with GF noodles. The corn pasta was another favorite of mine when I was DF due to breastfeeding, you just omit the Parm and it's still delish. Again served GF and regular noodles. It's usually a hit with kids and new eaters can eat the corn sauce as a puree. The chicken fajita bowls from the other week or fish taco bowls from years ago would be great too (the vegan eater could eat with beans). Godspeed!!! Expand full comment We are heading to Cape Cod for a week by the shore with 5 kids and 4 adults. In addition to a quintessential New England clambake one night, I'm hoping to make the summery peach & pork bowls as well as the zucchini risotto with grilled chicken Expand full comment Sounds idyllic! Eating a clambake in Cape Cod is now on my summer bucket list Expand full comment Also just did the grilled chicken with coconut rice and strawberry salsa up at the lake house... big hit! Expand full comment Such a crowd pleaser! And smart to do that one, the jerk seasoning does so much heavy lifting Expand full comment This arrived just in time! Three families are going to a lake house in Vermont next weekend and my sister in law and I are just doing meal prep now! Expand full comment Kismet!! Vermont sounds DREAMY right now (I write from humid SC) Expand full comment Headed to Sedona with my 20 family members and realllly hoping this meal plan goes over well in the group chat Expand full comment 20!! Omg have so much fun. Report back! Expand full comment We’re going to Hilton Head with 9 adults and 10 kids ages 4-11 Expand full comment SO FUN! Expand full comment This is brilliant. Thank you!! Expand full comment Heading to Topsail Island, NC at the end of the month with my parents and sisters family. This is perfect! Expand full comment Have so much fun!! I used to go the Figure 8 every summer right down the shore — such a beautiful part of NC! Expand full comment We are traveling to Upper Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks in a few weeks and Cape Charles, VA for LDW. Love these ideas! Expand full comment Both are places I've been dying to go!! Expand full comment I like your courgette gallette recipe for holidays!! Uses a whole pack of pastry, and a whole pack of boursin (and whole courgettes obviously) so you don't have leftover ingredients Expand full comment Oh suuuuch a fun one for a group house!!!! Expand full comment We are traveling to Hilton Head, SC with three families. So excited to see your ideas! Expand full comment So fun you're traveling with multiple families!! Hope some of these meals are crowd pleasers for your group! Expand full comment We are using this meal plan at my extended family's place on the Olympic peninsula. It is turning out so well!! Expand full comment Hi from Isleboro Island in Maine! Expand full comment Can you please do one of these for winter as well? We do a weekly ski trip with my family and I’d love you ideas on a meal plan for that! 🙏🏻🩷 Expand full comment I second this ask Jess! We are doing a Thanksgiving Beach Week so more fall/winter cozy vacation house meals would be amazing! Expand full comment Barnegat Light on Long Beach Island, New Jersey and Bethany Beach, Delaware! Expand full comment Love LBI!! Have so much fun!! Expand full comment