Feeding the Team! Pasta and more!

I almost forgot to report back!

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that I was preparing to host our oldest son's basketball team for their weekly pasta dinner!  I wanted to make sure that I would NOT run out of food for these hungry boys...twelve sophomore players!  :)

Thankfully, I didn't run out and we had LOTS of leftovers that I was able to divide and freeze for plenty of meals for our family too!  Yay!

I wanted to let you know what I did, and some suggestions for the next time we host the team.

First of all, the team typically arrives directly from practice, but this day their practice finished early...since I really wanted my husband's help with the dinner, the boys had an hour between practice and the dinner...and some of them ATE a little AT HOME before they came...I can't blame them, but I know it cut down on what they consumed at my house!  :)

So, this is what I prepared:
**Triple recipe of Make-Ahead Unstuffed Pasta Shells
**Triple recipe of Chicken Alfredo Bake (using this recipe as a guide)
**Huge bowl of Romaine lettuce (only used 2 out of 3 "stalks" from a 3 pack)
**3 loaves of Garlic Bread (store-bought)
**2 loaves of homemade French bread
**9x13 pan of Rice Krispie bars
**Milk
**Water
**Gatorade

They ate a LOT of food, but I think the next time I host, I would be able to get by with a double recipe of each main dish (or at least cut down on one of them, to make a total of 5 recipes).
They didn't eat all of the bread...some preferred the French bread to the Garlic bread.  (Making the French bread was a last minute idea...I did that because I had some time.  Three loaves total, would have been enough.) 

It was a LOT of fun!  We were able to fit all of them in our dining room.  We added a small table to the end, so they could all sit as a group.

sorry for the glare from the window!

They were so polite and kind...wonderful young men!  It was fun to see how they truly enjoyed their time together.

Here are some more specifics on how I made the Chicken Alfredo Bake:
*2-16 oz. boxes of rotini
*28 oz. bag of frozen chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
*2 cups milk
*2-15 oz. jars alfredo sauce
*1 tsp. minced garlic 
*1 1/3 c. mozzarella cheese
*4 T. parmesan

Prepare pasta as directed.  Bake chicken, and cut into cubes.  Mix milk with alfredo sauce.  Mix in parmesan and garlic with the sauce.  Pour over pasta and mix well.  Add cubed chicken and mix into pasta.  Pour into a deep 9x13 pan.  (I bought a disposable deep 9x13 lasagna pan).  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.  Bake at 400*F for 25 - 30 minutes, until heated through.
(I divided the ingredients in half, and made another pan of it, as well)


Now I have it documented...for the next time!  :)

How about you?  Any advice for "feeding the team"?

Pin It