This Christmas Eve, continuing with our extended family tradition, Angie and I will have around 26 people here for dinner and a $25 gift exchange. We have already drawn names.

We always provide dinner, always something that can be re-heated easily. This year we are debating between a baked potato bar or soup, Angie's posole and tortilla soup or one of those and either my chili or bean soup...all good sellers around here

What is your favorite baked potato "stuffing" and favorite soup ideas?

my favorite bake potato stuffing is chilli and sharp cheddar cheese. It is very yummie. Although a good marinara with some veggies in it would be good too.

as for soup...hmm i personally love roasted butternut squash..but not everyone does. I think either the tortilla soup sounds good or even a white bean soup is always good.

Chili and cheese is my fav timmielover....Angie loves butternut squash soup but it wouldn't go well at the party.....the only squash my family knows is...HEY! A bug!....squash!!

Chopped Broccoli for the potatoes is my FAVORITE!

Oh gosh, so much you can do with a chili bar!

My favorites - Chunks of chicken, cheese sauce, broccoli, caramelized onion, mmmmmm.

Steamed veggies and Annie's Goddess dressing, or broccoli and a nice homemade cheese sauce (it is a holiday after all.) Of course, now that I'm living in NM I have to say green chile. Green chile is good on everything!

As far as soup, I love lentil and split pea. I also love a good minestrone!

for wintery soups i like beef barley and creamy potato soup. a white bean soup w/ some ham would be sorta christmassy maybe?

for baked potato- traditional some cheese, ff sour cream, green onions... if you want to be bad some crumbled bacon pieces. yum!

you know what wins a lot in our large family?? big sandwiches- made on a loaf of french bread- a couple different varieties and let people bring side dishes. yum.

Does a big ole stick o' butter count?

I'd have to go the chili/cheese route. As far as soup, my favorite has always been potato. Although when my mom made it, it always had the aforementioned stick o' butter. And bacon. And butter bread. Hmm... I'm beginning to see a pattern.

Ooooh Turkey Chili!!!!! Fitting somehow
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Smokin-...li/Detail.aspx
I use jalapenos instead of habaneros... and it's still awesome. Or skip the hot peppers alltogether and it's still great.

For those of you who read the reviews... yes the first one is mine

Keep that chili warm in a crock pot and no need to re-heat!

I'm bringing it for our christmas potluck at work next week.

On a baked potato if I could have anything it would be:

Sour Cream, Butter, Cheese, Bacon, Chives, S and P

My favorite soup is Knorr Leek Soup--the recipe is on the box.

Great thread!!! I've been thinking about food for a b-day party this weekend and....this is what I'm gonna do!! Keep the ideas coming!

I love doing soup for a crowd because you can easily do it in a gigantic crockpot. I also went to a party once that had a taco bar.

Favourite soup, lentil hands down. Easy to make as well.

Potato toppings baked beans, cheese and sour cream.

Potato Toppings... melty cheese and bacon pieces or sourcream and butter. MMMMMM, yumminess!

Soups... I love Clam chowder, or a nice hearty minestrone.

Baked potato bar: butter, sour cream, chives, bacon, cheese, broccoli.

Soups: white chicken chili, broccoli cheese (you could even put in on the potato), Italian sausage soup