Best Cheap Dishes for Family Reunions?

[Stacyrect]

My family is having its yearly reunion soon and I was wondering if you guys had any good yet cheap recipes for something to pass around. Kinda sick of just making a brownie mix to pass so unless you modify them in some way please suggest something else. Thanks.

I know how to make a pretty slammin low cal/low fat desert.

You will need:
Ghram Crackers
1 to 2 Cool hwip-Low fat if desired (quanity based on pan size)
1 to 2 Instant vanilla pudding (see above)
1 chocolate frosting container- low fat if desired

Step 1. Make instant vanilla pudding, let that bitch set
step 2. Get out a pyrex, aluminum, tupaware container thats about normal cake size
step 3. Wait till pudding has set
step 4. lay crackers down so that they meet end to end and fill bottom of container
step 5. Add a layer of cool hwip, distribute evenly
Step 6. Add a layer of crackers
Step 7. Add a layer of pudding
Repeat steps 4-5 till out of crackers, pudding, and coolwhip
Step 8. Heat chocolate frosting till desired manageable spreading condition and top the dish off
Step 9. Cover loosely in Aluminum foil
Step 10. Stick in the fridge till its ready for transport or to be eaten

It's a pretty lightweight desert that everyone will love

[Sunseeker]

Mashed potatoes are easy and cheap. A 10lb bad of potatoes (more than you'll need) is like, 3 bucks, some garlic is 50c at best and then just some hard labor to mash it up and boom, done.

[Amunrasonther]

When my Italian family gets together, we always have Baked Ziti - it's cheap, delicious, and you can feed a lot of people with it.

[Felya]

2 roasted egg plant, 1/4 of a head of raw garlic, 1 small tomato, 2 tablespoons of mayo. All into a blender... Salt and pepper to taste... Cool it, intended to be served cold. 2 table spoon per serving or as dip. = Israel Salad / babaganoosh variant = 20 bucks, many servings, but small.

12 boiled eggs quarter, 2 pounds of Bologna (garlic if you can get it, but deli a must) cut to match egg slices, 6 large kosher dill pickles sliced to match egg slices, 4 large boiled potatoes skinned and sliced as others, 2 pounds of raw peas, cover in mayo to taste (sunflower oil based if you can get it), salt, pepper to taste. Serve cooled. Huge platefuls servings. = Olivier Salad = 20$ huge servings, lots of people fed.

[Garnier Fructis]

Deviled eggs are easy. Just try not to make it too salty.

[Powerogue]

i think i just threw up in my mouth a little.

Yeah, remind me never to go to any of you people's family reunions. Mine are always cassarolepaloozas because no one knows how to make anything else. (Granted, neither do I, but I use that as motivation to just go buy something instead)

[lonely zergling]

My suggestion: Big Mac Salad.

[Gemini Sunrise]

Chili is good. The ingredients might be a bit pricey depending on what kind you make, but you'd generally make a great deal of it.

[Xandrigity]

A big bunch of spaghetti with meat sauce is pretty cheap and easy to make plus who hates spaghetti?

[enragedgorilla]

http://www.food.com/recipe/jiffy-cor...licious-313521

I have this one ready to go...it is AMAZING as a side, I use more butter though.