Homemade Pizza

• Pizza night is a great way to get everyone involved in the cooking process.Buy several balls of pizza dough or pizza crusts at the store. Set up a buffet-style area with all the pizza fixings: sauce, cheeses, chopped veggies, meat and anything else you like to throw on pizza. Have guests work together assembling pizzas and sending them into the oven. Since pizzas only require about 10 minutes until they're bubbling and golden brown, start working on a new pizza as soon as one enters the oven. This way, you'll have a constant rotation of fresh pizzas for guests to enjoy. Prepare a large bowl of salad and you've got an instantly satisfying meal.
  
  

Chili

• Set up a buffet of chopped vegetables, cheese and other toppings so that guests can dress this chili up as they choose. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Add two chopped onions, two chopped bell peppers and four cloves chopped garlic. Cook until just softened, about six to eight minutes. Add 2 lbs. lean ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until it is browned, about five to seven minutes. Add one 6-oz. can of tomato paste, 4 tbsp. chili powder and 2 tsp. cumin. Cook for one to two minutes to incorporate the flavors. Add two 12-oz. bottles of lager beer, two 19-oz. cans black, cannellini or kidney beans, and one 28-oz. can of diced tomatoes, undrained. Allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes; then add salt and pepper to taste. This recipe serves eight people.
  
  

Lasagna

• This easy lasagna bakes in under an hour and is the perfect hearty meal for large groups. In a large skillet, brown 1 lb. of lean ground beef. Add two 32-oz. jars of spaghetti sauce and simmer for five minutes. Meanwhile, mix together two 15-oz. tubs ricotta cheese, 3 cups shredded mozzarella, two eggs, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with about 3/4 cup of spaghetti sauce. Top with three uncooked no-boil lasagna noodles and 1 3/4 cups of the cheese mixture. Continue layering until the baking dish is full, ending with the cheese layer. Bake on the middle rack of a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, or until crispy and bubbling. Serve with a side salad and warm garlic bread. This recipe serves 12 people.
  
  

Taco Night

• Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add one chopped onion and three cloves chopped garlic to the pan. Cook until just softened, about three to five minutes. Add 2 lbs, of lean ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon until the meat is no longer pink, about six to eight minutes. Add one 16-oz. can tomato sauce, 1 tbsp. chili powder and 1 1/2 tsp. cumin. Continue cooking until mixture begins to simmer. Add two 15-oz. cans black, kidney or chili beans to the mixture. Serve the skillet mixture in hard taco shells or soft tortillas along with cheese, lettuce, salsa or any of your favorite taco toppings. This recipe serves 8-10 people.