ALl set for tonight - thank you to everyone who helped!

Update:

I will be doing a trial casserole tonight...got everything apart from the marmite but will get some for Saturday.

Not managed to get to deli due to awful weather so will be getting everything from M&S tomo.

PDR i posted an easy apple crumble cake recipe on MN

it is delicious, will try to find it for you

ahh, slow internet, massive cross-posting, sorry!

Ooh I love dinner party planning, but don't feel you have to do proper 3 courses to make it special, I can't remember the last time someone cooked me a starter, but if making a bit of an effort with presentation etc looks like you've gone the extra mile!

An easy starter solution is to get some posh sliced italian meats, thinly slice some mozzarella and grilled peppers (from the deli counter!) or avocado, and arrange it all on a nice plate or two in the middle of the table (plus olives, unless you really can't bear to have them in the house) with a warm ciabatta, sliced on the diagonal, then everyone can pick and help themselves while drinking wine and making small talk, and if you have to nip to the kitchen to sort things out it doesn't matter, nothing's spoiling.

Casseroles are great. My fail-safe favourite is Jamie Oliver's Lamb Shanks, from his first book, but whatever works for you. M&S mash might save on the hassle... If you sprinkle a little chopped flatleaf parsley on the top it will look a bit more 'restaurant'. And put veggies in serving bowls in the middle of the table so the plates don't look too loaded up.

Crumble would be yummy, or how about something a bit lighter like a Tarte Citrone or Tarte au Pomme? Dust a lemon tart with icing sugar to make it look more homemade, and serve it with a few raspberries. Or get a tarte au pomme (the thin type) and serve warm with scoop of posh caramel ice cream - easy peasy!

If you think the boys are likely to sit around talking shop you could buy a couple of cheeses (no more than 2 or 3 types) and pop them out with grapes and water biscuits, but don't forget to take them out of the fridge at the beginning of hte evening to warm up. If you might want to get rid of them, don't!

<<off to go and find someone to invite for Sunday lunch as haven't cooked for friends for ages>>>

Will investigate deli as have never actually bought anything apart from ham there...

if you have a deli why not do a mezze plate with little things to snack on?
Melba toasts, warm bread rolls, houmous, antipasti, olives that kind of thing?

Make some crostini? Very easy.

No Waitrose here (boohoo) but will try M&S or we do have a small deli in our village...

I did a Boeuf Bourguignon last time we had guests served with rice and green veg and it went down a storm, I cooked it for about 6 hours so it was very succulent, it was butternut squash soup for starters and then poached pears with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream...easy peasy.

With a stew or something like lamb shanks you don't need to worry about over cooking if you do it reaaaaaly slowly.

If you are going down the pate route, Waitrose (if you have one near you) have some nice looking pates at the deli counter that you can buy by weight (and the duck and champagne one is currently reduced!).

Hope you have a really enjoyable evening.