Lovely meal for family friends - with primary age kids - ideas?

[LtGreggs]

We have friends coming over for early dinner next weekend. We know them well but not seen them properly lately because of work, life etc. They are lovely but a bit posher /foodier than we are!

Can anyone suggest ideas for a nice but not too difficult menu that is:

• good food
  
• kid friendly (mainly) - kids are primary age and not too fussy
  
• won't have me in kitchen ALL day - I do enjoy cooking but work FT and don't want to be at it all day before they arrive
  

Cheers

[MissBattleaxe]

Keep it simple and forget about trying to impress them. I would do a big lasagne with salad and bread. Or do a simple rustic-y buffet, say a plain roast chicken with crusty posh bread, real butter and loads of salad.

[ChippyMinton]

Slow-cooked pulled pork
big basket of bread rolls (maybe use the part-baked ones so they are served warm)
wedges
coleslaw
apple sauce, BBQ sauce

Baked New York cheesecake and fresh fruit.

[LtGreggs]

Yes I'm definitely on the same wavelength - I don't want to do anything fussy or impressive for the sake of it - but I'd just like it to be really nice

Like both the chicken & pork ideas, with colourful salady sides. Bread rolls good too - I think the part baked ones are good.

Never done a baked cheesecake - DH does like his cheesecake so that could be a goer.

I wondered about something along lines of a chocolate meringue roulade kind of thing? Can make in day and it would look quite special??

[StompyFreckles]

A favourite in our house is Rigatonu sausage bake (sausage, spinach, pasta. Cheese sauce) on the Good Food website - delicious!

[StompyFreckles]

*rigatoni

[WhoKn0wsWhereTheMistletoes]

Lasagne is a good idea, or Mexican, tacos, fajitas or similar, lots of picky bits so everyone can choose what they like.

[WhoKn0wsWhereTheMistletoes]

The rigatoni sausage bake sounds good, we do a sausage meatballs thing which is similar and always popular. You cut up sausages, fry them, deglaze with balsamic vinegar, add passata and herbs and simmer for 20 mins or so, serve with pasta and salad.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

A gorgeous cottage pie made with slow cooked brisket and some green veg on the side.

[Higge]

Lamb shanks in a carrot and tomato sauce - serve with mash and Spring greens.

[dreamingofsun]

shoulder of lamb, so cooked in white wine on a bed of leeks/carrots. with a stock pot and some herbs and garlic. then you could have french bread/jacket pots/ roast or mash with it.

if you are pushed for desert, what about a nice cheese board with sliced apples/grapes and decent icecream.

[dreamingofsun]

should have said 'slow' cooked

[SafariOrigami]

A big pot of meatballs in a lovely sauce, pasta or cous cous to serve, huge bowl, of salad, garlic bread - job done!

I make a nice recipe for meatballs in a fresh cherry tomato sauce with white wine and it is really tasty!

[LtGreggs]

I do love meatballs :-)

I tried a baked cheesecake at the weekend as a practise run - was fab so thanks for that suggestion. Will have a look at either meatballs or roast chicken with pots of salad, bread etc.

Thanks all!

[wickedwaterwitch]

Hugh's leg of lamb is really easy and lush

countryskillsblog.com/2014/02/19/roast-lamb-from-the-river-cottage-meat-book-by-hugh-fearnley-whittingstall-cooking-the-books-week-7/

And it's foodie enough I reckon.

Most kids will eat lamb. So I think I'd do that with a few veg and roast potatoes and make a pudding during the day.

[wickedwaterwitch]

(It doesn't taste fishy btw, have cooked it loads!)

[wickedwaterwitch]

Or Nigella's ham in Coke (ha ha!)

www.nigella.com/recipes/view/ham-in-coca-cola-171

Although I left the cloves out as I don't like them